The Truth Behind Food Supplements

"You'll have a fairer skin."

"Lose weight in 7 days!"

"Increase your height!"

"Have a good memory!"

These are just some statements that food supplements promise to the consumers...

Food supplements nowadays have been regarded as naturally-derived medicines that can cure all diseases in a snap. Just take a look at how these advertisements present their products. Some are very deceiving and too good to be true. Some even claim that their products are "safe" and possess no side effects. Pharmaceutical companies are gaining a lot as more and more people patronize their "safe and natural" products.

Sadly, people have a wrong notion of such products. The claim that food/nutritional supplements can cure certain diseases is misleading. Food supplement, as its name implies, is an addition to our diet to make up for a deficiency. It is no secret that these products are of nutritional importance. Most of them contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities. 

However, it should be clear for people that these are not medicines and should not be regarded as such. Although for some, taking food supplements might have promising effects, it is not enough to rely on them in treating certain kinds of diseases. Actually, most of the food supplements are from various research on herbal plants. Some of them might have remarkable results when tested on animals. However, human clinical trials have not been well-established that's why they are marketed as dietary supplement. Unless approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food supplements cannot be labeled and sold as medicines.

It is mandatory for these products to put "No approved therapeutic claims" in their labels. But unfortunately, because of deceiving advertisements, this statement has always been set aside.

Please don't get me wrong, I have nothing against food supplements. In fact, I am doing a pharmacological research on a particular plant. I still believe in their ability to help prevent certain diseases. But my concern is the people who go gaga over them. Choosing them over "expensive" medicines to treat a certain disease isn't cost-effective. It is still best to seek medical advice to provide you with an appropriate treatment plan.