Category Archives: Food Supplements

Probiotics have never been hotter, thanks in large part to the pandemic. In May of 2020, Americans increased their use of probiotic supplements by 66 percent compared to six months earlier, according to one survey,for both digestive and immune health. Probiotics have also been touted for weight loss, but do they really work to help you shed pounds? Here is everything you need to know about taking a probiotic for gut health, immunity and weight loss.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host, according to a study in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. Often referred to as healthy gut bacteria, probiotics are naturally found in foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, miso, tempeh, or other fermented foods. You can also find probiotics in supplements.

Your body is home to an estimated 10 to 100 trillion microorganisms, most of which live in your digestive tract, says Raphael Kellman, M.D., physician of integrative and functional medicine and founder of Kellman Wellness Center in New York City. Together, they make up whats called your gut microbiome, which is where anywhere from 70 to 90 percent of your immune system lies.

Those microorganisms include bacteria, and while that sounds ominous, not all bacteria is bad. There are good bacteria, and they compete with the bad bacteria, says Joan Salge Blake, Ed.D., R.D.N., a nutrition professor at Boston University in Massachusetts and host of the award-winning podcast Spot On!. Ideally, you want more good bacteria in your gut so they overpower the bad bacteria to help support a healthy immune system and overall good health.

By consuming probiotics, youre essentially adding more bacteria to your gut that could benefit your health, says Lisa Moskovitz, R.D., CEO of NY Nutrition Group and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan. Not only can probiotics support your immune system, but they can also fight bacterial infections, treat diarrhea and potentially improve the entire digestive system. Theyve even been linked to improving acne, fighting yeast infections, increasing energy, and improving heart health and mental health.

Whether probiotics can help with weight loss is an ongoing area of research. Yet it seems likely that probiotics could help, given that your gut microbiome is crucial to your health and in the end, your weight. Because your microbiome plays a significant role in your ability to appropriately digest and assimilate nutrients, as well as maintain a healthy weight, it likely plays a central role in obesity, Kellman says.

Several studies have also linked obesity to an imbalance in gut microbiota, and research has shown that people who are obese tend to have a less diverse gut microbiome. Whats more, persistent inflammation, which is associated with numerous chronic conditions including obesity, can lead to something called "leaky gut."

This happens when the intestinal mucosa, which lines the gastrointestinal tract, becomes damaged over time, resulting in small food particles, bacteria, and other toxins leaking out of the gastrointestinal tract and into the bloodstream, thereby causing an immune response, Kellman says. As a result, your ability to properly digest food and assimilate nutrients will be affected, resulting in metabolic imbalances and most likely, weight issues.

Enter probiotics, which studies have shown can help balance the gut microbiome and aid in weight loss, even address obesity, Kellman says. In one study from the British Journal of Nutrition, for instance, obese women who took probiotic supplements and followed a low carbohydrate diet for 24 weeks experienced statistically significant weight loss when compared to a placebo group. They also had lower levels of leptin, a hormone that controls hunger.

Why might probiotics aid with weight loss? For starters, people often eat differently when they have digestive issues. If they resolve those issues (through probiotics), they may find it easier to eat more weight loss-friendly foods like lower-calorie, nutrient-dense fresh vegetables, fruit, and fiber-rich grains and legumes, Moskowitz says.

Studies also suggest that probiotics can increase nutrient absorption and produce short-chain fatty acids that support a healthy metabolism. This can also assist with blood sugar control, which can regulate appetite and reduce cravings, Moskovitz says.

Do probiotics aid weight loss?

Getting your nutrients through food is always the first line of defense. Moskovitz recommends eating a balanced, varied diet not only with fermented foods but also unfermented fiber-rich foods, which includes all plant foods (animal products contain no fiber). Fiber is another key player for gut health, as certain types of fiber act as a prebiotic which feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, she says.

For many individuals, though, taking probiotic supplements can fill in some gaps. Because its harder to find and consume probiotic-rich foods on a regular basis, probiotic supplements can introduce a larger amount of different types of beneficial bacteria, Moskovitz says. Theyre also packaged in a way that will enhance absorption and effectiveness. Plus, if probiotic-rich foods are heated, the heat will destroy the probiotics, she adds. The fact that probiotics are so fragile makes another compelling reason to pop them in supplement form.

Of course, this doesnt mean probiotic supplements are the panacea you might be seeking. For starters, because supplements arent regulated by the FDA, you cant be entirely sure youre getting what the label says. Plus, not all probiotic supplements are the same, especially given that each supplement contains different types of probiotics.

For those reasons, its impossible to predict whether youll feel better or benefit from taking a probiotic supplement, says Moskovitz, adding that it depends on variables like the strains of probiotics in the supplement and your symptoms. Thats why she recommends monitoring any symptoms youre trying to treat to see if they change after taking a probiotic supplement.

