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is taken in high doses, it can cause life- more interested in profits than safety THE INTERNET:
threatening bleeding. Vitamin E defi- and appropriate use. They prey on A POTENT TOOL
ciency, on the other hand, has also unknowledgeable customers who want
been associated with bleeding disor- to be healthy, and market the supple- Tby Shmuel Golfeyz, M.D.
ders and neurological deficits. ment by boasting of great, possibly he internet has democra-
false, health benefits. tized medical information,
Another example is vitamin A, an giving patients a plethora of
important vitamin that plays a role in This is not to say that all vitamins or resources about various dis-
vision, immunity, cell functions, bone supplements are bad. For some people, eases and conditions. In this
growth, and reproduction. Ingesting too certain vitamins are imperative. overload of information,
much vitamin A can cause vision prob- Vitamins are great for growing children, however, some of it may be
lems and birth defects, among other ill- pregnant women, and people with inaccurate or harmful.
nesses. Yet vitamin A deficiency can weak bones who require Vitamin D and Remember these four points when
cause problems as well, such as vision calcium. going online:
problems and infections. It is important
to understand that toxicity occurs at The message I would like you to Accuracy: Does the website use
different doses for different supple- take home is that, when it comes to reliable research? Don’t depend on
ments. For example, vitamin A toxicity taking supplements or vitamins, you one site. Check many sources and
will occur if greater than 25,000 IU is should consult your healthcare see if the results the same.
taken per day. However, vitamin E toxi- provider to make sure they are proper
city occurs at greater than 1,000 mg for you. Authority: Websites that end in .gov,
per day, which equals approximately .edu, or .org are usually the most
1200 IU. How Medical Science Works reliable. These come from the U.S.
One challenging aspect of practicing government, university medical
Another complication of supple- preventive care is the fact that medical centers, and not-for-profit health or
ments is their effect on other drugs. For knowledge can be quite confusing and medical organizations. Also, look
example, St. John’s wort, which is com- is constantly in flux. One research arti- for the red and blue “HONcode”
monly taken for depression, can inter- cle may praise the positive health seal at the bottom of each page,
act with many other medications. For effects of a substance, and another arti- which means the site is certified by
instance, it may cause other medica- cle comes out disproving the first. It is the Health On the Net Foundation.
tions (such as Xanax) to be broken important to understand that science is (Government-sponsored health
down by the body faster. This can lead a complicated field, and research is rife sites don’t have the seal.)
to the other medication being less effi- with contradictions. This is because sci-
cacious or potentially toxic. ence, by definition, is constantly evolv- Bias: Who’s paying? Is it a for-profit
ing as more is learned and understood. company, such as a drug or insur-
The biggest problem with supple- Something that may have been true ance company, which sells a prod-
ments, however, may be the fact that years ago may not hold true today. uct and may have a stake in provid-
there is little regulation by the FDA. However, the more scientists research, ing you with inaccurate informa-
This means that the pills one is putting learn, and confirm or disprove their tion? See “About Us” to find out
into his or her body may contain some- theories, the better they are at debunk- who sponsors the site.
thing totally different than what is print- ing common misconceptions.
ed on the label. Unfortunately, this has Timeliness: Medical research con-
been shown to be the case, recently, To tackle these inconsistencies, doc- stantly changes. The website’s
when New York Attorney General Eric tors rely on “evidence-based medicine.” information should be no more
Schneiderman and his office tested This is a form of medicine aimed at than three years old.
health supplements from four major optimizing medical decision-making by
retailers (GNC, Target, Walmart, and focusing on evidence from well I recommend the following two
Walgreens) and found that the ingredi- designed and conducted research. websites for general medical infor-
ents on the label did not match what Think of it as a way of sifting all the mation: www.medlineplus.gov and
was inside. good information out of the mediocre www.mayoclinic.org. In addition,
and bad information. www.consumerlabs.com is an
Additionally, some of the additives impartial organization that evalu-
have not been researched long enough At this point, you might be thinking, ates supplements and provides
to determine their safety. I cannot if the recommendations are constantly both general and paid reports.◆
stress enough the importance of prop- changing and anything can be good or
er research regarding correct dosage, bad, what can I do to stay healthy? My
side effects, and interactions of any answer – and the most important point
supplement before it is allowed on the I want you to take home from this arti-
market. Unfortunately, the companies cle – is that everything should be
selling these supplements appear to be done in moderation! The exception is
96 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
threatening bleeding. Vitamin E defi- and appropriate use. They prey on A POTENT TOOL
ciency, on the other hand, has also unknowledgeable customers who want
been associated with bleeding disor- to be healthy, and market the supple- Tby Shmuel Golfeyz, M.D.
