In an age of health anxiety, vitamin supplements have never been more popular. According to the 2019 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, 77% of American adults use supplements. But how do they work, and are they worth it?
As your community pharmacy in East Palo Alto, California, Drew Center Pharmacy carries a variety of vitamin supplements from trusted brands. In this article, we would like to weigh in on what our customers should know about what they do to help you make smart choices for your health.
Here are some of the things you must know before buying these medical supplies in California:
- Effectiveness always varies.
Some vitamin supplements can supply the nutrients you lack from your diet. For example, calcium supplements may help prevent bone loss. But they can’t fully replace the foods you must eat to meet your nutritional requirements. - They can interact with your body in serious ways.
Taking too much can damage your organs, especially your kidneys and liver. Some supplements even interact with prescribed medication, reducing their effectiveness or causing side effects. Antioxidants like vitamin C and E reduce the effectiveness of some types of chemotherapy. Vitamin K can prevent drugs like warfarin from working. - If you’re about to have surgery, talk about the supplements you take.
As we’ve mentioned before, they can interact with drugs administered to your body. - They “supplement,” not treat.
Never replace prescription drugs with vitamin supplements. Neither should you use them to diagnose nor mitigate health problems.
To make the most out of supplements, our independent pharmacy in East Palo Alto, California, always recommends that you talk to your trusted healthcare providers. Once you get the go signal to use one for your daily needs, feel free to stop by and choose from our comprehensive catalog of pharmacy-recommended products.
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