Supplements are a manufactured dietary alternative to nutrition acquired from natural food sources. For one reason or the other, not everyone can acquire their daily nutrient needs from natural food sources. They require supplements to cater to the nutrients deficiency they will have.
As you get older you tend to use more over the counter dietary supplements. Over the counter supplements are the same as supplements on eBay. The supplements are big business with sales generating over £30 billion annually in the United States alone. Older adults make the larger portion of the sales generated from the sale of supplements be it the best multi-vitamins. So the golden question is whether supplements are safe for consumption.
The Science behind Supplements
A supplement is a general term used to stand for vitamins, minerals and herbs that are beneficial to healthy living. Supplements may be popular but there is limited scientific evidence that the supplements offer significant health benefits. The four most commonly used supplements are vitamins B, C, multivitamins, and calcium. However, according to a study published in 2018 by the American College of Cardiology journal, the four common supplements did not protect against cardiovascular diseases. People still go online to buy supplements on eBay.
The main reason why people purchase supplements like the best multi vitamins is for insurance purposes. There exists a general notion that taking supplements is something extra they can do to remain healthy. Taking supplements makes people feel healthy.
Risks from Taking Supplements
Supplements benefit our health even though scientific evidence to support this is negligible. However, it is important to understand that supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It does not even prove the effectiveness of the supplements. This presents users with a risk. A supplement may be claimed to health arthritis causing a consumer to use it instead of using drugs approved by the FDA.
Risks from supplements can also include health issues. So, when you are ordering supplements on eBay, here are some health risks you need to consider:
- Excessive vitamin E increases the action of blood thinners which can lead to nosebleeds and easy bruising. On the other hand, vitamin K reduces the ability of blood thinners.
- Chemotherapy is vital to cancer patients. Antioxidants like vitamin C and E reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy in some types of cancer.
- An excessive dosage of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) especially when used for more than a year can cause relentless nerve damage. Vitamin B6 can also reduce the effectiveness of drugs used to prevent seizures and drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease.
- Antibiotics effectiveness can be reduced by calcium and iron supplements. These antibiotics are fluoroquinolone and tetracycline.
- Iron, selenium and boron supplements are toxic when taken in large quantities.
The listed are some of the health risks presented by supplements. Therefore, beware while ordering supplements on eBay. Also, advise your healthcare provider about any of the best multi vitamins or supplements you plan to take.