Fed up with traditional pharmaceuticals, many people (especially older adults) turn to complementary medicines. And why not–these dietary supplements are natural, usually plant-based products, and available without a prescription.
What could possibly go wrong? Plenty, as two recent articles reminded me. So if omega-3 fatty acids, St. John’s wort and gingko tablets line the shelves of your medicine cabinet, read on!
Don’t Forget to Tell Your Doctor
An article published March 21, 2016 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine summarized six years of medication/supplement use in 2,300 older adults. There was an increase in the number of seniors taking five or more prescription medications as the study progressed, but over-the-counter medicine use dropped while that of dietary supplements rose.
In this study, the most common dietary supplements were multivitamins or mineral supplements and calcium. But other “medications” can cause serious drug interactions (see below) when taken in combination with some prescription meds. In fact, 15% of the subjects in this report took combinations with potentially life-threatening drug-supplement interactions. The problem is that patients often don’t tell their physicians about their complementary pills, and doctors don’t remember to ask.
Buyer Beware!
A second article honed in on the harmful aspects of imported dietary supplements and nonprescription drugs. Information from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) highlighted the fact that products from flea markets, swap meets, ethnic/international stores or even online are often part of a health scam. In these cases, many of the claims are just not true. Here are some of phrases that should tip you off for a potentially fraudulent product:
• One product does it all
• Personal testimonials
• Quick fixes
• All natural
• Miracle cure
• FDA-approved (domestic or imported dietary supplements are not approved by FDA)
Common Harmful Interactions
Most people don’t realize that supplements, even herbal products, often interact negatively with prescription medications. Here are a few examples:
• Cranberries, often used for urinary tract infections, can interact with warfarin, increasing the risk of bruising and bleeding.
• St. John’s Wort, used as an antidepressant, interacts with several prescription meds, including drugs for HIV/AIDS, sedatives and narcotic pain medications .
• Black cohosh, commonly used for menopause and other women’s issues, may harm the liver and affect the way the liver breaks down certain drugs.
Bottom line
So when you open those “pill” containers in the morning, be sure to write down all the different treatments before your next trip to the doctor. Then talk with your healthcare provider to make sure your supplements aren’t having a negative effect on your health. You both have your best outcomes in mind; don’t thwart everybody’s efforts with careless omissions of information.