There are dozens of probiotic supplements on the market, each one featuring different types of bacteria. Knowing which one your body needs will be difficult to determine, but here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for a probiotic supplement:

Take the probiotic supplements for at least 30 days (longer if youve been on antibiotics or had symptoms for which you might need to go six to eight weeks), Kellman says. After that, you could take one a few times a week or take a break for one to two months before restarting. He also recommends doing a 30-day course of probiotics after traveling, especially internationally, or after a holiday season of overeating and drinking too much.

Taking probiotics can help improve gut health and boost immunity, absorb more energy from your food and even promote natural weight loss. So should you take one or try to get more fiber in the whole foods you eat including a plant-rich diet.

For more expert advice, visit The Beet's Health and Nutrition category.

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Dietary Supplements can be beneficial to your health but taking supplements can also involve health risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed.

Youve heard about them, may have used them, and may have even recommended them to friends or family. While some dietary supplements are well understood and established, others need further study. Read on for important information for you and your family about dietary supplements.

Before making decisions about whether to take a supplement, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you achieve a balance between the foods and nutrients you personally need.

Dietary supplements include such ingredients as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and enzymes. Dietary supplements are marketed in forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, powders, and liquids.

Some supplements can help assure that you get enough of the vital substances the body needs to function; others may help reduce the risk of disease. But supplements should not replace complete meals which are necessary for a healthful diet so, be sure you eat a variety of foods as well.

Unlike drugs, supplements are not permitted to be marketed for the purpose of treating, diagnosing, preventing, or curing diseases. That means supplements should not make disease claims, such as lowers high cholesterol or treats heart disease. Claims like these cannot be legitimately made for dietary supplements.

Yes. Many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects in the body. This could make them unsafe in some situations and hurt or complicate your health. For example, the following actions could lead to harmful even life-threatening consequences.

Note: These examples do not represent either an endorsement or approval by FDA.

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FDA is not authorized to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed.

The manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe BEFORE they go to market.

If the dietary supplement contains a NEW ingredient, manufacturers must notify FDA about that ingredient prior to marketing. However, the notification will only be reviewed by FDA (not approved) and only for safety, not effectiveness.

Manufacturers are required to produce dietary supplements in a quality manner and ensure that they do not contain contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled according to current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and labeling regulations.

If a serious problem associated with a dietary supplement occurs, manufacturers must report it to FDA as an adverse event. FDA can take dietary supplements off the market if they are found to be unsafe or if the claims on the products are false and misleading.

Dietary supplement labels must include name and location information for the manufacturer or distributor.

If you want to know more about the product that you are taking, check with the manufacturer or distributor about:

Be a savvy supplement user. Heres how:

Notify FDA if the use of a dietary supplement caused you or a family member to have a serious reaction or illness (even if you are not certain that the product was the cause or you did not visit a doctor or clinic).

Follow these steps:

Learn more about dietary supplements.

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Link:

What You Need to Know about Dietary Supplements | FDA

Its important to understand the supplements you are taking and why you are taking them. Talk with your doctor if you are considering taking a supplement.

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Dietary supplements are substances you might use to add nutrients to your diet or to lower your risk of health problems such as osteoporosis or arthritis. Dietary supplements come in the form of pills, capsules, powders, gel capsules and tablets, extracts, or liquids. They might contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids, herbs or other plants, or enzymes. Sometimes, the ingredients in dietary supplements are added to foods and drinks. A doctors prescription is not needed to buy dietary supplements.

Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients you need. However, some people may not get enough vitamins and minerals from their daily diet. When thats the case, their doctors may recommend a dietary supplement to provide missing nutrients.

If you are thinking about using dietary supplements:

People over age 50 may need more of some vitamins and minerals than younger adults do. Your doctor or a dietitian can tell you whether you need to change your diet or take a vitamin or mineral supplement to get enough of these:

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (PDF, 30.9M) recommends how much of each vitamin and mineral men and women of different ages need. For example:

Vitamin B12: 2.4 mcg (micrograms) each day. If you are taking medicine for acid reflux, you might need a different form, which your health care provider can give you information about.

Calcium: Women over age 50 need 1,200 mg (milligrams) each day. Men need 1,000 mg between age 51 and 70 and 1,200 mg after 70, but not more than 2,000 mg a day.

Vitamin D: 600 IU (International Units) for people age 51 to 70 and 800 IU for those over 70, but not more than 4,000 IU each day.

Vitamin B6: 1.7 mg for men and 1.5 mg for women each day.

Sometimes, too much of a vitamin or mineral can be harmful. Most if not all of your daily vitamins and minerals should come from food. When thinking about whether you need more of a vitamin or mineral, think about how much of each nutrient you get from food and drinks, as well as from any supplements you take. Check with a doctor or dietitian to learn whether you need to supplement your diet.

