How should we use dietary supplements to get the most benefit?

Besides their benefits in supporting treatment, dietary supplements also have undesirable side effects that should be considered carefully before use.

By convention, functional ingredients are only added to products in sufficient quantities to compensate for deficiencies, so even with normal or slightly higher consumption, the dose is not excessive. Thus, they are safe and non-toxic. However, some problems have arisen during the development process:

Firstly, manufacturers add the functional active ingredient to the product in a higher concentration than conventionally stated (to advertise the product as highly effective).

Secondly, manufacturers incorporate functional ingredients into their products that are both beneficial and harmful. For example, adding selenium to anti-aging products.

Thirdly, manufacturers add biological substances or stimulants to the product that produce biological substances such as: growth hormone (GH), testosterone, phytoestrogen (plant estrogen).

Fourth, the manufacturer doesn't use food as a base, but instead uses ingredients traditionally used only for medicinal purposes (plants, animals, minerals, etc., which are only used in traditional medicine).

These changes have increased the benefits of dietary supplements, but have also increased the potential for undesirable side effects, although these have not been fully studied.

How can we avoid unwanted side effects?

Below are some typical types of dietary supplements and some ways to limit their side effects:

Calcium and vitamin D supplements:

For children: it is very important, especially for children who are slow to develop strong bones. However, children's daily requirement is only 1,000mg, of which food already provides at least 500mg/day, so it is recommended to use tablets containing 200mg of calcium and 100IU of vitamin D, 2-4 tablets per day (depending on age).

If your child is already taking medication containing both of these substances (calcium-D tablets), you should not give them this supplement as it will cause duplication and lead to excess calcium. Excess calcium can cause loss of appetite and fatigue in children.

For the elderly: it was previously believed that poor calcium absorption in the elderly was due to a lack of vitamin D, leading to osteoporosis; therefore, calcium supplements or medications were used to prevent and treat this disease.

New research shows that to prevent osteoporosis, it's essential to consume sufficient calcium from a young age. Calcium intake in old age will not increase bone density or reduce fracture rates; on the contrary, excessive calcium use may even increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Manufacturers advertise that "increasing the calcium content in milk by four times enhances its effectiveness in treating osteoporosis," but this is based on outdated beliefs and is not necessarily beneficial.

Dietary supplements containing selenium, algae, and vitamins:

Selenium acts as an antioxidant: it prevents the formation of lipoperoxides, protects cells, and safeguards cell membrane components to slow down the aging process. Algae contain many proteins that play a nourishing role. Vitamins play a role in increasing metabolism.

Therefore, this dietary supplement has nourishing and anti-aging effects. However, excessive selenium intake can lead to "selenosis": garlic-like breath odor, digestive disorders, hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, irritability, nerve damage; at the highest doses, it can cause cirrhosis, pulmonary edema, and even death. Using algae containing sufficient iodine can prevent goiter, but excessive use can lead to hyperthyroidism, causing a rapid heartbeat.

Therefore, this product is for adults only, not for children. Use only the recommended dose (one tablet per day), do not use a higher dose.

Dietary supplements contain or stimulate the production of hormones:

This is not a drug that can make the elderly look younger or that can increase sexual activity beyond normal levels.

Using it for this purpose will be ineffective and harmful. High or prolonged doses of testosterone are factors that can lead to benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, inhibit sperm production, and cause infertility.

Therefore, caution is needed: use only as prescribed and up to the required dose; do not misuse or use high doses; do not use for children under 12 years of age (to avoid endocrine disruption).

Specifically, dietary supplements that stimulate the production of growth hormone (GH - which plays a role in stimulating growth, reproduction, and regeneration) may make older men look younger, but they will not become stronger or more mentally sharp; the youthfulness achieved will not be lasting.

Therefore, to date, GH has not been accepted as an anti-aging drug in pharmaceutical terms. On the other hand, when GH levels exceed a certain threshold, it can cause pituitary tumors leading to headaches, compression of the optic nerve affecting vision; excessive bone growth in the extremities known as acromegaly; carpal tunnel syndrome; excessive sweating, muscle weakness, decreased sexual function, and even type 2 diabetes.

