News You Can Use: Are Dietary Supplements Right for You?

Seek medical counsel before taking any new supplement, UM dietitian advises

by Clara Turnage

Walk through the dietary supplement aisle of any drugstore and you’ll find a sea of products from Vitamin A to zinc. But choosing which supplement—if any—is right for you is more difficult than it may seem, a University of Mississippi researcher said.

The first step for anyone who feels they need to improve their diet with supplements should be to consult a medical professional, said Melinda Valliant, a registered dietitian and interim dean of the School of Applied Sciences.

“Invest the money to see a registered dietitian who’s going to complete a thorough assessment of your diet, lifestyle, health status, and your prescription and over-the-counter medications,” she said. “Be a skeptical consumer. Do your research and don’t just listen to the marketing.”

 Nearly three-quarters of Americans take some form of dietary supplement, whether that be a traditional vitamin, pre- or post-workout supplements or even loaded teas. Without proper guidance, however, these “healthy habits” could have negative consequences.

Supplements are federally considered foods—not drugs—so unlike prescription drugs, supplements are not strictly regulated by the FDA, which can lead to inconsistencies in quality and safety.

“People say, ‘Well it’s just a plant,’ or ‘It’s just an herb,'” Valliant said. “But what do you think most drugs are? Plants. Herbs.

“That’s important to think about for anybody, but particularly someone with a health concern or who is on prescription medication, because they might interfere with each other. Some supplements can interfere with prescription medication.”

St. John’s wort—which has long been believed to aid with depression—reacts so negatively with some antidepressants that it can cause a life-threatening amount of serotonin to enter one’s system.

“If you’re thinking about investing money in a supplement, the $75 or $100 you would see to pay to see a registered dietitian would be worth it,” she said.

After consulting with a professional, Valliant advises to be a “smart consumer,” which means reading the labels of the products and, especially, looking for products that have been reviewed by a third party.

“When we’re looking at whether a company chooses to do third-party testing, they are essentially investing in someone to come in and certify the ingredients and also their manufacturing practices,” she said.

A third-party reviewer ensures that a company’s product is not contaminated by other substances and that it includes what the label says it contains.

This method isn’t foolproof, however, Valliant said. The Federal Trade Commission has adjudicated more than 200 cases involving false or misleading advertising claims about the benefits or safety of dietary supplements since 1998.

“It’s really not a 100% guarantee, but if you use products from companies that use third-party testing, you’re reducing your risk,” she said. “You’re really reducing your risk of contaminated products or products that don’t match the label, but you might not be reducing your risk of interactions between prescription medications and others.

“That’s why people need to be sure to mention that to their physicians.”

Finally, remember that supplements are meant to do just that: supplement a healthy diet, she said. Supplements should not be used to reduce appetite, replace meals or as a cure-all for an unhealthy lifestyle.

“As a dietitian, I want to look at somebody’s diet and say, ‘What is it about your diet that we can improve?'” Valliant said. “And when we get it where we can—given the individual’s financial situation, cultural beliefs, preferences and anything else—if we still need a supplement for a little insurance, then we consider that.

“But if the thought process is, ‘I don’t want to think about my diet. I’m just going to take the supplement and that’s going to make me healthier,’ that’s backward thinking.”