Category Archives: Food Supplements

Working out how to balance food, supplements and training is one of the trickiest parts of getting fit. Meal frequency and size has always been a hot topic for debate. Lucky for you, I've tried out every single combination out there to work out the most effective one. Here's what I found...

a. They all work.

Yes, you heard that right! Meal frequency isn't half as important as many people believe.

b. Some are easier to follow than others.

Some meal plans are far more practical and adaptable to your personal lifestyle and routine.

In conclusion, I'm going to give you one easy rule to follow:

Adhere to your daily calories, come close on your macros, and it doesn't matter how many meals you have each day.

This might sound too good to be true but it really isn't. It's all part of tailoring your fitness to your lifestyle. You may split your calories and macros across two, three or four meals, or even five and six if you really want an extra challenge! As a general rule, I would recommend three meals per day and one snack. Putting the Personal back in Personal Training

As always with fitness and nutrition, the specifics of what you need to eat depend on your goals and body type, as well as the type of results you are looking for. For example, if you were looking to gain muscle and really bulk up, I would recommend a very different diet than if you were looking to lose weight and/or tone up.

Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?

I would say every meal is equally important, as it is the sum of your meals that determines results. I don't believe in breakfast being important in the traditional sense of eating immediately after you wake up.

Breakfast takes place when you break the fast with the first meal even if you have it at noon. This makes is impossible to skip breakfast unless you never eat again! Postponing that eating window and eating for a shorter length of time actually has some potential health benefits. Similar rules apply to lunch.

What Time Should I Eat Dinner?

I believe that the time you eat your dinner does have an impact on overall results, but not for the reason you may think. Many people believe eating later means you put on more weight, as we don't burn calories when we are asleep. This is simply not true.

The reason I like to eat earlier in the evening is because eating late can have a negative impact on sleep quality, and a knock on effect on your results.

Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition

While pre-workout nutrition speaks for itself, everyone has an opinion on how soon you should eat after a workout. Immediately? Eight-minute window? Half-hour window?

As a general rule, I suggest having your post-workout meal or shake within two hours of completing your training. There's no need to eat immediately after you finish. The only exception to the rule is extreme endurance training, when replenishing muscle glycogen quickly is important.

For most of us, having our shake from half an hour to an hour post-workout will be fine. Our overall aim is to hit our daily calories and macros, working day after day towards our goals.

To find out more visit http://www.davidkingsbury.co.uk

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How Important Is Food And Supplement Timing? - Huffington Post UK

(Reuters Health) - - Older men who take vitamin E and selenium supplements have the same risk of dementia as people who don't use these products, according to a new study that quashes hopes these antioxidants might prevent cognitive decline.

Previous research has linked antioxidants to the prevention of cellular damage that can occur with aging as well as in cancer and other diseases. Antioxidants may achieve this by halting or slowing oxidative stress, which has also been linked to the progression of dementia.

As the body uses oxygen, it produces by-products called free radicals. Damage to cells and tissues by oxygen free radicals is known as oxidative stress.

"Antioxidants, either through food or supplements, are believed to reduce oxidative stress throughout the body," said senior study author Frederick Schmitt of the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

"It could be that antioxidant supplements are less effective than those consumed through food," Schmitt said by email. "The take-home message is that the evidence for antioxidant supplements is limited."

For the current study, researchers examined data on 7,540 older men who took part in a larger trial of the effects of selenium and vitamin E on cancer risk. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups that received either vitamin E or selenium supplements, both supplements or placebo pills.

About half the men were followed for five years and half for an additional six years. The study found no differences in dementia risk between any of the groups, researchers report in JAMA Neurology.

At the start of the study, the men were 68 years old on average and had no history of cognitive or neurological problems. During the study, 325 of them developed dementia, or roughly 4.4 percent of the men in each treatment group.

One limitation of the study is that many participants dropped out early. During the study, other research emerged linking vitamin E to an increased risk of prostate cancer and linking selenium to higher odds of diabetes; these findings may have prompted at least some men to leave the antioxidant study, the authors note.

Based on the results, however, people without dementia should not be taking antioxidant supplements just to prevent cognitive decline, the researchers conclude.

It's possible that the study participants got enough antioxidants from their diets that the supplements didn't appear beneficial, Schmitt said. The dose of supplements or the formulation might have also contributed to the lack of benefit found in the study.

A Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and healthy fats may help ward off dementia even if supplements do not, and exercise may also help prevent cognitive decline, Schmitt said.

