Many health problems can be fixed with vitamins and other supplements. Also, research by the government has shown that more than half of American adults take dietary supplements every day. Yet, every year, millions of people take these substances in the wrong amounts, with the wrong things, or as part of a fad diet or treatment.
If you take the wrong supplement, it's not just that you won't get the benefits. In fact, thousands of people get sick or have serious side effects from over-the-counter vitamins and herbs. Ephedra is a dietary supplement that has been used to help people lose weight or get more energy. It has been linked to more than 80 deaths.
Some people have also put themselves at risk of overdosing by taking a mix of herbal and vitamin supplements with doses of nutrients that overlap. For example, too much vitamin A can hurt the liver and nerves, cause bone loss, and cause birth defects. Still, many over-the-counter supplements have more than twice the safe daily amount of vitamin A.
In the same way, taking too much vitamin D can be so dangerous that it makes the body over-absorb calcium, even pulling it from the bones, which can cause a wide range of serious health problems.
Because the supplement industry isn't very well regulated, some vitamins contain lead, which is bad for the body.
Companies like American Health Sciences made supplement lines that work best when taken together and are recommended by doctors all over the country because they are aware of the risks and confusion surrounding supplement use.
For example, the Clinician's Choice line is a family of supplements that are free of toxins and are meant to be taken together to get the purest essential vitamins and minerals right to where the body needs them.
These supplements are made to the highest standards and were made by a team of more than 30 doctors who were thinking about their patients' health and needs.
