The first step for anyone who feels they need to improve their diet with supplements should be to consult a medical professional, said Melinda Valliant, a registered dietitian and interim dean of the School of Applied Sciences<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Invest the money to see a registered dietitian <\/strong>who’s going to complete a thorough assessment of your diet, lifestyle, health status, and your prescription and over-the-counter medications,” she said. “Be a skeptical consumer. Do your research and don’t just listen to the marketing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0Nearly three-quarters of Americans take some form of dietary supplement<\/a>, whether that be a traditional vitamin<\/strong>, pre- or post-workout supplements or even loaded teas<\/strong>. Without proper guidance, however, these “healthy habits” could have negative consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supplements are federally considered foods\u2014not drugs\u2014so unlike prescription drugs, supplements are not strictly regulated by the FDA<\/a>, which can lead to inconsistencies in quality and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “People say, ‘Well it’s just a plant,’ or ‘It’s just an herb,'” Valliant said. “But what do you think most drugs are? Plants. Herbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “That’s important to think about for anybody, but particularly someone with a health concern or who is on prescription medication, because they might interfere with each other. Some supplements can interfere with prescription medication.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n St. John’s wort\u2014which has long been believed to aid with <\/a>depression<\/a><\/strong>\u2014reacts so negatively with some antidepressants that it can cause a life-threatening amount of serotonin<\/a> to enter one’s system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If you’re thinking about investing money in a supplement, the $75 or $100 you would see to pay to see a registered dietitian would be worth it,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After consulting with a professional, Valliant advises to be a “smart consumer,” which means reading the labels of the products and, especially, looking for products that have been reviewed by a third party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “When we’re looking at whether a company chooses to do third-party testing, they are essentially investing in someone to come in and certify the ingredients and also their manufacturing practices,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A third-party reviewer ensures that a company’s product is not contaminated by other substances and that it includes what the label says it contains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/SC_0097-AL.jpg?resize=640%2C960\")
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