Wisdom in Taking Supplements - Excellent NCCAM Resource

I am on a medication kick today...Sometimes we make assumptions that dietary supplements are 'more safe' than pharmaceuticals and that they carry 'less risks.' While these assessments can at times be accurate, it is highly on an individual, substance-by-substance basis. Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, protein, amino acids, exogenous hormones and others which come in oral or supplemental form--including suppository and topical, etc--(i.e. not ingested as a result of directly consuming whole foods). As much as with any pharmaceutical substance*, use of wisdom and discernment is vital prior to putting any supplement into or onto our bodies, naturally occurring or not. Natural is not synonymous with safe, natural is not even synonymous with "more safe" than synthetic. There are lots of naturally occurring substances that are in fact quite unsafe. And not all products that are sold as natural are in fact natural. Not all products, brands and manufacturers are equal. Despite what companies may claim on their products, there are in reality very loose standards when it comes to the manufacturing, production and selling of supplements. Sometimes it can be difficult to decipher which are the most effective, purest and safest. This article can be a helpful general tool when considering adding supplements to your diet.

Article: "Using Dietery Supplements Wisely" http://nccam.nih.gov/health/supplements/wiseuse.htm

The A-Z topic page is also a helpful reference for supplements. If you are looking to see if there is any research about individual vitamins, herbs, etc, many of them are on this list. It is a slowly growing body of research, so many substances have not been evaluated. This does not mean they are therefore not effective or safe, but that we simply don't know for sure. List: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/atoz.htm. Cheers! Or Bon appetite?!


*Please note that I am fully aware of the side-effects, adverse-effects and potential risks with pharmaceutical medications as well. This is not a discussion of which "kind" is safer. I apply strong scrutiny to each regardless of how it is sold, packaged, advertised, researched or not researched. 

Allergies, Adverse Reactions, Sensitivity and Intolerances—What Does It All Mean?

         In light of my recent posting (Elimination Diets - Are They Healing or Compounding the Problem?)  , I think an important clarification is needed in the terminology of allergies and intolerances. So here are just a few definitions and specifications:

           An allergy and an intolerance are separate concepts, though they are frequently used interchangeably. An allergy induces the immune system to respond releasing histamine, antibodies and other chemicals leading to symptoms such as breathing difficulty, hives, rash, itching, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, swelling, anaphylaxis—all responses specific to histamine and the immune system. An allergy is often the result of the immune system overreacting (and not in the hysterical, emotional sense:) to substances it believes are harmful. 

          Response to an intolerance however does not involve the immune system and is not inherently life-threatening. Upset stomach, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, gas, bloating, fatigue, headaches, cramps are signs of an intolerance. For one to have a true food allergy, it would necessitate the presence of allergic signs such as those mentioned above. Gluten, dairy and MSG intolerances are commonly labeled under “allergy,” but are not in and of themselves allergies. Unless hives, rash, swelling, or difficulty breathing are present, an allergy does not exist. Most often, intolerances involve a lack of necessary enzymes. 

          In the case of a more significant form of gluten intolerance which is celiac sprue or celiac disease, the immune system may get involved but in a different way. The individual’s immune system actually turns on itself (autoimmune response largely involving T cells) and causes damage to gastrointestinal tissues. The issue of whether or not celiac disease is specifically a histamine response is under debate.           

           An adverse reaction is similar to the mechanism of an intolerance. It involves a response to a stimulus that is unwanted or unexpected, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, etc. Adverse reactions are a more general way of describing a response to a stimulus. Strictly speaking, they are defined differently than allergic reaction. When your health history is being taken, and your provider asks whether you have any allergies, he or she usually asks what is your response to that substance. If it is hives, swelling, etc most practitioners note it as an allergic reaction. If it is diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, etc, it is usually indicated as an adverse reaction. 

           A sensitivity can exist without necessitating the existence of a specific  intolerance or allergy. For instance, you put on a pair of rubber latex gloves. Later when you take them off, you notice that your hands are a bit reddened and are itchy, but it clears up on its own after a while. Though at some point this could possibly develop into a allergy, it is simply a sensitivity.

 Further Resources:

Definition of Adverse Reactions to Food

http://www.immunocapinvitrosight.com/dia_templates/ImmunoCAP/PageNavRef____27940.aspx