A nutrition expert, Olusola Malomo has urged Nigerians to exercise caution with the way they take nutritional supplements.
Malomo, who is an Assistant Chief Dietician at Ajeromi General Hospital, Lagos, warned that improper intake of supplements could cause health complications. Nutritional supplements are products used to improve the diet and often contain vitamins, minerals, herbs or amino acids.
Malomo, who was also a former Council Member of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria noted that while supplements do not necessarily need a prescription from a physician and are readily available, they should be taken with caution because many of them contain active ingredients that have a strong biological effect on the body.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, Malomo said, “Supplements are not considered medicines. They do not give a cure to any illness or disease.
“However, are there any risks in taking supplements? Yes, there are risks. Many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects on the body. This could make them unsafe in some situations and hurt or complicate your health.
“In comparison to prescription medication, supplements do not necessarily need a prescription from a doctor. They are readily available on the market and can be purchased without a prescription.
“Supplements are not considered medicines. They do not give a cure to any illness or disease. They are just taken to supplement or reinforce the need for nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
“However, it must also be noted that their interactions with other drugs can contribute to adverse effects, such as an increased risk of toxicities and ineffective therapy”.
Malomo also flayed the way supplements are promoted, noting that many consumers purchase them because of the advertisements and even depend on them for chronic conditions like cancer and diabetes.
“Many patients with conditions like cancer, diabetes, etc, and many other consumers elect to use various nutritional supplements marketed for immune health and support because of advertisements, network marketing, and promotion.
“Yet, unlike drugs, supplements are not permitted to be marketed to the public for the purpose of treating, diagnosing, preventing, or curing diseases.
“That means supplements should not make disease claims, such as ‘lowers high blood pressure’ or ‘treats cancer’.
“Claims like these cannot be legitimately made for dietary supplements. Just as the name implies it is a supplement that works by supplementing and not solving a problem.
“Ideally all supplements should be taken with caution and sometimes with prescriptions,” he said.
Malomo also stressed that Nigeria should be more careful with the way they take medications including supplements, noting that self-medication can lead to drug abuse and also worsen the condition a patient is trying to treat.
“Avoid self-medication because the body is like an iceberg. There is more to what you see at the surface in any medical condition or disease. It is important to carry out a medical assessment before you can decide on the line of medication to use,” he said.
source: HealthWise