For a comprehensive list of vitamin and mineral intake levels for older adults, visit NIAs article on vitamins and minerals or the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , 2020-2025 (PDF, 30.9M).

You might hear about antioxidants in the news. These are natural substances in food that might help protect you from some diseases. Here are some common antioxidants that you should be sure to include in your diet:

Currently, research results suggest that large doses of supplements with antioxidants will not prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes. In fact, some studies have shown that taking large doses of some antioxidants could be harmful. Again, it is best to check with your doctor before taking a dietary supplement.

Herbal supplements are dietary supplements that come from plants. These types of supplements are taken by mouth, whether its by a capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid.

A few that you may have heard of are ginkgo biloba, ginseng, echinacea, and black cohosh. Researchers are looking at using herbal supplements to prevent or treat some health problems, but its too early to know if these are both safe and useful. Previous studies of certain herbal supplements have not shown any benefits.

Its important to know that just because a supplement is natural, or comes from plants, that doesnt necessarily mean its safe.

You may be taking a handful of different medicines, dietary supplements, or over-the-counter drugs. Use this form to help keep track of your medications. Bring a completed and updated copy of this form to every appointment with your doctor.

Track your medications or dietary supplements with this form (PDF, 56K).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) checks prescription medicines, such as antibiotics or blood pressure drugs, to make sure they are safe and do what they promise. The same is true for over-the-counter drugs such as pain and cold medicines. However, the FDA does not have authority over dietary supplements, which do not have to be approved by this agency for safety or efficacy before being sold to the public.

The federal government does not regularly test what is in dietary supplements, and companies are not required to share information about the safety of these products with the FDA before they sell them. So, just because a dietary supplement is on a store shelf, that does not mean it is safe, does what the label says it will, or contains what the label states.

If the FDA receives reports of possible problems with a supplement, it will issue warnings about the product. The FDA may also take supplements that are found to be unsafe off the market.

The Federal Trade Commission investigates reports of ads that might misrepresent what dietary supplements do. A few private groups, such as the U.S. Pharmacopeia, NSF International, ConsumerLab.com, and the Natural Products Association, have their own seals of approval for dietary supplements. To earn such a seal, products must be made by following good manufacturing procedures, must contain what is listed on the label, and must not have harmful levels of ingredients that dont belong there, such as lead.

Whether you take dietary supplements or not, its still important to follow a healthy lifestyle. Try sticking to a healthy diet, being physically active, keeping your mind active, not smoking, and seeing your doctor regularly.

Read about this topic in Spanish. Lea sobre este tema en espaol.

Office of Dietary Supplements National Institutes of Health301-435-2920ods@nih.govwww.ods.od.nih.gov

Department of AgricultureFood and Nutrition Information Center301-504-5414FNIC@ars.usda.govwww.nal.usda.gov/fnic

United States Pharmacopeia (USP)301-881-0666800-227-8772www.usp.org

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed: April 23, 2021

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Dietary Supplements for Older Adults | National Institute ...

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Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients (or other substances) with a nutritional or physiological effect. They are typically taken in dose form, such as pills, tablets, capsules, liquids in measured doses.

The European Commissions Food Supplements Directive of 2002 aims to protect consumers against potential health risks from food supplements products and to ensure that they are not provided with misleading information. It also establishes a core framework for the marketing of supplements in the EU. With respect to the safety of food supplements, the Directive lays down a harmonised list of vitamins and minerals that may be added for nutritional purposes in food supplements.

Over the past 20 years, the market in supplements has developed significantly and there has been a much greater recognition by consumers. In addition to the 2002 framework, a wide range of EU food legislation is in place which covers food supplements. This includes additives, contaminants, labelling, hygiene claims.

The European Commission is also working on two areas that are not currently harmonised at the EU level: the maximum levels of permitted vitamins and minerals in food supplements, and the use of botanical ingredients.

Rewatch this EURACTIV Virtual Conference to find out what a potential policy framework for supplements could look like, given the regulatory environment is broadly in place. Addressed questions included:

How can supplements play a role in helping build more resilient societies and reduce the burden on national health systems? Since deficiencies in a range of vitamins and minerals still exist in the EU, can supplements help redress this imbalance? Can food supplements help governments achieve their objective of keeping an ageing EU population healthy and productive?

>>Clickherefor more information about the event.

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The role of food supplements in improving health in the EU - EURACTIV

From multivitamins and melatonin to fiber and fish oil, Americans who are trying to boost their health and immunity have a plethora of supplements to choose from. An estimated 58% of U.S. adults ages 20 and over take dietary supplements, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the supplement industry is valued at more than $30 billion a year. Supplement use has been growing rapidly over the past few decades along with the wellness industry.