Foods rich in antioxidants include a variety of berries like blueberries, cranberries, goji berries and elderberries as well as dark chocolate, pecans, artichokes and kidney beans.

The antioxidant vitamin E can be found in nuts, seeds, vegetables and fish oil but the body may need supplements to get enough of this nutrient. Brazil nuts, tuna and certain other fish, as well as red meat and poultry can contain selenium, but supplements may also be needed to boost supplies of this nutrient.

"If you aren't taking antioxidant supplements, there is scant evidence that they will be of significant help in preventing dementia," said Dr. Steven DeKosky of the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

"However, healthy diets that contain vegetables with antioxidants would be good to choose as it does have the natural compounds needed," DeKosky, author of an accompanying editorial, said by email.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2njDwgB and bit.ly/2n4wp9M JAMA Neurology, online March 20, 2017.

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Antioxidant supplements don't lower dementia risk | Reuters - Reuters

MONDAY, March 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A daily dose of vitamin E or selenium supplements won't keep dementia at bay in older men, new research reveals.

"After an average of five years of supplementation, and up to 11 years of follow-up, we did not observe fewer new cases of dementia among men who took any of the supplements compared to neither supplement," said study co-author Frederick Schmitt. He's a professor with the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging and the department of neurology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

"Based on these results, we do not recommend vitamin E or selenium supplements to prevent dementia at these doses," he added.

Approximately 5 million American seniors are now living with Alzheimer's, the study authors noted.

Selenium is an essential antioxidant, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). It's involved in promoting hormone metabolism, as well as protecting against infection and oxidative damage. Vitamin E is thought to boost immunity and protect against cell damage. Both are naturally found in many foods, the NIH said.

Unlike prescription medications, supplements aren't regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for safety or effectiveness.

Researchers initially became interested in vitamin E and selenium because of their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants can help prevent damage to some cells. The study team hoped that this would be true for the brain cells involved in dementia.

Schmitt said his team was "not aware of specific supplement makers that market vitamin E or selenium for brain health."

Between 2002 and 2008, the study enrolled slightly more than 7,500 males across the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. All were aged 60 or older. None had a history of neurological problems, dementia, serious head injury or substance abuse.

Participants were divided into four groups: a vitamin E group; a selenium group; a combination group; and a placebo group (the "control" group).

The supplement doses were 400 international units (IUs) of vitamin E and 200 micrograms of selenium per day.

The men took the supplements or the placebo for an average of about five years, the study authors said.

Study participants underwent annual in-person memory screenings and, sometimes, secondary mental health screenings. Starting in 2008, and continuing through 2014, a smaller sub-group of roughly 4,300 participants continued memory screenings by phone.

In the end, 325 men developed dementia at some point during the study. Of these, 71 had been in the vitamin E group, 78 in the selenium group, 91 in the combination group, and 85 in the control group that took no supplements.

Schmitt said since the study didn't include women, he couldn't speculate whether the findings would apply across gender.

But, "for consumers specifically concerned about brain health and cognition, they should be aware that no scientifically rigorous studies have identified any supplement as an effective treatment or prevention for dementia," Schmitt said.

For people who want to do something, he said, "regular physical activity, such as walking, and a heart-healthy diet have much more evidence supporting their effectiveness for reducing dementia risk."

Dr. Steven DeKosky, co-author of an accompanying editorial and deputy director of the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida in Gainesville, had words of advice when it comes to taking supplements for any reason: "buyer beware."

"My rule for people taking supplements is that they should check with their physicians," he said. DeKosky added that people should "not stop their prescribed medications because they were going to take something else."

Supplements can sometimes interact with prescription drugs, and "there is no proof that they work," he noted.

DeKosky also downplayed the anti-dementia potential of supplements.

"It is not a simple disease," he said, "and a simple 'silver bullet' is not to be expected."

The study was published online March 20 in JAMA Neurology.

