New Resources Help Cut Confusion on Dietary Supplements

by Hannah Joy on January 25, 2018 at 12:10 PM

Two new resources are provided by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health to help people understand and clarify their confusion on dietary supplements.

Dietary supplements are promoted for fitness and weight loss. The new year is a time to set new goals, and for many people this means losing weight and improving fitness. Although these goals are best met with a nutritious diet and regular physical activity, many people may turn to dietary supplements for a boost to their routines.

Adolescents Use Dietary Supplements More Often

Many adolescents are using dietary supplements on their own to increase performance for sports and also to improve their immunity to prevent illnesses and diseases.

‘Individuals need to discuss with healthcare providers about the potential benefits and risks of dietary supplements.’

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Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance, covers products sometimes called ergogenic aids that claim to improve strength or endurance, increase exercise efficiency, achieve a performance goal more quickly, and increase tolerance for more intense training.

"Dietary supplements marketed for exercise and athletic performance can't take the place of a healthy diet, but some might have value for certain types of activity," said Paul M. Coates, Ph.D., director of ODS. "Others don't seem to work, and some might even be harmful."

Dietary Supplements may Not be Safe for All

Dietary supplements are known to have very specific side-effects including seizures, liver or kidney damage.

This fact sheet covers more than 20 ingredients found in fitness supplements, including antioxidants, beetroot, tart cherry, branched-chain amino acids, caffeine, creatine, and protein.

Creatine, for example, might help with short bursts of high-intensity activity like sprinting or weight lifting, but not for endurance efforts like distance running or swimming. However, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E don't seem to improve any type of physical activity, though they're needed in small amounts for overall health.

More than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, and many are trying to lose those extra pounds. Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss guides readers through the confusing set of options in the marketplace.

"Americans spend over $2 billion a year on dietary supplements promoted for weight loss, but there's little evidence they actually work," said Anne L. Thurn, Ph.D., director of the ODS Communications Program. "And people may not know that many manufacturers of weight-loss supplements don't conduct studies in humans to find out whether their product works and is safe."

This fact sheet covers 24 ingredients found in these products, including African mango, beta-glucans, chromium, garcinia, green tea, hoodia, and raspberry ketones.

Chromium, for example, might help you lose a very small amount of weight and body fat, and is safe, but raspberry ketones haven't been studied enough to know whether they're safe or effective. And while drinking green tea is safe, taking green-tea extract pills has been linked to liver damage in some people.

Both fact sheets are available in a health professional version that is detailed and fully referenced, as well as consumer versions in both English and Spanish. In fact, most ODS fact sheets on dietary supplement ingredients are available in these multiple formats.

"We encourage people to talk with their healthcare providers to get advice about dietary supplements and to visit the ODS website to learn valuable information about these products," said Coates. "People can also sign up for the ODS listserv to be notified when we add new information to our website."

Source: Eurekalert