The popular belief is that a supplement is going to be helpful for promoting health, says Fang Fang Zhang, a professor at Tufts Universitys Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She has found that people who use supplements more frequently are also more likely to have a higher level of education and income, a healthier lifestyle, and a greater likelihood to eat a healthy diet and exercise. So those who are taking supplements are more health-conscious overall, she says.

But if youre already healthy, most supplements may not do much to improve your health or stave off death. Theres no clear evidence to suggest benefits of dietary supplement use for many popular or common health outcomes, says Zhang.

In some cases, supplement use could even be harmful. A 2015 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that there are an estimated 23,000 emergency department visits every year in the U.S. for adverse events related to the use of dietary supplements, many involving cardiovascular issues from weight-loss or energy products. Particularly when we use very high dose implementations, sometimes we might be doing more harm than good, says Eliseo Guallar, professor of epidemiology and medicine at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Some experts have called for more stringent federal regulation to ensure that supplements are safe and effective. Until then, consumers may want to proceed with caution and do their due diligence before taking supplements.

Vitamins, minerals, and many other micronutrients are vital to the bodys functioning and are a crucial part of a good diet. But eating nutrients in food is not the same as taking them in supplement form. Dietary supplement use is not a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet, says Zhang.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can be extremely useful when prescribed for people with nutritional deficiencies and certain illnesses. High-quality supplements should be widely available, and we need them as part of medical treatment, says Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance.

However, much packaged food in the U.S. is already fortified with additional nutrients, making nutritional deficiencies uncommon in the general population. For most people, supplements may offer questionable benefit.

In an analysis published in 2020 in the BMJ, Zhang reviewed results from several trials and found no clear evidence that nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals are helpful in healthy people for preventing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.

The evidence is even more muddled for certain plant-derived dietary supplements known as botanicals, such as echinacea and ginkgo. Scientists have tried to decipher the effects of many botanicals or nutritional supplements, but the field is still littered with weak or contradictory results. We know a lot, says Guallar. The problem is that sometimes the claims go beyond what we know.

Many of the health claims that companies slap on their supplement labels may extrapolate results seen in animals to humans or make too much of what are still preliminary findings. These products should not be promoted as if they will have benefits for our health when its never been proven that they work in humans, says Cohen.

As a result, consumers may not know what to make of supplement claims and may be confused about which supplements are useful. This is also combined with commercial pressure to promote some of these supplements, says Guallar.

How dietary supplements are promoted and advertised is itself a function of how theyre regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Even though many people take supplements because they want to improve their health, the FDA doesnt regulate them as medications but instead as foods, under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.

What happened in 1994 was that all of these products from vitamins, minerals, to botanical extracts became subcategories of food, explains Cohen. It also created a completely different structure in terms of advertising, like the ability to advertise products to say things like This will boost your immune system, as code for This will prevent infection, he says.

Manufacturers are not required to prove that their supplements are effective or safe before they market them. And supplements are not held to the same manufacturing standards as drugs, which can lead to adulterated or substandard products. Its basically very difficult, if not impossible, to separate poor-quality products from higher-quality ones in the market, at least at present, says Cohen.

Part of the problem is that the current system doesnt do a good enough job of tracking when supplements cause harm, says Cohen. I think we have to realize that for the public to have access to high-quality vitamins and minerals and botanicals, were going to need to reform the law, he says.

Cohen has previously suggested changes to the current regulations, including standardizing manufacturing processes, carefully vetting new ingredients, and creating higher standards for the claims manufacturers can make about their supplements.

But for now, consumers can keep a few things in mind when deciding whether to take supplements.

When evaluating supplements, be wary of extravagant claims, as theyre unlikely to hold true. Also be aware that some supplements may contain a much higher dose in a single pill or serving than you need. Sometimes these supplements are promoted at doses that are much higher than what you would get with diet, says Guallar.

In general, consult your doctor about any supplement use, as many supplements can interact with medications youre taking. They may also not be safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding, before a surgery, or during cancer treatment or other medical treatments.

Consumers should also know how to spot poor-quality products. My general advice to patients is to stick to supplements that list only one ingredient, and avoid a mixture of things, with the exception being multivitamins, says Cohen. He cites certain certifications, such as USP or NSF International, as a sign of higher-quality products.

Watch out for weight-loss supplements, muscle builders, and sexual enhancers, which previous investigations have found are sometimes adulterated with illegal or obscured ingredients, such as pharmaceutical drugs and synthetic chemicals. These types of supplements may be particularly susceptible to containing these undisclosed ingredients.

Finally, consumers can look up information on specific vitamins, minerals, and botanicals on trustworthy websites, including those run by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the National Institutes of Health.

We dont eat a single nutrient; we eat a food, says Zhang. Thats why a lot of supplements dont achieve the same effect as the natural nutrients coming from food sources, she says.