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Vitamin E, Selenium Supplements Won't Curb Men's Dementia Risk - Bloomington Pantagraph

TheHorse.com

What is a Nutraceutical? TheHorse.com DeFelice's original definition was "a food (or part of a food) that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease." Typically, the term nutraceutical is used for supplements and applied to products derived ... and more »

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What is a Nutraceutical? - TheHorse.com

Photo: Courtesy of GOOP

If youre just so effing tired or just have too many balls in the air, Gwyneth Paltrow has some fancy, new GMO- and gluten-free supplements for you. Yesterday, her lifestyle emporium Goop launched their newest brand arm: supplements, or as she calls them, Wellness. There are four vitamin and supplement regimens, each designed to address particular body concerns. Are you tired all the time? Theres a $90 set of 30 packets for that. Do you miss your high-school metabolism? Theres a packet called High School Genes for that. Every supplement packet, which Goop certifies is tested to be free of pesticides, heavy metals, and environmental pollutants, was designed with a Goop-approved doctor. The Cut spoke to famous Dr. Alejandro Junger, who was involved in the creation of the Why am I so effing tired? supplement and is Paltrows favorite detox doctor, about why he thinks detox should be taught in medical school, how you can trust supplements even when theyre not regulated by the FDA, and his thoughts on eating your way out of taking supplements (turns out, you cant).

Youve worked as a trainer and a cardiologist, originally specialized in Western medicine. What made you interested in alternative medicine?

The trainer part of my life is a funny story. I was doing my training in Cardiology, and getting really sick. I had allergies, depression, IBS, gained a ton of weight, and I didnt know what to do. I went to a general practitioner in NYC where I was training, and I saw a personal trainer there with a six pack, pulled up my shirt and showed him my gut. It was a big gut. I said, If I want to look like you, how long will it take me? What should I do?

He said, Come here six times a week and eat a certain way. He said it was going to take me four months. In two months, I did it. But my symptoms didnt go away even though I was in tip-top shape. That got me interested in things beyond the physical body.

More than anything, I wanted depression out of my system, which is how I stumbled upon meditation. I went to an ashram in upstate New York and then India to be a doctor and cardiologist there. While I was there, I worked with a ton of doctors who were Ayurvedic, into Reiki, hands-on therapy, you name it. We used to sit in a circle and put patients in the middle and everyone would ask questions and give their opinions according to their school of learning. Now I know thats whats called integrated medicine, although I didnt know thats what it was called at the time. I was learning about all these different modalities of healing, as opposed to just medical-school stuff.

What made you believe in alternative medicine? Was there an a-ha moment?

More than anything, what Im impressed by is results. You cant argue with success. I saw people with all kinds of symptoms and diseases come to us and the Reiki healer would do something or the Ayurvedic doctor would change aspects of their diet, and they would get better. You cant argue with that.

But the most important part of my interest and attraction is my own experience. I know everyone calls it alternative medicine but its all just medicine to me. When I came back from India, my symptoms improved here and there. But then I stumbled upon the concepts of detox and cleansing and did a program myself. All my symptoms went away. No depression, no IBS, zero allergies, I looked and felt 20 years younger.

It blew my mind that I could get myself into this kind of shape with my colleagues being given seven prescription medicines to function. After ten days of juicing, I felt incredible. I thought, This should be taught in medical school. Were doing our patients a disservice by not learning about this.

Why nutritional supplements? How do they fit into what youve learned about alternative medicine?

These days, I am a practitioner of functional medicine. Its thinking about Eastern medicine with the knowledge of Western medicine. In functional medicine, the main principle is that you remove the obstacles and add whatever is lacking. Then the body will correct by itself.

What does an obstacle mean? Lets think about it like a thorn. If you have one in your skin, it will not heal. So you have to take it out. Thorns inside the body can be toxins, parasites, viruses anything that poses an obstacle to the normal functioning or chemistry of our cells. After removing the obstacle, you have add or restore whatever is lacking.

In our body, there are thousands of chemical reactions happening at every minute. Trillions of molecules and molecules in motion are combining with each other to make the body and perhaps functions like, create bodily fluids and hormones. Put in a very simplified manner, Molecule A plus B forms to become Molecule C. But if Molecule A isnt there, then Molecule C cant be formed that could be hair, bones, whatever. So theres where supplements and nutrition come in.

Ive been working on this for 22-plus years. I had to discover the detox and the Institute for Functional Medicine. Then I met Gwyneth. When I met her, we shared this passion for learning, spreading the word, and helping people. Weve been talking about this forever, but finally Gwyneth and Goop were ready.

What was your first time meeting Gwyneth?

