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Dietary Supplements
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Part One
Introduction
According to the United States, dietary supplements turns out to be any substances that human beings eat and drink which can include minerals, vitamins, herbs or any other plant, amino acids or part of these elements (Mursu et al. 2011) On the same note, these supplements help in boosting the diet and must not necessarily be regarded as a substitute for food. Individuals typically consume dietary supplements with the aim of generating nutrients to the body to boost the level of consumptions or to provide chemicals perceived to have a beneficial biological effect.
In general, the US Food and Drug Administration. (2014) Regulation conditions on these supplements are unlike from those for recommendation or over-the-counter medicines that must be accessed by the institution before marketing phase. However, it is the responsibility of the company producing the supplements to evidently display that their products are safe and transparent labeling which should not be misleading to the users. It is also allowed for the dietary supplements labels to highlight various types of health-related claims; for instance, that these supplements address a nutrient insufficiency, supports well-being, or associated with a specific body function such as immunity. Besides, the claim should be followed by the words “The statement has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration hence has no intention to diagnose, treat, heal, or prevent any illness.”
According to Xiao et al. (2013), a number of these supplements are composed of active ingredients that may have high effects on the human body especially when it comes to the usage of new products that have taken less period in the marketing environment. These results are more likely to affect the body when individuals consume the supplements instead of prescribed medicines or when they consume them in combination. Some of these effects comprise of bleeding or can trigger an individual’s response to anesthesia when taken before a surgical procedure. For one to be on a safer side while using these supplements, it is advisable for the user to;
- To inform his or her health provider on any dietary supplement, they consume.
- Do not consume more massive doses than the prescribed recommendation.
- Regularly check with the healthcare providers on the possible adverse effects of the supplement consumed.
Part Two
The supplement of choice is acai which is also known as cabbage palm or acai berry that is small in size, reddish-purple that consist of a cluster seeds that can run bad and have essential nutritional effects when consumed fresh (Mursu et al. 2011). Acai when consumed orally, it cures erectile dysfunctions, aging skin, osteoarthritis, weight loss and obesity and enhancing the life condition of a person. In the manufacturing companies, it is consumed as a natural food colorant. However, some of the traditional uses of acai include the curing of diarrhea, parasitic ailments, and ulcers.
Scientific research done on acai berry states that the fruit has the possibility of positive health benefits due to its composition of antioxidant scavenging abilities and the reduction of biological activities that can destroy cellular integrity. Also, the scientific research published in September suggested the side effects of acai berry is a chemical sample that was injected in the urothelial bladder cancer in a mice together with the experiment and multiplicity of transitional cell carcinoma. After a while, the results showed that the acai pulp was able to lower the transitional cell carcinoma incidence together with reducing the DNA damage. Various lab studies and tests have also confirmed positive effects of acai on diseases associated with heat illness, cancer, and oxidative stress.
Even though acai has not been linked with enough data on its side effects, it is however recommended that the pregnant or the breastfeeding should avoid consuming the berry just to stay on the safe side. Also, drinking the raw juice of acai juice has been associated with the outbreaks of ailment referred to as American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease (Rasband, 2012). On the same note, the berries should be taken in moderation since they still contain sugar in them even if they hold a low quantity since fructose can always be harmful to the body.
When it comes to the two sites, they both agree that acai berry can be used for weight loss and anti-aging purposes; although the site gives a broader view of the uses that of NIH. Also, the two sections tend to agree on the significance of weight loss that is typically associated with the consumption of acai pulp. The 100mg of the acai pulp will lower down the cholesterol level in the overweight patients. On the safety aspect of the acai berry, the two sides agree on a given factor which is; it is recommended that the berry should be consumed orally and appropriately (Xiao et al. 2013). The NIH site warns individuals to be cautious with phrases like “totally safe” or “quick and effective.” There are possibilities that acai could interact with drugs such as painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin hence should not be mixed without the knowledge of a professional doctor. NIH site does not give the scientific name of acai while the other section does.
Part Three
Vitamin B6 is found in several foods hence the body requires this type of vitamin for more than 100 enzyme reactions associated with body metabolism and also necessary for the brain growth during pregnancy, infancy, and functioning of the immune system. Foods such as fish, fruits, and poultry contain this type of vitamin, and personally, the body gets much of this vitamin due to the eating habit of loving chicken too much. However, taking high levels of this vitamin can be harmful to the body and can lead to severe nerve interference thus making a person to lose control of the body movement (Xiao et al. 2013). It is also true that the consumption of vitamin B6 supplements can readily react with cycloserine which is an antibiotic consumed to cure tuberculosis.
Part Four
In conclusion, the use of dietary supplements should be taken with moderation and keen supervision from healthcare personnel with the aim of making the right decision while using these supplements. The entire exercise has been so educative more so on outlining the possible side effects of consuming dietary supplements which are regarded to be both positive and negative. In general, the safety of supplements is not educative enough; thus, caution needs to be taken on their consumption and the United States should also put more strict laws and regularities on the use of dietary supplements.
References
Mursu, J., Robien, K., Harnack, L. J., Park, K., & Jacobs, D. R. (2011). Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women’s Health Study. Archives of internal medicine, 171(18), 1625-1633.
Rasband, W. S. (2012). ImageJ. US National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, Maryland, USA: 1997–2012. There is no corresponding record for this reference.
US Food and Drug Administration. (2014). Dietary supplements. Alert: Dietary Supplements: Aristolochic Acid, FDA Concerned About Botanical Products, Including Dietary Supplements, Containing Aristolochic Acid.
Xiao, Q., Murphy, R. A., Houston, D. K., Harris, T. B., Chow, W. H., & Park, Y. (2013). Dietary and supplemental calcium intake and cardiovascular disease mortality: the National Institutes of Health–AARP diet and health study. JAMA internal medicine, 173(8), 639-646.