Zhang notes that the scientific evidence could always evolve as researchers continue to study nutritional supplements. But for now, there are more reliable ways to improve health. Dietary supplement use shouldnt be a substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle, says Zhang. Theres no magic pill, unfortunately.

Folic acid during pregnancy: Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy is well established to help prevent birth defects. Thats considered a success story, says Guallar.

Fiber: Fiber supplements like psyllium may help reduce constipation, prevent heart disease, and lower cholesterolthough getting fiber from your diet also provides the vitamins and micronutrients found in whole foods.

Melatonin: It may help with jet lag. However, the evidence that it helps with insomnia or sleep disorders is not particularly strong.

Calcium and vitamin D after menopause: Postmenopausal women may benefit from taking calcium and vitamin D supplementation to prevent bone loss.

A supplement mix for adults with age-related macular degeneration: A combination of zinc, vitamins C and E, copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin may help slow vision loss in people with this eye disease.

Multivitamins: Theyre extremely commonan estimated third of U.S. adults take themyet theres no clear evidence that they help reduce mortality or prevent major chronic diseases, such as cancer or heart disease, in healthy people. But experts say that multivitamins probably wont hurt you, either.

Echinacea: It may slightly reduce chances of catching a cold, but the evidence is weak, and theres little proof that it helps treat colds or respiratory infections.

Ginkgo biloba: Studies have found that this supplement does not seem to improve cognitive performance or prevent Alzheimers disease or dementia.

Glucosamine and chondroitin: Theres mixed evidence they help ease symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Vitamin D: Despite a lot of interest in its many potential health benefits, its still unclear if D supplements do much for healthy people. And in people who dont have a deficiency, Zhang has found that very high doses of vitamin D may increase risk of all-cause and cancer mortality.

Antioxidants: Comprising vitamins A, C, and E, as well as selenium, beta carotene, and folate, antioxidants have been touted as having numerous health benefits, but so far they have not lived up to the hype. They dont appear to protect against heart disease, stroke, or cancer, and some may be harmful at high doses.

Omega-3 fatty acids: Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish, has been shown to protect against heart diseasebut whether they offer the same protection when consumed in supplement form is still unclear. Some studies indicate that they may help protect against certain heart conditions, whereas others showed no benefit.

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Does Taking Vitamins and Supplements Make You Healthier? - TIME

Many over-the-counter dietary supplement products particularly those used for sexual enhancement and weight loss are tainted with undisclosed pharmaceutical ingredients. That is the key finding of myrecently published reviewin the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

My assessment of the Food and Drug AdministrationsHealth Fraud Product Databaseturned up 1,068 unique dietary supplement products marketed between 2007 to 2021 that contained active ingredients found in prescription drugs or deemed too dangerous to be used in people. Among the tainted dietary supplements that my study identified, 54% were for sexual dysfunction and 35% were for weight loss. While many such products are removed from the market once detected by the FDA, other tainted dietary supplements can make their way onto the market in their place.

Why It Matters

Dietary supplements are used by58% of U.S. adults. And according to recent surveys from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, U.S. consumers have amoderate level of confidencein the quality and safety of dietary supplements. However, my study suggests this confidence is misplaced, since numerous dietary supplement products contain unlabeled synthetic active ingredients.

So what are these hidden substances, and why do they matter?

Lurking in many of the tainted weight loss dietary supplements is the active ingredient sibutramine, which theFDA recommended removing from the U.S. marketin 2010after research showedthat it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. And phenolphthalein, also commonly found in weight loss dietary supplement products in the FDA database, was removed from over-the-counter laxative products in 1999when the FDA reclassified itas not generally recognized as safe and effective. The FDAs warningcame after studiesshowed that the ingredient can damage peoples DNA and increased the risk of cancer.

My study also identified the presence of ingredients approved only for use in prescription drugs. These include sildenafil and tadalafil, which are used in FDA-approved erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra and Cialis. Such inadvertent usages can be dangerous, since the active ingredients in these drugscome with riskslike loss of vision orpriapism, or prolonged penile erection. My study also documented frequent cases in which more than one active ingredient found in erectile dysfunction drugs was combined in ways that were never studied for safety.

Another reason why hidden active ingredients are problematic is they pose the risk of serious drug interactions. When the active ingredients found in erectile dysfunction drugs are used with high blood pressure or prostate medications likenitrates and alpha-1 blockers,life threatening drops in blood pressure can occur.

Similarly, two of the dietary supplements identified in my study contained flibanserin, the active ingredient in theprescription drug Addyi, which is used to treat female sexual dysfunction. Flibanserin is generally safe but can severely reduce blood pressure if used with alcohol.

Pharmacists check for these sorts of drug interactions before dispensing prescription medication. However, if undisclosed ingredients are hidden in dietary supplements, it is impossible to prevent unwanted drug interactions.