An ex-schoolmate of hers when they were little, called me and said, I have a friend of mine who cannot come to your office, but needs a vitamin drip, and asked me to help her out. I grabbed my stuff after work and went to her hotel and rang the bell and the makeup artist opened the door. She used to be in the ashram with me. She said, Hey, how are you? Then a stylist appeared. She turned out to be a really good friend of my girlfriend at the time. Then out came Gwyneth, who was like, Who is this guy that everyone knows? We clicked. While I was giving her this vitamin drip, she started bombarding me with questions. Shes a smart cookie. She was asking me questions that not even my traditional colleagues would ask. Some I had to go and research and come back to her with answers. She invited me over to talk more and also meet her husband at the time, Chris [Martin], and we hit it off.

How would you respond to supplement skeptics who say that if youre eating well, youre deriving enough nutrients from food?

Those people are knowledgeable about one aspect and ignorant about another aspect. What theyre saying is true, but theyre not completing the thought. You should be able to get enough nutrients if you ate according to the way nature designed for you to live if you ate natural food grown in its natural state, grow in natural conditions in a soil filled with nutrients, and your intestines were healthy and able to digest and absorb the nutrients designed. Then absolutely. Supplements wouldnt exist.

Things exist because man finds a need for them. This came out of a need. As modern men and women, weve departed from the ways of nature. We eat food depleted of nutrients and a lot of our intestines are destroyed. The body has to adapt and survive and turn on survival mechanisms. Obviously, the best thing to do is to somehow get your gut to heal, digest, absorb, and get nutrition through whole foods. Thats the best way to do it. But who knows how to do it? Who has the money and time to do it?

Nutritional supplements arent regulated by the FDA. How can the consumers believe theyre safe?

Youre right, theyre not. There is a movement trying to regulate them. But there are other regulations and controls that monitor supplements. There are certifications manufacturers get to do with the cleanliness. The good ones double and triple test for pollutants. Theres a big spectrum in the quality.

The most important thing is to find a trusted source. I know this will sound like a commercial but Goop went and looked for a trusted source. They trusted me. I advised them to go to this company, which I have worked with for many, many years. I tried their supplements. I treated and helped people successfully. I went to the manufacturing plant. I saw the testing of the raw materials. I saw the controls, of which there were several steps. I walked through the manufacturing plant, I had to dress like a surgeon because everything was so clean. But everybody has to find their trusted source. Trust is an important commodity today. You go with your gut and knowledge to find people you trust and people who speak and seek the truth in a genuinely curious way.

The specific supplements you worked on with Goop address adrenal fatigue. What is that?

Its a condition in which your adrenal system or glands get exhausted and start functioning suboptimally. The severe extreme in Western medicine is called Addisons Disease. But way before you arrive to that, theres a spectrum that doesnt get recognized. For some it can show up as hormonal imbalance, hair thinning, depression or weight gain, lack of concentration, or skin problems.

Its as if your body is a house of appliances and the adrenal system is the main source of power. When its running low, your body wont turn on. Its an epidemic worldwide. Your adrenal system is also responsible for your fight or flight response. If you think about it, if you live in natural conditions, your fight or flight response would kick for example, when you encounter a tiger. In modern life, that can kick in different, less extreme ways. This morning, I had to take my kids to school and we woke up late and the dog came out and I thought it jumped into the car. But then I came home and realized the dog didnt jump into the car! I had to drop my kid (not literally) and run back to the house. Then I couldnt get on your call. Its a constant fight or flight. By the end of day, my adrenals are going to be tired. Its no wonder most of us have depleted adrenal systems.

How can you tell if your adrenal system is overworked? Some of those symptoms can be symptomatic of other things or just situational.

There are some things more typical and common across the board. You could kind of pull it together yourself. If you have difficulty sleeping, if you feel tired, moody, and cant pinpoint exactly what it is. But the thing is, if you do things to really charge your adrenals, you could get better, but you wont get worse. There isnt a gigantic risk. Its not like getting chemotherapy because you might have cancer. If you have chemo and dont have cancer, youll die. But if you charge your adrenals but dont have adrenal fatigue, nothing is going to happen, But if you do it and have it, youll hopefully feel better.

Charging your adrenals is different for everyone. I made it easy for you before but the equation is a little bit more like Molecule A plus B plus C plus three-quarters D plus five other things, or something else. But there are a few things most common and that is what we are providing with this package. It contains phytonutrients, nutrients derived from plants, which are a major part. Then there are other things that help the system recover the adrenals like Ayurvedic adaptogens such as holy basil, ashwagandha, and all these roots and leaves that have an effect of facilitating the adaptation. They kind of push you energetically in one direction. Thats part of the package. There are also good fats like omega fats in it. But supplements alone are not going to do it. If you are sleep deprived, it doesnt matter how many you take. Your adrenals will never recharge. The program is not just the supplements, but also what things you shouldnt eat and other things that will improve your daily routine so you can recharge. Good sleep, fun, and relaxation are just as important as any nutrients.

