Dietary Supplements: HOPE OR HYPE?
Though commonly associated with health food stores, dietary supplements are now
being sold in an extraordinary number of retail venues. One doesn't have to look
far to see sales for discount vitamins, minerals, and herbs such as ginseng,
ginko balboa, echincea, and garlic. These items can easily be spotted for sale
in grocery stores, pharmacies, vitamin chain stores, mail-order catalogs, TV
programs, and the Internet.
While much remains unknown about many dietary supplements-their health benefits
and potential risks-there's one thing consumers can count on: the availability
of a wide range of such products. Surveys show that more than 50% of all
Americans use dietary supplements and sales are steadily growing. According to
Nutrition Business Journal, sales of nutrition supplements were $13.9 billion in
the U.S. in 1998 (3.2 billion are from sales of herbal therapies alone ), up
from 8.6 billion in 1994, and are projected to grow to $16 billion in 2000.
If you have diabetes you may have thought about using dietary supplements or
perhaps you already do. A recent study conducted at the University of Alberta in
Canada, evaluated the use of alternative therapies by individuals with diabetes.
Investigators concluded that 25% of people with diabetes are taking alternative
therapies and that they are spending almost half as much on these as on their
prescribed medications.
What's driving the growth of this industry? While there has always been a demand
for vitamins and mineral supplements, today herbal ingredients are also being
sought after as alternative therapies and are becoming integrated into
mainstream American health consciousness. The emergence of alternative medicine,
the move towards self-directed healthcare, an aging population searching for
preventative treatments, and a gradual accumulation of medical evidence have all
contributed to the increasing availability and demand for such products. Dietary
supplements can be purchased without a prescription which enables individuals to
make decisions about their own health care. As a consumer with diabetes, you may
wonder: What supplements are effective for diabetes? Are they safe? What dosages
are safe? What supplements interact with other prescribed drugs you are taking?
Is the cost worthwhile or wasteful?
This article will help you understand the limitations of government regulation,
offer you practical tips about reading labels, selecting products, and will
provide you with an overview of common dietary supplements being included in
products that are marketed for people with diabetes. The table on Dietary
Supplements for People With Diabetes is not meant to be an inclusive list; nor
is the scientific support of key findings absolutely conclusive. More research
needs to be done to provide definite answers about the effectiveness of these
vitamins, minerals, and herbs. However, the listing will help consumers sort out
product ingredients that may be helpful and are commonly marketed in diabetic
supplements today.