Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines

Book excerpt: Learn the benefits—and hazards—of certain dietary supplements The term “dietary supplement” can include vitamins, minerals, herbal, and botanical products. Consumers freely use supplements for the promoted claims of benefits, but often without consideration of the potential risks. The Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines is a critical, balanced look at the different classes of supplement products and whether many claims of benefits are true or simply product hype. Respected supplement authority Dr. W. Marvin Davis exposes what is truth, what is fiction, and what is not known for many supplements you may be taking. If you take dietary supplements—or even think about taking them—this book clears the mystery behind the product claims. The term “dietary supplement” can include vitamins, minerals, herbal, and botanical products. Consumers freely use supplements for the promoted claims of benefits, but often without consideration of the potential risks. The Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines is a critical, balanced look at the different classes of supplement products and whether many claims of benefits are true or simply product hype. This book, by respected supplement authority Dr. W. Marvin Davis, exposes what is truth, what is fiction, and what is not known for many supplements you may be taking. If you take dietary supplements—or even think about taking them—this book clears the mystery behind the product claims. The Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines brings you the benefit of Dr. Davis's extensive knowledge about physicians, the pharmaceutical industry, and research in pharmacology and toxicology in order to shatter misconceptions about supplements and the supplement industry. The book's no-nonsense discussion about this much-hyped industry is even-handed and straightforward, and provides clear-headed advice every consumer of supplements needs. The guide explores various supplements' interactions with prescription drugs, the placebo effect as a factor for beneficial claims, historical instances of supplements that have proved hazardous to consumers, and receiving directions for supplement use from an unconventional medical/healthcare practitioner. It clearly explains the potentials of supplements through the use of illustrative clinical case studies from medical literature in simplified, easy to understand language. This extensive source is comprehensively referenced and includes tables of supplements with their possible benefits and hazards. The Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines exposes the truth about: therapeutic fundamentals of supplements why there is strong resistance to supplements as unconventional remedies by physicians the pharmaceutical industry’s perspective on supplements six major myths about dietary supplements liver “support” remedies soy formulations cancer “cures” the “fountain of youth” actions of hormonal and antioxidant products vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes new biochemicals—such as alpha-lipoic acid and choline derivatives carotenoids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids aloe vera the unappreciated pharmacology of ascorbate historical instances in which consumers have avoided catastrophe the future of the supplement field much, much more! The Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines may be the best available resource of important information for every concerned, health-conscious consumer considering dietary supplements of any kind.