A lot of times when I do these pieces relating to alternative medicine, Ill ask Western-medicine doctors for their opinions. They usually are cautious about recommending them because they ask for more research, or the results of scientific double-blind studies.

Let me tell you a story. When I tried in NYC, my first cardiology teacher was a guy named Dr. Rony Shimony. Hes one of the best doctors Ive met in my life and is the director of cardiology at Mount Sinai. Hes charismatic, kind, incredibly knowledgeable, and I learned so much from him. People come from all over the world to see him. You wouldnt believe the patients Ive seen in his office. He took a liking to me and he asked me after I finished my training to join his practice. But I declined and told him, Im going to India to a monastery. He rolled his eyes and hugged me and said, Oh no, we lost you. You had so much potential. He was genuinely sad and concerned.

Throughout the years, hes called me and said, Are you coming back? Its time to get serious. When I came back to NYC in 2007, we had dinner and he said, Listen, I still hope one day we can work together. Can you come help me a couple days a week at the office? I started seeing his patients and doing what I do. I put them on a certain diet and programs and supplements. Suddenly, the world started spreading that these people were doing really well. One day, he said, Listen, Alex. One of my sisters has been sick for years with digestive problems. Shes seen every specialist under the sun. She came to me, I put her on a program. She completely resolved all her problems in three weeks. He was so blown away, he was an instant convert. He finally said, You know what, you have to do what you have to do. But I want to learn.

Listen, the most important thing is to keep an open mind. See what works and what doesnt. Thats what Western medicine does every single day. The wrong medication or dosage for a heart problem can kill you in a day or in an hour. Doctors are just trying them and seeing if they work. Supplements wont kill you. Theres more trial and error in Western medicine with more serious consequences than anything alternative practitioners do.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

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Will Goop's New Vitamins Save Us All? - New York Magazine

To say the exercise supplement industry is big business is an understatement. According to some estimates, it has ballooned to $37 billion in annual global revenue. Like me, you probably know people who are guzzling down pre- and post-workout shakes, popping a handful of vitamins and mineral pills each morning and telling you things like, Youve gotta try this INSERT NAME OF SCARY SOUNDING CHEMICAL YOU CANT PRONOUNCE.

While its OK to take a supplement to, as the term suggests, top up on something that youre deficient in, its best to try and get everything you need from your diet. Theres certainly plenty of evidence supporting the efficacy of certain protein powders, particularly whey, and some manufacturers are offering legit non-dairy alternatives, too. But if you cant justify spending two or three dollars a serving for grass-fed yak butter protein cultivated by elves in Rivendell or have concerns about what else could be lurking in that powder your buddy swears by (as director Chris Bell showed in Bigger, Stronger, Faster, the supplement industry is not what youd call highly regulated), here are some cheap yet high quality alternatives you can pick up at your local grocery store:

Eggs

Eggs, eggs, E double G S, Eggs. Ok, Ive been reading too much Dr. Seuss to my kids. But old Ted Geisel was right about eggs being a fantastic food (though the jury is still out on whether being green makes them any better). It might sound hippy-dippy to say, but you should opt for pasture-raised, organic eggs rather than the factory farm ones that are produced in horrendous conditions and have far less Omega 3 fatty acids, not to mention packing a pesticide punch you dont want anything to do with. The benefits of eggs are so wide ranging this whole story could be about them, but to summarize, the main ones are that they provide top-notch proteins and huge doses of healthy fats.

Quinoa

If youre a vegan or just someone who doesnt do dairy, quinoa is a fantastic protein option. Its nutty flavor makes it just fine on its own but its even better when paired with veggies like roasted cauliflower and broccoli and drowned in curry sauce. You can also add quinoa to soups and stews, and swap it in for rice or other grains in Thai, Indian and Chinese food recipes. As well as being a protein powerhouse, quinoa is chock full of beneficial minerals, with 30 percent or more of your recommended daily values of manganese, copper, phosphorous and magnesium in one serving.

