Many people wonder which supplement is worth taking for a given problem. Far less often, however, comes the more important question -
Which supplements should I not take given my disease or symptoms?
This is a huge mistake!
Supplements do not act in a vacuum. They affect hormones, neurotransmitters, the immune system, blood clotting, gastrointestinal function, and many other physiological processes. This means that in certain situations they may not only fail to help, but can actually cause harm. For example -
- Curcumin is not a good idea in iron-deficiency anemia. It can limit the availability and absorption of iron from the gastrointestinal tract, making it harder to correct deficiencies. It works by reducing HCl secretion into gastric juice, which reduces the conversion of non-heme iron to heme iron and thereby reduces its absorption into the blood.
- Some types of fiber (e.g. inulin or FOS) can worsen symptoms in a large proportion of people with IBS by increasing intestinal fermentation.
- Supplements that increase blood clotting, such as Ginkgo biloba, Garlic, or Panax ginseng, should not be used during active bleeding, a tendency toward thrombosis, or diseases involving blood loss, such as ulcerative colitis.
- Calming and sleep-promoting supplements such as Passionflower or Gotu kola can deepen the problem in people suffering from chronic fatigue or unexplained sleepiness.
- Valerian used in people with cardiac disorders can cause dangerous arrhythmias.
- Ashwagandha in many predisposed individuals can cause anhedonia and a sense of emotional emptiness, even after a short period of use.
- Potassium iodide even at daily doses (150 mcg) can cause thyroid disorders (toward hypothyroidism) in a substantial part of the population!
- Melatonin is not a good choice for every mood and sleep problem. In some people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), it can intensify sleepiness and daytime energy loss, causing depressive states.
- Chasteberry and large amounts of phytoestrogens are not supplements that the average man should take without reflection, especially when hormonal disorders are already present.
Many supplements also lack sufficient safety data for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as for people preparing for parenthood. This applies to both women and men.
But there is another problem...
A supplement can mask symptoms of disease
Symptoms do not appear without reason. They are often a warning signal sent by the body.
If we do not know the cause of the problem, suppressing symptoms can delay the correct diagnosis.
For example - someone suffers from chronic back pain. They start using Boswellia, Devil's claw, and other anti-inflammatory and analgesic substances. The pain subsides, so the problem seems solved.
Except that the pain was only a symptom.
Its cause may have been ordinary overload changes, but just as well inflammatory joint disease, advanced discopathy, infection, or even a neoplastic process.
Masking symptoms does not remove the cause, and supplementation (or symptomatic treatment) without a proper diagnosis is a path to a health dead end!
The same applies to many other situations -
- chronic fatigue,
- sleep disorders,
- digestive problems,
- headaches,
- loss of libido,
- concentration problems.
Not every problem requires a supplement or medication right away. Very often it requires proper diagnostics.
Therefore, before you start looking for a remedy for symptoms, make sure you know where those symptoms come from. Well-chosen supplementation can support health. Poorly chosen supplementation can worsen the course of a disease or cause you to miss the moment when you should see a doctor and have tests done.
At NutriLogic, we take supplement contraindications into account in more than 800 disease states, prioritizing safety above all.
~ NutriLogic Science Team