What Still Isnt Known

Dietary supplement manufacturers do not provide the FDA withproof of good manufacturing practicesbefore they sell them in the U.S., and these manufacturers can alter their products with no advance notice. The FDA must prove that a dietary supplement product is unsafe before it can take action, but this is difficult to enforce when there are over29,000 dietary supplement productsbeing sold in the U.S.

FDA assessments are laborious and expensive because these evaluations also aim to detect other dietary supplement problems such asthe presence of heavy metalorbacterial or mold contamination. The agencys assessment process of these supplements is also deeply underfunded. The FDA alerts consumers about newly detected tainted dietary supplements through itsHealth Fraud Product Databasewhile attempting to remove these products from the market.

If the product that you are thinking about using is on that list, steer clear of it. However, if your product is not included in the database, it may simply mean that it hasnt yet been assessed.

Originally published in The Conversation.

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The Dietary Supplement You're Taking Could be Tainted with Prescription Medications and Dangerous Hidden Ingredients, According to a New Study - UConn...

Fiber is an essential part of our diets. Otherwise known as roughage, it is the indigestible part of plant foods that helps reduce the risk of health conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

There are two types of fiber, both of which are non-starch polysaccharides that people cannot digest:

But not all dietary fibers are equal. A new study published in Cell Host & Microbe has found that health benefits vary between individuals and may depend on the type of fiber, the dose consumed, and the individuals microbiome.

Researchers from Stanford School of Medicine tested how two purified soluble fibers arabinoxylan (AX) and long-chain inulin (LCI) affected a group of 18 participants.

AX is found in whole grains, such as rye, wheat, oats, and rice; LCI is found in onions, chicory root, garlic, and Jerusalem artichokes. Both types of fiber can also be taken as dietary supplements.

The participants in the study had an average age of 56.9 years. Of the 8 men and 10 women, 14 had overweight or obese, and 11 were insulin sensitive. The researchers separated them randomly into 2 groups for three crossover trials. One group started with AX, the other with LCI then switched over. Both groups finished with a mixture of fibers consisting of AX, LCI, acacia gum, glucomannans, and resistant starch.

Each trial lasted 3 weeks. In the first week, the participants consumed 10g of fiber per day, rising to 20g in the second week and 30g in the third. The participants then had a 6-8 week break between the 3 trials.

This is a VERY small study of 18 participants who are free-living meaning their food is not being controlled so between the food and the sample size, its extremely difficult to draw meaningful conclusions. Like almost all good research I read on the microbiome, this raises as many questions as it answers.

Kate Cohen, M.S., R.D.N., of the Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, speaking to Medical News Today.

The researchers collected plasma, serum, and stool samples from all participants at the start of the trial, then at the end of each week. They also measured their heart rate and blood pressure.

They measured changes in lipids, including cholesterol, the genetic material in the stool samples (to identify gut bacteria), plasma proteins, metabolites, and cytokines. Cytokines are inflammatory markers indicating inflammation in the body.

When taking AX, most participants had a significant drop in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, and an increase in bile acids. The authors suggest that the increase in bile acids may contribute to the reduction in LDL. However, some participants saw no change in LDL levels.

For LCI, most, but not all, people saw a small decrease in inflammatory markers and an increase in Bifidobacterium. This gut microbe is generally regarded as beneficial to gut health. However, the highest dose of LCI (30g per day) reversed this effect. At this dose, participants saw increased inflammation and elevation in alanine aminotransferase, an enzyme associated with liver damage.

Mixed fiber supplementation yielded fewer significant changes.

The authors note that responses were not consistent for all people for either type of fiber, suggesting that each persons microbiome may determine responses.

Our results demonstrate that the physiological, microbial and molecular effects of individual fibers differ substantially.

Dr. Michael Snyder, senior study author, said in a press release.

Kate Cohen was excited to see where the authors would go next: Uncovering how different fibers interact with the microbiome is an essential step toward making personalized nutrition a reality. This research is also laying the groundwork for using food-as-medicine in a truly prescriptive way. This study confirms once again that the microbiome holds enormous potential for understanding human health.

The current recommended fiber intake is 14 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed, according to the American Academy of Nutrition.

Experts say it is best to get your fiber from food sources before using supplements.

Original post:

Dietary fiber and health benefits: Microbiome may be the key - Medical News Today

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Diet Pills Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type, Application, Age Group and Distribution Channel" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Increase in Self-care to Drive Global Diet Pills Market

The market is expected to grow from US$ 1,132.55 million in 2021 to US$ 3 2,270.94 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10.4% from 2021 to 2028.

The increase in self-care, the rising problem of obesity, an increase in the elderly population, and a surge in women taking dietary supplements are driving the diet pills market. However, the challenging regulatory environment is expected to restrict the market growth during the forecast period.