Cottage Cheese

If youre anti-dairy Im not going to try and change your mind here. But if youre not and you want to add a new non-supplement protein to your diet, look no further than these little white chunks. As a high percentage of the protein in cottage cheese is slow acting casein, its a good choice for a pre-bed snack that will aid muscle repair and recovery during sleep. As with eggs, go for an organic version made with milk from grass fed cows. Cottage cheese is also a good source of a whole range of B vitamins, which assist brain, heart and digestive system function.

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3 Inexpensive, Protein-Rich Foods that are Way Better For You than Supplements - TheInertia.com

EonNutra shared this location in the 3500 block of North El Paso Street in central Colorado Springs. Image via Google Maps.

A Colorado Springs manufacturer and distributor of dietary supplements has agreed to cease operations after being accused by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of marketing products as drugs without the agency's approval.

Michael Floren, the owner of EonNutra LLC, CDSM LLC and HABW LLC, sold numerous products on several websites, and also in a Colorado Springs retail location, according to court filings and an FDA news release.

Products sold by Floren's companies were marketed with claims that they could address health problems such as high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and muscle pain. But by making such claims, Floren's companies effectively were marketing their products as drugs because they establish "that the products are intended to cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent diseases," the FDA said.

"Legally speaking, only drugs can make those claims and they have to go through the FDA approval process," said Lyndsay Meyer, an FDA spokeswoman. That process includes numerous steps such as clinical trials and evidence of safety and efficacy for the problem being targeted for treatment, she said.

The FDA inspected Floren's businesses - which shared a location in the 3500 block of North El Paso Street in central Colorado Springs - four times since 2012.

"Over the course of the inspections, the FDA determined Floren's dietary supplement products to be misbranded and unapproved new drugs because they were being marketed with drug claims despite not being approved for any use," the FDA said in a news release.

Also, the FDA said Floren's companies committed "numerous violations of the agency's current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for dietary supplements," including "failure to establish specifications for dietary supplement components and failure to test or verify that components and finished products meet product specifications for identity, purity, strength or composition."

Some supplements also were misbranded because Floren's businesses "failed to properly list on the products' label the number of servings per container and the correct serving size per container. Additionally, they failed to list each ingredient contained in the dietary supplements and identify the part of the plant each botanical dietary ingredient was derived from."

Despite Floren's assurances that he would resolve the problems, FDA follow-up inspections revealed that he "repeatedly failed to make the necessary corrections," according to the agency.

Last week, the FDA sued Floren and his companies in U.S. District Court in Denver, seeking to shut down his businesses. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Marcia S. Krieger entered a court order, in which the FDA and Floren agreed that his businesses "would immediately cease operations until they come into compliance with federal laws."

"Companies that market their products with unproven health claims and also continue to violate manufacturing regulations put consumers' health in jeopardy," Melinda Plaisier, FDA associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, said in the news release. "The FDA will take the enforcement actions necessary to protect consumers from this undue risk."

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FDA accuses Colorado Springs dietary supplement maker of ... - Colorado Springs Gazette

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Dietary supplements can play an important role in helping military members, retirees, Department of Defense civilians and their family members achieve physical fitness and optimum health.

However, some of these over-the-counter products provide no benefits or, even worse, prove to be detrimental to a persons health, according to Joint Base San Antonio health promotions professionals.

Operation Supplement Safety, a DOD initiative through the Human Performance Resource Center, offers guidance by educating the military community and DOD civilians about the potential benefits and dangers of using supplements.

The ultimate goal of the campaign is just for the safety of the military family, making sure they understand what a supplement is, how to read the ingredients and whether the supplement is safe to take, said Claudia Holtz, 559th Aerospace-Medicine Squadron, Health Promotions Program manager at JBSA-Lackland.

The OPSS campaign uses a variety of avenues to reach the broadest audience, from public service announcements, posters and videos to information sheets, social media and suggested activities for installations.

The OPSS website, http://www.opss.org, offers a wealth of information about supplements, including links to topics such as fitness and performance, weight loss and dietary supplement ingredients.

The website also provides alerts and announcements about supplements and lists of high-risk supplements and dietary supplement ingredients prohibited by the DOD. Holtz addressed some of the risks of taking supplements.

Some supplements can interact in an unsafe way with other products people are taking, whether theyre prescribed medications or other supplements, she said. Supplement use may result in organ dysfunction or make a persons health issues worse.

For military members and civilians, some supplements may be detrimental to their careers if they result in positive blood or urine tests, Holtz said.

Its important that their physician or primary care manager knows what supplements they are taking, she said. They can also go to the OPSS website for information.