The manufacturer cannot adjust the increase in GH levels; it depends on individual response, making it difficult to assess effectiveness and evaluate the potential for long-term effects.

Dietary supplements are only produced from medicinal herbs:

Each medicinal herb has different properties (hot, warm, cold, salty, sweet, sour, bitter, astringent) and meridian affiliations; based on each person's constitution (cold, hot), duration of illness (new, long-standing), and severity of the disease (severe, mild), the herbs are combined to form a prescription suitable for each individual.

However, for medicinal herbs formulated into dietary supplements for general use, the usage is quite different from that described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, without a full understanding of the product's ingredients and properties, users may encounter some disadvantages.

For example: a person with high blood pressure might use a dietary supplement for asthma containing ephedra; ephedra contains ephedrine, which dilates the bronchi and relieves asthma attacks, but because it is a sympathomimetic, it can increase blood pressure.

Nutritional supplements

There are some types of dietary supplements that are considered generally nutritious or beneficial to certain organs, but one shouldn't think that because they are beneficial in one way or another, they can be used indiscriminately.

Let's take a look at some examples of this type of dietary supplement:

Dietary supplements contain nutrients (protein, amino acids), vitamins (to boost metabolism), and fiber to provide the body with sufficient nutrients without causing excess energy intake like when eating raw food.

Essentially, it's a dietary supplement used for weight loss. It's incorrect and even contrary to a balanced diet for people who aren't overweight or obese to use this supplement for nutritional purposes, as it completely lacks fats and carbohydrates. Prolonged use is not beneficial as it can cause fatigue and alter the body's normal metabolism.

This is a nutritional supplement, not a weight-loss supplement. Made from soy milk, it provides a protein blend containing various amino acids, including essential ones, as well as calcium and iron, and contains very little cholesterol and fat.

Consuming this product (25g/day) will help boost immunity, reduce fatigue, and lower the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases. However, this product is only for adults; children over 3 years old should not use it.

This dietary supplement contains vitamin E, selenium, and wormwood powder (containing carotenoids), all of which are antioxidants. Therefore, it is suitable for people exposed to toxic environments, smokers, and those who want to improve cardiovascular health and boost immunity.

However, this product should not be used excessively because excessive selenium can lead to selenoic syndrome (as mentioned above), and excessive vitamin E is also not beneficial.

Vitamin C supplement: Each tablet contains 250mg of natural Vitamin C (derived from Acerola Cherry), 35g of flavonoids (extracted from oranges), and phytonutrients. This product is intended for people who want to boost their immunity, those with an unbalanced diet, and those who smoke or drink alcohol.

According to the FAO, the daily vitamin C requirement from infancy to 3 years old is 25-30mg, from 4-18 years old is 30-40mg, and the average adult is 45mg. Adequate intake is necessary; supplementation is required if deficient, but excessive supplementation should be avoided.

Prolonged use of high doses also has many disadvantages: the body may develop a tolerance, leading to fatigue when not using it. It can also cause digestive disorders (heartburn, diarrhea), and iron overload… Therefore, it should not be used indiscriminately, but only as a supportive treatment in necessary cases according to the prescribed dosage.

Therefore, these nutritional supplements should only be used when the daily diet does not provide sufficient nutrients or when needed to support treatment. Once the deficiency is resolved or the supplement has adequately supported treatment, discontinue use and maintain a balanced diet to sustain its effectiveness.

Liver and gallbladder support supplements: These supplements help enhance liver function and promote bile production. This type of supplement often comes in the form of brewed teas (such as artichoke tea, Artemisia tea) or tablets (such as liver supplements and detoxification tablets).

Liver support should only be used when liver function is impaired (liver enzymes are elevated). Once liver function has recovered (liver enzymes return to normal levels), use must be discontinued; otherwise, it will further strain the liver, and prolonged use is harmful.

According to Health and Life