In the first half of 2020, the demand for diet pills declined due to lockdown and social distancing owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas demand increased globally during the second half of 2020. In 2021, as the condition was normalizing with the fastest recovery rates, well-established and newer market players are spending on research & developments to establish highly effective additions with no side effects.

Consumers' knowledge of the importance of well-being and disease prevention is rising with the growing availability and use of online medicine portals and health organization websites for consultation. They are becoming more health-conscious and taking a proactive approach to disease treatment and prevention.

Further, the rising popularity of fitness, bodybuilding, and specialist sports among people aged 20-40 drives the demand for diet pills and supplements that can help them achieve their aesthetic goals or improve their performance. The number of gym and fitness enthusiasts has risen dramatically in the last decade. Many fitness coaches and professionals recommend the intake of diet pills for weight loss. Many global diet pill industry players will likely introduce new diet pills in the next decade.

The rise in consumers' purchasing power has resulted in various lifestyle changes, including decreased physical activities and unhealthy eating habits that cause high-calorie intake, eventually leading to a surge in the obese population. However, increased health awareness among consumers has prompted them to choose a healthy lifestyle that includes more physical activities and food intake awareness.

Due to their hectic lifestyles, many consumers are significantly inclined toward dietary supplements to preserve the fitness and appearance of their bodies. Obesity is on the rise among young people in the US and Europe. According to body mass index (BMI), 45% of adults in the European Union (EU) had normal weight in 2019, while 53% were considered overweight (36% pre-obese and 17% obese). ~45% of overweight and ~67% of obese US citizens are trying to lose weight. ~15% of adults in the US have taken weight-loss dietary supplements, including 21% of women and 10% of men in the country.

Dietary supplements in pill form, such as tablets, capsules, and softgels, cost ~US$ 2.1 billion per year. Weight loss has been 1 of the top 20 reasons for taking dietary supplements. Thus, with the rising obesity rate, the demand for diet pills and supplements has increased.

Novo Nordisk A/S, Gelesis, VIVUS LLC, Chong's Health Care, GlaxoSmithKline plc., Pfizer Inc. (Arena Pharmaceutical GmbH), Iovate Health Sciences International Inc., Zoller Laboratories, Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC., TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. are a few leading companies operating in the diet pills market.

Key Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Market Restraints

Market Opportunities

Future Trends

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kccm6y

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Global Diet Pills Market Forecast Report 2021-2028: Increase in Self-care to Drive Market Growth & Shift Toward Plant-Based Supplements -...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Probiotics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Probiotic Food & Beverages, Probiotic Dietary Supplements), by Ingredient (Bacteria, Yeast), by End Use, by Distribution Channel, and Segment Forecasts, 2021-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global probiotics market size is expected to reach USD 111.21 billion by 2030 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2021 to 2030

The increasing prominence of preventive healthcare is among the major factors propelling the demand for probiotics across the globe. The considerable production and consumption of probiotics are complemented by innovations in probiotics by key players, most notably in countries such as China, Japan, and India.

Following the growing demand for probiotics, key market participants have been investing in R&D activities to develop efficient probiotic strains. The probiotics industry has also witnessed advancements in delivery systems to enhance the delivery of probiotics in humans and animals Such developments are expected to emerge as a trend in the industry over the forecast period.

In developed countries such as the U.S., probiotics are sold mainly in the form of dietary supplements. The demand for probiotic nutritional supplements has been spurred by the growing aging population and increased consumer interest in preventive healthcare.

Market players have introduced new products supplemented with probiotics in addition to other dietary supplements. Probiotic supplements containing different probiotic strains are available in various forms such as probiotic drops, tablets, and capsules. Manufacturers of private label and branded products are likely to continue to extend their product lines in the probiotic product categories.

The growing product lines and diversification in the same are intended to make manufacturers capable of catering to diverse demand trends across the globe. The same factor is prompting retail channels to increase their production volume in accordance with changing consumer tastes and preferences. Such trends are expected to benefit the growth of the market.

Asia Pacific dominated the probiotics industry in 2021 with a share of over 40.0%. The region is expected to retain its prominent position throughout the forecast period. In the last decade, the region has garnered a significant response when it comes to the adoption of probiotics.

This is attributed to the high health consciousness, coupled with the wider accessibility of probiotic products in this region. Another key observation in Asia Pacific with regard to the consumption of probiotics is the growing popularity of vegetarian probiotic products owing to a healthy increase in consumer vegetarianism.

The Asia Pacific market has witnessed new launches/product innovations by prominent market participants over the years. For instance, in February 2018, Yakult Danone introduced signature probiotic drinks in a new version in India.

The product contained new formulations including Vitamin D & E along with Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS). Such developments are expected to surge in the region over the forecast period owing to the presence of a large consumer base.