Supplement use may also affect people financially if they are paying for a product that is providing no benefits, Holtz said.

Aracelis Gonzalez-Anderson, 359th Medical Group Health Promotions Program coordinator at JBSA-Randolph, said consumers should be careful even if a product they are considering for use is not on the OPSS list of high-risk supplements or does not contain ingredients prohibited by the DOD.

It doesnt mean it is safe to be consumed, she said. See your provider to make sure you are making an informed decision about the dietary supplement. Your life and career may depend on it.

People should be especially aware of any supplements that contain dimethylamylamine, also known as DMAA, Gonzalez-Anderson said.

Any dietary supplements that contain DMAA are illegal, she said.

Ingestion of DMAA, which is often touted as a natural stimulant, can elevate blood pressure and lead to cardiovascular problems ranging from shortness of breath and tightening in the chest to heart attack, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

There is not a black-and-white answer to which supplements are beneficial if taken in the proper doses, Gonzalez-Anderson said.

Supplements can be beneficial for some, while not for others, she said. If at all possible, it is better to consume the food to help with your goals.

Holtz also advised making the right dietary choices.

People can get the nutrients they need just by eating right, she said.

It is also important to note dietary supplements, unlike prescription medications, are not subject to testing by the FDA.

The FDA will review a dietary supplement only after receiving reports about harm caused by the supplement, Gonzalez-Anderson said. It is the responsibility of the dietary manufacturer to put out a safe product. There are some supplements that can contain ingredients not listed on the supplement facts panel to include some that are potentially dangerous.

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DOD campaign guides military community on use of supplements - Robins Rev Up

The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued an updated set of recommendations for people who have had a heart attack or who suffer from heart failure.

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According to the AHA, these heart patients should add a fish oil supplement to their diet to help prevent future heart-related events. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which, when consumed by eating fatty fish, can cause blood vessel relaxation, reduced blood clotting, reduced inflammation and possibly stabilization of heart rhythm.

But I disagree with the AHAs updated recommendation. Heres why.

When it comes to the science behind fish oil or omega-3 supplements, the results are varied and oftentimes are conflicting. More research needs to be done before confirming that adding a fish oil supplement will help reduce a persons risk of future heart-related events.

Only onelarge, randomized controlled clinical trial the gold standard in scientific research supports the concept that daily administration of 1 gram of an EPA/DHA fish oil combination may benefit patients with coronary heart disease who have suffered a heart attack. Some scientists, however, take issue with the design and conduct of this and other studies that suggest a benefit from fish oil supplements in heart patients.

There also arestudies withheart patients that have failed to confirm the benefits of the omega-3s. While some of these studies also have potential flaws that could explain their results, they do open the door to reasonable doubt.

We also dont know for certain whether fish oilsupplementsare harmful again because wehave nostrong evidence to support or dispute that statement.

Sowhenwe have that kind of a mixed picture, the right thing to do is toask for more research to resolve this conflict not tell people to take something because there mightbe somebenefit.

Like all nutritional supplements, fish oil supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and do not go through the rigorousprocess of proving that they are safe and effective. Instead, supplements are regulated by Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has no scientific expertise and does not even confirm whetherthe supplements actually contain the ingredients listed on their labels.

When you take over-the-counter fish oil, you dont know what youre taking.The supplement may or may not contain the amount of fish oil that it is alleged to contain, and so we dont recommend that people take dietary supplements particularly when there is no solid evidence of a benefit.

Fish oil has a mild blood-thinning effect and supplements should not be taken by patients who are taking blood thinners or who have propensity for bleeding. The supplements also can cause indigestion and fishy burps.

Some fish oils may be contaminated with mercury. Research has shown that a large proportion of supplements perhaps as much as 40 percent contain contaminants, including lead, bacteria and pesticides.

For people thinking about taking fish oil supplements, my advice is to talk with your doctorfirst.

I personally would not recommend that you put anything in your body without very good evidence of benefit. If youwant to get more fish oil in yourdiet, you arebetter off simplyeating more fish.

Oily fish belongsyour diet particularly as a replacement for red meats. Walk past the red meat counter at the grocery store every week and go instead to the seafood counter and get a nice piece of salmon. You reap a double benefit: a reduced intake of unhealthy saturated fats from red meat and ingestion of (potentially) heart-healthy fish oils.