ders and neurological deficits. ment by boasting of great, possibly he internet has democra-
false, health benefits. tized medical information,
Another example is vitamin A, an giving patients a plethora of
important vitamin that plays a role in This is not to say that all vitamins or resources about various dis-
vision, immunity, cell functions, bone supplements are bad. For some people, eases and conditions. In this
growth, and reproduction. Ingesting too certain vitamins are imperative. overload of information,
much vitamin A can cause vision prob- Vitamins are great for growing children, however, some of it may be
lems and birth defects, among other ill- pregnant women, and people with inaccurate or harmful.
nesses. Yet vitamin A deficiency can weak bones who require Vitamin D and Remember these four points when
cause problems as well, such as vision calcium. going online:
problems and infections. It is important
to understand that toxicity occurs at The message I would like you to Accuracy: Does the website use
different doses for different supple- take home is that, when it comes to reliable research? Don’t depend on
ments. For example, vitamin A toxicity taking supplements or vitamins, you one site. Check many sources and
will occur if greater than 25,000 IU is should consult your healthcare see if the results the same.
taken per day. However, vitamin E toxi- provider to make sure they are proper
city occurs at greater than 1,000 mg for you. Authority: Websites that end in .gov,
per day, which equals approximately .edu, or .org are usually the most
1200 IU. How Medical Science Works reliable. These come from the U.S.
One challenging aspect of practicing government, university medical
Another complication of supple- preventive care is the fact that medical centers, and not-for-profit health or
ments is their effect on other drugs. For knowledge can be quite confusing and medical organizations. Also, look
example, St. John’s wort, which is com- is constantly in flux. One research arti- for the red and blue “HONcode”
monly taken for depression, can inter- cle may praise the positive health seal at the bottom of each page,
act with many other medications. For effects of a substance, and another arti- which means the site is certified by
instance, it may cause other medica- cle comes out disproving the first. It is the Health On the Net Foundation.
tions (such as Xanax) to be broken important to understand that science is (Government-sponsored health
down by the body faster. This can lead a complicated field, and research is rife sites don’t have the seal.)
to the other medication being less effi- with contradictions. This is because sci-
cacious or potentially toxic. ence, by definition, is constantly evolv- Bias: Who’s paying? Is it a for-profit
ing as more is learned and understood. company, such as a drug or insur-
The biggest problem with supple- Something that may have been true ance company, which sells a prod-
ments, however, may be the fact that years ago may not hold true today. uct and may have a stake in provid-
there is little regulation by the FDA. However, the more scientists research, ing you with inaccurate informa-
This means that the pills one is putting learn, and confirm or disprove their tion? See “About Us” to find out
into his or her body may contain some- theories, the better they are at debunk- who sponsors the site.
thing totally different than what is print- ing common misconceptions.
ed on the label. Unfortunately, this has Timeliness: Medical research con-
been shown to be the case, recently, To tackle these inconsistencies, doc- stantly changes. The website’s
when New York Attorney General Eric tors rely on “evidence-based medicine.” information should be no more
Schneiderman and his office tested This is a form of medicine aimed at than three years old.
health supplements from four major optimizing medical decision-making by
retailers (GNC, Target, Walmart, and focusing on evidence from well I recommend the following two
Walgreens) and found that the ingredi- designed and conducted research. websites for general medical infor-
ents on the label did not match what Think of it as a way of sifting all the mation: www.medlineplus.gov and
was inside. good information out of the mediocre www.mayoclinic.org. In addition,
and bad information. www.consumerlabs.com is an
Additionally, some of the additives impartial organization that evalu-
have not been researched long enough At this point, you might be thinking, ates supplements and provides
to determine their safety. I cannot if the recommendations are constantly both general and paid reports.◆
stress enough the importance of prop- changing and anything can be good or
er research regarding correct dosage, bad, what can I do to stay healthy? My
side effects, and interactions of any answer – and the most important point
supplement before it is allowed on the I want you to take home from this arti-
market. Unfortunately, the companies cle – is that everything should be
selling these supplements appear to be done in moderation! The exception is
96 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