Probiotics Market Report Highlights

Market Variables, Trends & Scope

Value Chain Analysis

Manufacturing trends

Market Driver Analysis

Market restraint Analysis

Business Environment Analysis

Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/drglis

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Global Probiotics Market Analysis Report 2021-2030: Food & Beverages & Dietary Supplements - Growing Inclination Towards Preventive Healthcare...

Both mother and daughter are battling lingering effects of COVID-19, but neither had any idea the damage it could cause months later.

LORAIN, Ohio Eliana Rosario is like many 14-year-olds. She loves to hang out with friends, she plays flute in the school band, and like a lot of other kids, she got COVID.

In fact, her entire family was infected over Christmas 2020.

"I was coughing, a lot of body aches, chills, definitely lost my sense of smell and taste," Eliana said. "I mean, I still don't really have that back yet."

Little did she know the virus would wreak far more havoc on her body over the next 10 months. A nagging symptom slowed her down.

"It felt like someone was, like, pressing on my chest," she explained. "Like, it was hard for me to breathe when it happened. It's very uncomfortable."

Eliana's doctors initially linked the symptom to anxiety, but just after her school band played half time at the October homecoming game, her world came crashing down.

"I wasn't able to move my arms a lot, or my legs," she remembered. "I couldn't turn my head to the right, and my right side was a lot weaker than my left."

Eliana remembers the event, but couldn't communicate well. Her mother Jessica rushed to her side, saying that it seemed her daughter had "zoned out."

An ambulance took Eliana to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, where a team of doctors were waiting. One of them was Dr. Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist who is also running the hospital's Pediatric COVID Long Haul clinic. She had seen cases like Eliana's before, where symptoms resembled that of a stroke.

"There's no stroke that I can show you on MRI," Edwards said, referring to her patients, "but yet some part of the body doesn't work for my kids, and it's mostly their legs."

At this time, there are more than 50 such kids being treated in Rainbow's Long Haul clinic. Eliana spent eight days there, and four days in, she had another "zoning out" episode, only this time the doctors saw it firsthand.

Jessica remembers how the doctors explained what they thought was happening to her daughter.

"What they had told me was that her immune system was attacking her from within," she said, "and therefore it just came to a point where her body just couldn't handle it, which I had no idea the whole time, from January to August. I had no idea that this is what was happening to her."

Doctors determined postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is likely the cause of Eliana's chest pressure and breathing problems, but there was something else: A functional neurologic deficit meaning the signal to move her legs wasn't transmitting from her brain.

"I know what's wrong, I can see it before me, but I don't know at the molecular level inside the body exactly what's wrong," Edwards described. "I don't know why the signal's not getting from the brain to the legs, but clearly something is getting lost."

Eliana left the hospital in a wheelchair. She went back to school online, and spent the next few months spent in physical therapy trying to get her legs to move again.

All the while, she had company battling the COVID Long Haul syndrome. Her mom got COVID at the same time and is still experiencing extreme fatigue, likely made worse because Jessica also has multiple sclerosis.

Wait lists for COVID Long Haul clinics are months out, so Jessica is paying attention to what Eliana's doctors are advising her to do.

"What they have taught Eliana so far, I've been applying it to myself," Jessica said. "I try to get as much rest as I can. I never took naps during the day, but now I have."

"One of the mainstays of COVID recovery is lifestyle," Edwards added. "We do not have a magic bullet, we don't even know 100% what's wrong, so what I have to do is harness the power of the child's body to heal itself."

That includes eating a strict clean diet: no processed foods or junk food. Supplements may be prescribed as well as significant rest, meaning cutting back on screen time and getting at least eight to 10 hours of sleep with consistent wake and rise times.

"If COVID has taught us anything, it's taught us that we don't take very good care of ourselves," Edwards said, "so it's really about educating the families [about] how to take care of themselves, how to eat healthy, how to not have so much sugar and junk food in our diet, how to sleep. Believe it or not, a lot of our kids don't know how to sleep. They're on YouTube until 8, 9, 10, 11 o'clock at night, and then they just fall asleep out of exhaustion."

Over the last few months Eliana graduated from a wheelchair to a walker and a cane. Six months later?

"I started running, actually, a couple weeks ago," she declared. Her mom calls her a miracle.

Meanwhile, all are hoping Eliana's story may help educate the community including physicians about COVID Long Haul Syndrome. Edwards says the initial reaction from other doctors is that the child is faking.

"A lot of these kids, by the time they come to me, they genuinely feel like they're crazy, like there's something fundamentally wrong with them because all these doctors are telling them that there's nothing wrong with them," Edwards admitted. "Yes, about 65% of our kids with long haul also have anxiety; I would, too, if my body stopped working all of the sudden. But this isn't just anxiety; a patient's body has been fundamentally changed by this virus, and we need to help them to regain some of that function so that they can get their life back."

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The COVID Long Haul: Lorain County teen recovers after losing use of her legs for months - WKYC.com