Supplement Fads and Your Health
Not all is as it seems. Be wary of taking high doses of any single ingredient dietary supplement no matter what influencers tout on social media.
Previously, I wrote a warning post about the dangers of taking high doses of the plant-derived chemical compound berberine:
Touted as “nature’s ozempic” or “nature’s metformin” in popular social media videos—sales have recently skyrocketed for this dietary supplement ingredient.
Sidebar: Metformin is a gift from nature in any case! It was discovered following research on the blood-glucose-lowering effects of the plant Galega officinalis (aka goat’s rue or French lilac) and the plant-derived compound galegine. Metformin, used today for treating Type 2 Diabetes and gestational diabetes, is a synthetic derivative of galegine.
The berberine fad is about so much more than berberine, though. It is evidence of just how much influence social media (and influencers paid for their adverts) can have on the health decisions made every day by millions of Americans.
Many view herbs or herbal ingredients as ‘safer’ or ‘low-potency’ medicines. But, this is not always the case—and especially not in situations where it is not the whole herb you are taking (as one would in a glass of herbal tea) but rather a super-concentrated form of a single chemical compound that would normally be found in a plant in only very tiny amounts.
Kate Knibbs, a senior writer at WIRED, interviewed a number of experts about this disturbing social media trend, including myself:
Quave is wary of the easy availability of single-ingredient supplements like berberine, which are sold in powerful compound form with few warnings about potential side effects, and without the same regulatory scrutiny as over-the-counter or prescription medications. She finds the fad for casually taking berberine to lose weight troubling for several reasons. “Berberine is a natural antibiotic, so it interferes with the growth of different bacteria in the intestines,” she says. “This is not something you’re supposed to take on on a long-term basis, because you are changing the dynamics of your gut microflora.” Plus, berberine is known to interfere with enzymes in the body that break down other drugs, so it can cause dangerous interactions.
Kate did a great job on this piece. You can read it in full at WIRED.
If you’re looking for more resources on how to determine which supplements may be safe (or not) for you—take a look at this post I published in June:
The Takeaway
Your health is important! As a general rule, I strongly suggest avoiding social media as a source of any health information unless the source is a vetted scientist or physician who backs up their statements with peer-reviewed scientific medical evidence. Even when shared with the best intentions, social media content on diet and health is often inaccurate—and in some cases—harmful.
Check out the vetted resources I’ve provided in the supplement roundup post for reliable, science-based information.
Yours in health, Dr. Quave
Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.
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