Are Dietary Supplements Necessary - Research Paper Example

Are dietary supplements necessary? Executive summary The purpose of this report is to enhance the understanding ofthe benefits of using dietary supplements and the risks involved in the same process. It will review contemporary science on the efficacy and safety of using dietary supplements. The study will give recommendations to the public concerning health issues related to these supplements. Lack of understanding of the contemporary science literature has limited research on the benefits and effects of dietary supplements. In the USA, dietary supplements are substances that people drink or eat. They can come in a number of forms ranging from vitamins, herbs, minerals, or other plants and herbs. Amino acids, which are the individual building blocks of proteins, are part of these substances. The supplements can come in form of pills, tablets, capsule, or liquid form. They add to the usual daily diet and must not be considered for food. They are widely available and some people take them for healthy purposes or because of health related complications. Minerals and vitamins are the common supplements. They include vitamin C or multivitamin, herbs and plants and natural source substances like omega-3 fatty acids. The supplements, according to the processors, contribute to well-being and health maintenance, but may treat, diagnose, or prevent infections or disease. Many people have used the ingredients for many years to treat illness and help health. At times some of these supplements are a basis for common medicines today. For instance, willow bark tea, for centuries, has been a fever control mechanism. Phamceutical firms eventually realised that it contained a chemical that helps in fevr reduction and used the knowledge to come up with aspirin (HOLLENSTEIN, 2007). Method The researcher used random questionnaires to collect information from people around his locality. The questionnaire had questions related to the necessity of using dietary supplements. Some of the questionnaires were online while the researcher distributed others manually to collect information locally and internationally. The method used was survey questioning where information from online questionnaires was compiled and related with that of the other respondents. Results / findings They do provide a nutritional support to the body of a human being and help in meeting optimal nutrient levels to ensure health from the baseline. 35% of the respondents believe that dietary supplements are good for consumption, 4% think that some of them prevent influenza, 2% take them for boosting their immune, 10% support its consumption because they feel like one can use the supplements to boost or enhance energy, and 8% of the respondents failed to give any response. The rest of the respondents were 25%. These ones had no stand. Some studies found that supplements should be considered in the same manner as drugs or rather conventional drugs. According to the 2003 RAND report, some deaths were recorded after victims used Ephedra products (WATSON, et al. 2009, p 57). In a study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reported that 106,000 people succumbed to death and above 2 million hospitalized from a number of reactions from dietary supplements. In 2002, the poison control Centre showed that the number of adverse results of pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements was way beyond 300,000, which is 27% of the sum of all cases that were reported. In this final analysis, taking of dietary supplements has benefits that are significant and some risks too. However, its benefits supersede the risks making it necessary for use by human beings in maintaining good health. US sales of Supplements 2002 Sales in billions Herbs $4.3 Vitamins $6.2 Speciality/other $2.4 Supplements of meals $2.6 Nutrition of Sports $1.8 Source: National Nutritional Foods Association Source: National Nutritional Foods Association According to the pie chart above, 52 % of Americans believe that the use of supplements is good for the well being and health of people, while 14% do not know and others are both 17% and 17% respectively. Discussion There are various examples of dietary supplements and their health implications. According to the CDC- centre for Disease Control and prevention, when a woman takes folic acid before pregnancy, greatly puts the kid at risk of having a neural tube defect of birth like the spina bifida. High intake s of calcium, preferably with vitamin D supplement, boron, and magnesium slow down bone loss rate and protect people from fractures of the bones. Studies reveal that people who ingest vitamin C and vitamin E regularly get protection against conditions and diseases that come as a result of oxidative damage. Research has been carried out to determine efficacy of these supplements but more needs to be done to answer all the questions fully. This report presents some of the issues that arose and analyze the necessity of using of supplements (MASON, 2001, p. 49). Conclusions Dietary supplements are necessary and are safe for human consumption. Research has it that over 100 million people in America purchase and consume supplements without a number of events that re adverse making the benefit/risk profile very favorable. The ingredients are critical to functioning of every human being and are proven to make a provision for important benefits like folic acid reduces the risk of a neural tube baby (birth defect), calcium intakes (high) slow the rate of loss of bones and protect people against simple fractures, and vitamin C and E supplements on a regular basis protect against the disease of the heart, cataracts and cancer. All this show that dietary supplement are necessary in our daily life. The cost of supplements enable many people to have access to them in that everyone is able to keep good health because of their inexpensive nature (FUGH-BERMAN, 2003, p. 52). Recommendations All countries and health organizations should ensure that supplements are in enough supply and are affordable to many people in order to enhance good health among people. More so, further research should be done to try and establish any negative impacts that given supplements might have on the users so that they contain it early enough. If possible, all government hospitals should have enough supplements to supply to their patients at a cheaper price in that their affordability is not an issue of contention. Lastly, individuals should be sure of the source of supplements they choose to use in order to avoid cases of adverse side effects and diseases that might lead to death and other complications. List of references FUGH-BERMAN, A. (2003). The 5-minute herb and dietary supplement consult. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. WATSON RT, HUNT WG, OAKS JL, PARISH CN, BURNHAM KK, TUCKER RL, BELTHOFF JR, & HART G. (2009). Lead, bullet fragments, in venison from rifle killed deer: potential for human dietary exposure. PloS One. 4. HOLLENSTEIN, J. (2007). Understanding dietary supplements. Jackson, University Press of Mississippi. http://public.eblib.com/EBLPublic/PublicView.do?ptiID=515607. MASON, P. (2001). Dietary supplements. London, Pharmaceutical Press. NATIONAL NUTRITIONAL FOODS ASSOCIATION (U.S.). (1900). Health foods retailing. New York, N.Y., Syndicate Magazines, Inc., etc.] Appendices US sales of Supplements 2002 Sales in billions Herbs $4.3 Vitamins $6.2 Specialty/other $2.4 Supplements of meals $2.6 Nutrition of Sports $1.8 Source: National Nutritional Foods Association Source: National Nutritional Foods Association Read More