Mixing Medications and Supplements? Why You Might Need A Review

Nowadays, supplements are readily available. If you're feeling under the weather, you can grab some zinc and vitamin C from the pharmacy. If you're stressed, you can grab a stress formulation right off the supermarket shelves. Anyone with the money to buy can get their hands on supplements claiming to burn fat, boost energy, relieve pain, improve skin hair and nail quality; the options are endless.

But supplements are based on natural nutrients, and therefore they are harmless when you take them with your medications in the morning, right? This is where it gets a bit more complicated.

See, the nutrients in a supplement can affects biological pathways in your body, just like a medication can. So although you might be adding in a supplement because you saw it on sale, or because a friend sold it to you as the latest in weight loss trends, mixing medications and supplements unsupervised can be detrimental, or even deadly.

Furthermore, many people don't inform their doctor about supplements they are taking, especially if they are just over the counter supplements, and many doctors don't think to ask. Because of this, there are thousands of Australians out there risking their health without even realizing it.

If a person takes one or more supplements at the same time as a medication, there are a couple of potential outcomes:

1) The two have no interaction with each other - Or the interaction is indirect, such as a nutrient simply replenishing what the medication depletes. This person got lucky - this happens far less often than you might think.

2) It has a directly detrimental effect - Often this is a case where the supplement inhibits absorption of the medication, so it does not work as well.

3) It has a potentially beneficial effect that becomes detrimental - A common example is supplements that lower blood sugar levels in combination with diabetic medication. In this case, if the client was working with their GP and nutritionist, they would be able to safely lower their dose of medication, but if not supervised, it could lead to a potentially deadly hypoglycaemic episode.

So what can you do to protect your health? There are two easy steps to rectify the situation.

1) Consult a qualified nutritionist in regards to a medication and supplement review.

Many nutritionists will offer this as part of a standard service, but it can be pricey. The good news is, Sage Therapies now has an affordable option for reviewing potential medication and supplement interactions. After a short consultation to establish what you are taking, what dosages and how frequently, I will compile a report on all of the potential detrimental and beneficial effects to be aware of, as well as educating you on your best supplement options. Suggested schedules of supplement regimes are also available upon request. Book in for your appointment today.

Not in Melbourne? Reviews will be available via Skype shortly. Sign up for the Sage Therapies newsletter, and you'll be the first to know!

2) Inform your GP of any supplements you are taking - even if it's only occasional.

This allows the GP to have a record of your supplements, so that they can be aware of any information to give you with new medications. In the case of beneficial interactions, it can also allow your doctor to adjust your dose down as needed.

Do you know someone who might need their medication and supplement regime straightened out? Share this article with them!