deepstash
Beta
Don’t buy into brain health supplements - Harvard Health
Over-The-Counter Pills
About 25 percent of adults above 50 years of age try to improve their brain health and memory by taking supplements.
These pills claim to enhance memory, attention and focus, protecting against Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, but offer no proof of effectiveness or safety.
54 SAVES
This is a professional note extracted from an online article.
Read more efficiently
Save what inspires you
Remember anything
IDEA EXTRACTED FROM:
2
Key Ideas
Powdered Nutrients: The Facts
- Most pills are a combination of vitamins and minerals, along with omega-3 fatty acids.
- Scientific studies show the natural forms (like fish in case of omega-3 fatty acids) contain the real benefits, and popping supplements do not have the same effect.
- Vitamin E supplements can help to a limited extent but high doses can increase the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke.
- Vitamin B supplements are only to be used if one’s normal diet is not enough for them, or in case of a deficiency.
- Taking time to do some exercise and having a plant-based diet is a better long term health solution.
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
5
Key Ideas
Supplements don't replace a healthy diet
Supplements are never a substitute for a balanced, healthful diet.
And they can be a distraction from healthy lifestyle practices that confer much greater benefits.
Big business, little evidence
More than 90,000 products generate about $30 billion every year in the United States.
But even though supplements are popular, there is limited evidence that they offer any significant health benefits - the health benefits are negligible or nonexistent for the average, healthy person.
Dietary supplements
This is an umbrella term that includes everything from vitamins and minerals to botanicals and biosimilar products.
For the most part, though, people use "supplement" to refer to an individual vitamin or mineral preparation or a multivitamin.
2 more ideas
3
Key Ideas
The Reality Behind Supplements
Studies demonstrate that multivitamins don't improve outcomes on a number of health measures, from staving off cognitive decline to preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer. The health b...
Beware Of Supplements’ Claims
In the US, supplements are regulated like food — and not drugs — under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, pill makers can basically put whatever claims they want on their bottles.
One analysis of supplement websites found 81 percent made at least one health claim — and more than half of those promised to treat, prevent, diagnose, or cure specific diseases. But a quick thought exercise will tell you that if these pills were truly panaceas, the FDA would have to treat them like drugs, not foods.
Resist The Urge For a Quick Fix
Back when undernutrition and vitamin deficiencies were widespread, supplements made some sense. But now one of the more urgent health problems is obesity and overnutrition while a growing body of studies shows that supplements’ effects are minimal or negative.
Remember that you can’t know for sure what's really in your supplement bottle. And that the pills probably won't make you any healthier (unless you have a medically diagnosed deficiency). And they might even be hurting you.
3
Key Ideas
Research Findings On Supplements
- Pharmaceuticals undergo extensive testing to prove they're effective and safe before they can be sold, but dietary supplements can be sold without proof of claims, effectiveness or safety.
Supplements And Doctor Prescriptions
Because of the potential risks and unclear benefits of supplements, most doctors advise against them. However, doctors often recommend specific vitamin and mineral supplements to their patients, such as calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis and iron for people with iron deficiency.
When Buying Supplements
- Consider only single-ingredient supplements. Multi-ingredient supplements make it hard to identify which substance is having an effect and they are more likely to be adulterated with banned drugs.
- Tell your doctor about any supplement you take, so they can check it will interact with any of the medicines you're on.