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The East Central Florida Memory Clinic Newsletter Fountain of Youth? Or Health Risk? At the East Central Memory Disorder Clinic we see many people on a variety of medications. These often include over the counter medication, vitamins, herbs, as well as prescribed medication. Many of these so called “natural” supplements are often marketed towards the aging population in an effort to mislead them into believing it will restore health, improve thinking and memory, and prolong life. Unfortunately, there is no single pill which can reverse the aging process. A balanced diet along with exercise can, however, promote good health and often times improve the quality of life and functioning.
We have seen the explosion of “natural medicines” as a result of a loophole
in the Food and Drug Administration safeguards on drugs.
The purpose of the FDA is to protect the public from dangers
related to foods, food additives, drugs, and medical devices.
By not regulating these “natural medicines” called food supplements
they could create toxic interactions and dangerous side effects.
The problem is people are misled into believing that “natural”
means safe and good for them.
We all know that snake venom is also natural, but definitely
not safe. In addition,
these food supplements are not subject to the rigorous tests and standards
that a prescribed drug goes through before being approved for the public.
Moreover, many of these food supplements do not indicate on their
label or provide package insert information such as:
indications and usage, contraindications, warnings/precautions,
what action it could have on the body, and possible side effects. Some popular food supplements on the market today include: Ginko-Biloba, Kava, Saw-Palmetto, Echinacea, St. John’s Wart, and Ginseng. One example of how dangerous these “natural supplements” can be is that studies show that Ginko-Biloba, marketed to prevent dementia and improve memory, can cause an anti-platelet effect. This means that the blood takes longer to clot and therefore could cause cerebral bleeding or a stroke.
If you are considering taking a “natural supplement” or herb, please
contact your primary care physician before doing so.
When visiting your doctor you should expect to receive patient
information on medication. If
your physician neglects to inform you about these or any other medications
make sure you ask the following questions:
a description of your diagnosis, the name of the medication,
how it should help, when will it start helping, probable side effects,
how to take it and why, safety information such as interactions, avoid
certain foods, avoid sudden discontinuation and escalation, alternatives
to the drug, how to reach the doctor if there is a problem, off label
usage, and comparison to generic drugs.
Always remember to check with your primary care physician before starting
on any kind of medication and remember that “natural” does not mean
safe. By: Thomas A. Sugden, M.S. East Central Florida Memory Clinic |
