Dietary Supplements – Can they be Dangerous?
The use of dietary supplements continues to be rising each year. Whereas a lot of individuals think that dietary supplements are able to improve their health or perhaps prevent certain illnesses, certain consumer groups and medical professionals have warned that dietary supplements might be dangerous. So, the question is: are dietary supplements truly dangerous? Regrettably, the question doesn’t have an easy answer.
Dietary supplements, by its broad definition, include thousands of products that are numerous. In 2004, Consumer Reports listed twelve potentially deadly dietary supplements. A lot of them are herbal products. Some of these herbs were consumed by herbalists for hundreds of years and are considered as safe. Nonetheless, when the active substances in these herbs are extracted in concentrated or pure form and eaten over prolonged time, they are able to be dangerous to lots of individuals.
Many dietary supplements such as vitamins and minerals are secure and can supplement what is missing in our diet. But, including the benign supplement can become dangerous in overdose. For news that is local, a lady was reported to give her two teenage daughters mega dose of vitamin A for extended time, thinking that the supplement is great for the eyes. Both suffered from acute liver failure and one demanded a liver transplant to save her life. Vitamin A is not harmful but mega measure of vitamin A is hepatotoxic. In this situation, ignorance is dangerous!
The quality of dietary supplement is likewise an essential component. The presence of contaminations, for instance toxic substances, drugs, and heavy metal are able to make a benign supplement risky. A good example will be the presence of microcystin toxin in blue green algae dietary supplements. Microcystins are natural toxins from specific strains of blue green algae that might result in liver harm and liver tumors. Based on the research conducted by Health Canada, just one strain of blue green algae, java burn ingredients list Spirulina, is clear of microcystins as Spirulina is harvested from controlled ponds. A lot of the non-Spirulina blue green algae supplements are polluted by microcystins, especially those harvested from healthy lakes. Daily consumption of these dietary supplements would meet or exceed the acceptable level of microcystin consumption started by Health Canada and WHO.
Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is yet another critical element to safeguard the quality and safety of dietary supplements. Dietary supplement makers in conformity of GMP standards have to test the identity of raw materials, apply an excellent management product, offer expiration date for the completed products, maintain very good records of batch creation and composed methods, as well as hire personnel who are taught to recognize and follow GMP. This process is able to decrease the prospect of having batch to batch perturbation for power, composition, quality and virginity of finished products.
To sum up, although the majority of nutritional supplements are safe when ingested based on the label, customers are advised to teach themselves prior to taking these supplements. What are the functions of these supplements? How long can I be consuming them? Are they manufactured by reputable organizations in compliance of good manufacturing practices? Never consume in excess of the strongly suggested dose unless supervised by healthcare professionals. In case you’re expecting, breast feeding, or maybe suffering from pre existing health issues, you must also take additional precaution and also talk to your nutritionists or doctors.