(Newswire.net — February 4, 2022) — There are seemingly millions of health and wellness supplements on the market, with all of them promising amazing results. Some promise a relatively small effect, such as slightly reducing your risk of heart disease over the course of decades, while others are more aggressive in their promises, claiming to help you lose 30 pounds or increase your chances of beating cancer.
With so much snake oil on the market and such complexity in the health and wellness industry, how can you tell if a supplement is effective?
The Trouble With Determining Effectiveness
This should be a relatively easy question to answer, at least on the surface. However, it’s usually not as simple as determining whether a supplement is effective or not effective. Supplements can occupy a grey area where they are somewhat effective some of the time – or they may be effective for purposes totally different than what they are claimed to be useful for.
There are several things to keep in mind here:
- Specific claims vs. general purpose. Supplements may or may not effective for specific claims related to those supplements. For example, it’s true that vitamin C is required by your immune system to function in a healthy way. It’s also true that vitamin C deficiencies can be corrected with vitamin C supplementation. However, it may not be true that excessive vitamin C supplementation has a profound effect on warding off illnesses.
- Individual differences. Different people respond to different supplements in different ways. We all have a unique body chemistry and a unique medical history that can impact how a supplement affects our bodies. Just because a supplement works for someone doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. In fact, a supplement that’s totally safe for someone else could be dangerous for you to consume.
- Regulations. Regulations also make things tricky. In the United States, the FDA has some authority to mandate how supplements are sold and how they are marketed. However, supplement ingredients and quality aren’t always observed or measured. Also, there are some unsafe products on the market and some totally safe products that are classified as scheduled substances – so governmental approval isn’t always an indication of supplement effectiveness or safety.
- Limited evidence. If there’s one small study that shows the supplement could be effective, is that enough to convince you that the supplement works? Most scientists and researchers want to see many large-scale studies before they deem a supplement safe or effective, but this can be very expensive and time consuming, meaning the data isn’t always available.
Step One: Research the Company
If you want to determine whether a supplement is effective, the first step you should take is researching the company. Companies like quicksilver Scientific have an excellent reputation because they prioritize supplement quality and they try to avoid selling products with limited or no measurable effectiveness. Look for consumer reviews, plant inspections, third-party quality assessments, and other indications that the company takes pride in its work.
Step Two: Research the Product
You’ll also want to research the individual product you’re considering.
- Specific claims. Make sure to evaluate the specific claims that your supplements are making and watch out for generic claims like “boosting health.” What, exactly, is this supplement supposed to do?
- Ingredients. How is this supplement created? What are the ingredients that are included in this supplement and how do those ingredients affect your body?
- Dosages and recommendations. How much of this supplement are you supposed to take and how long are you supposed to take it? Are there varying recommendations to review?
- Previous studies. What scientific studies have been done on this supplement or the ingredients in it? What have these studies found? Do scientists believe there is a solid body of evidence or is this something that requires more research?
Step Three: Talk to Your Doctor
Next, talk to your doctor. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking any new supplement or medication. If you do, you’ll get your doctor’s professional opinion on whether this supplement is effective. You’ll also learn whether there are any personal risks you face if you start taking this supplement.
Step Four: Try It Yourself
If your doctor gives you the go-ahead and you feel confident about the effectiveness of this supplement, consider starting to take it yourself. Once you start taking the supplement, measure key variables (like how much weight you lose or how you feel every day) to come up with an objective analysis of whether the supplement is working. You might be surprised at what you find.
Unfortunately, not all supplements do what they claim to do. But with a skeptical mindset and the right research strategies on your side, you’ll be in a much better position to sniff out the frauds and focus on the supplements that work.