If you dont like fish, you can get plant-based omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed, walnuts, green vegetables and some vegetable oils, including canola oil. Incorporating these foods into your diet is relatively easy: Sprinkle ground flaxseed on your cereal or yogurt, eat a handful of walnuts as a snack instead of a candy bar, or make a salad dressing with flaxseed oil.

The evidence, however, that plant-based omega-3 fatty acids are heart-healthy is substantially weaker than the evidence in favor of fish-based omega-3s. For that reason, fish is the best choice.

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Fish Oil Supplements: Are They Good for Cardiovascular Health? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic (blog)

It has become a trend that instead of eating fruits, vegetables and meat, a large number of people prefer food supplements without realiasing their side effects.

Most of the food supplements available in the market are not only unregistered but also contain steroids that can damage body organs such as brain, kidneys, liver etc.

Steroids were developed for the treatment of different diseases, especially among elderly people.

Some steroids also behave like male sex hormones and doctors prescribe them for treating problems such as late puberty as well as a significant muscle loss in cancer and Aids patients. But theyre often used illegally by athletes, sportsmen and bodybuilders.

Besides, a large number of people who have nothing to do with sports also use the food supplements, vitamins, minerals etc.

Media coordinator for the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Dr Waseem Khawaja told Dawn that most people believed that they should have food supplements and vitamins to remain healthy.

People use food supplements and other medicines containing steroids without realising their side effects.

They gain weight temporarily but because of the use of steroids their body organs stop working. I have seen patients who used steroids and later their kidneys, liver and even brain stopped working. They remained on ventilators till their death, Dr Waseem said.

He said people should eat normal diet as normal people did not require any food supplement or vitamins.

There is a lack of awareness due to which parents approach doctors with the complaint that their children do not eat sufficient food. They insist that multivitamins and food supplements should be suggested for their children.

He said a majority of steroids were sold under the name of alternative medicines but people used them without realising their side effects.

The food supplements and vitamins are sold for thousands of rupees. People can get the same amount of vitamins and minerals from fruits and meat without spending a huge amount of money.

He also said people should understand that food supplements are given to those elderly patients who cannot digest or eat normal food.

A normal person never requires food supplements, he said.

An official of the Ministry of National Health services (NHS) said because of the unavailability of rules and regulations the sale of alternative medicines could not be regulated.

Last year, Secretary Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mohammad Abid Majeed wrote a letter to Secretary Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) Ayub Sheikh raising the issue of unregistered medicines being sold in the market.

He claimed that from January to June 2016 as many as 534 nutrition/alternative medicines were analysed by the provincial drug laboratories.

It was found that there were ingredients which become a reason for severe damages to health.

Mr Majeed requested that rules should be formulated to address the issue.

However, the NHS ministry official said even allopathic medicines were sold in the name of herbal products but at very high rates due to which a number of companies had stopped manufacturing allopathic medicines and shifted to alternative medicines.

He said cod liver oil was given to children, women and elderly people as it was good for the bones.

However, the bottle of cod liver oil, which used to be available for Rs150, has disappeared from the market and the same oil is now being sold for Rs1,200 under the name of herbal oil.

A bottle of surbex T (vitamin) is available for Rs50 in the market but the same medicine is also being sold for Rs1,500 in the name of an alternative drug.

Allopathic medicines are reliable as they are made under licensing and in a controlled environment but no one knows where and how herbal medicines and food supplements are prepared and if they contain steroids.

He said even a number of skin whitening creams can be hazardous.

A number of times we have received complaints that skin whitening creams are using mercury which can cause cancer.

However, whenever it is decided to take action against the manufacturers the latter say they have nothing to do with the creams and it should be treated as cosmetics. I believe that any commodity which makes clinical claims should be treated as a drug, he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) Dr Mohammad Aslam said the use of steroids in food supplements was a very sensitive issue and Drap was working on it.

Our teams time to time test the products. We received complaints about skin whitening creams after which 15 products were checked but all of them were found free of mercury, he said.

Dr Aslam said there was a lack of awareness due to which people used food supplements.

They should eat natural food instead of having medicines. Even eating a fruit is much better and safer than drinking a fruit juice, he said.

In reply to a question about the use of steroids by bodybuilders, Dr Aslam said they used steroids to strengthen their mussels.

The human body has 60pc water but some bodybuilders use medicines to reduce their weight by dehydration to participate in the competition of a category of their choice, he said.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2017

Link:

Know your supplements unregistered brands flood markets - DAWN.com