A nonpartisan call to action. Subject: Supplements (778 hits)
Category: PoliticsRating: 1.83 on 23 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Forensic the Tullian Zombie (View user info) at 2006-09-01 00:16:03 EDT
5 years ago my father had a bit of a scare. He developed BPH, benign prostatic hyperplasia (basically an enlarged prostate), which is a very common occurrence in aging men. Unfortunately a man's physician can't determine if his patient's enlarged prostate is the result of this benign condition or indicative of malignancy without a biopsy.
Stoically dad endured the indignity of the prostate exams and surgeries (2 of them). The only indication he ever gave me of the whole nastiness of this masculine fact of life was when we were sitting in the Urologist's waiting room. He turned to me and asked me how we women do it, i.e. subject ourselves to the less than pleasant yearly gynological examinations. I shrugged and told him that it was just something that we had to do. I also mentioned that besides having a speculum crammed in our vaggies, we also have to have our breasts mashed in a machine too once we reach a certain age. Dad shook his head and informed me that once this was all over for him, he was in no hurry to repeat the experience. But as I said, fortunately for him, his problem turned out to be benign.
Afterwards he gave me a task, namely to research prevention strategies. Besides keeping up with his regular prostate examinations and becoming vigilant to the warning signs of an enlarging prostate, I told him that there was quite a bit of promising data on the beneficial qualities that Saw Palmetto has for prostate health. I gave him a nice stack of print outs on Saw Palmetto, and told him that I wanted him to review my findings for himself and only then make a decision. He had always been a bit suspicious about what he considered Voodoo medicine, but after reading how even M.D.s were hip on the benefits of Saw Palmetto, he decided to take it as part of his prevention strategy.
The point to this story is that Saw Palmetto is considered an herbal supplement and herbal supplements are in danger of becoming inaccessible by government imposed restrictions. For 5 years now my father has been purchasing a Saw Palmetto herbal supplement and using it in an effort to keep his prostate healthy. I can't say for sure that it's because of the herb, but dad hasn't had a problem since. Then again, he's decided to take more of an interest in a healthier lifestyle overall and keeps his weight within the normal range and engages in daily brisk walks around the neighborhood.
If you are interested, here is a link to a nice article on Saw Palmetto from a peer reviewed journal.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030315/1281.html
If the Hatch/Durbin AER (Adverse Event Reporting) bill is passed, our choice to use herbal and dietary supplements may be taken away from us by restricting the public's access to said supplements by treating adverse associations as causal.
The core of the issue here is correlation vs. causality. One of the first things drilled into the brain of a new graduate student of Psychology is correlation does not always equal causality. If I were to tell you that a town's rate of alcoholism is correlated with the number of preachers in that town (more preachers = more incidence of alcoholism) you would be incredulous, and properly so. As an illustration to beginning graduate students, one professor hands out a correlation graph that indicates towns with an overabundance of preachers also has a higher than average rate of alcoholism. The students snicker but the point is made; correlation does not indicate causality!
With said Hatch/Durbin AER bill, any adverse effect ASSOCIATED with supplement use can be reported as causal without the benefit of a scientific study to determine if the supplement was actually to blame. Phrased like this, you might not think the Hatch/Durbin AER bill is such a bad idea. After all, you wouldn't want to take a dangerous supplement! But let's step back a minute here.
Mr. Jones' doctor tells him he needs to eat more vegetables to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Mr. Jones does not like most vegetables, but out of all the vegetables he likes carrots the best. Mr. Jones begins to eat lots of carrots; snacking on mini carrots during the day, and enjoying a generous helping of cooked carrots with his evening meal. Mr. Jones thinks he's doing what his doctor says is required to maintain health and so he continues happily munching on carrots. A few months later, Mr. Jones suffers a heart attack. Why? He never had heart problems before, nor was there a history of it in his family. Really, Mr. Jones insists, he has done nothing different in his daily routine except he now consumes carrots. Would he be correct in blaming carrots for his heart attack? Or was there some other factor that caused his heart attack? There is no way to determine with any amount of certainty without investigating and examining all variables.
The Hatch/Durbin AER bill though would support Mr. Jones in assigning blame for his heart attack to carrot consumption because the Hatch/Durbin AER bill allows adverse effects ASSOCIATED with the consumption of a product to be reported as causal.
True, this is a simplistic example but it illustrates the flaw in the Hatch/Durbin AER bill as it is written.
Here is another potential problem.
Mr. Jones, upset that he suffered a heart attack, sues companies such as Del Monte as well as the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture for putting such a dangerous product on the shelves and endangering the lives of unsuspecting consumers. News of Mr. Jones' lawsuit spreads and soon other people who also ate carrots and had heart attacks instigate their own lawsuits. Settlements in the millions are demanded by the plaintiffs and soon, overburdened with the cost of litigation, companies go bankrupt and the NASDA is dismantled.
Sound far fetched? Perhaps, but certainly not out of the range of possibility!
The Hatch/Durbin AER bill in its current form would also open supplement companies up to these kinds of frivolous lawsuits because of its parameter of assigning causality without any data supporting said causality. In other words, a company can be ordered to pull a supplement off the shelves because one person reported an adverse effect even though data does not support that particular effect to be indicative of that supplement's use.
Saw Palmetto has a side effect of gastrointestinal upsets in some people. Does this mean taking Saw Palmetto CAUSES upset stomach? The Hatch/Durbin AER bill says you can count on encountering gastrointestinal problems if you take Saw Palmetto. The Hatch/Durbin AER bill will also support a lawsuit stating that plaintiff Mr. Reece vomited BECAUSE OF taking Saw Palmetto. Doesn't matter if the majority of Saw Palmetto consumers never encounter stomach problems, Saw Palmetto can be considered a dangerous product!
Does the Hatch/Durbin AER bill doomsday-esque scenario I describe sound extreme? Perhaps. But ask yourselves, is it possible?
Do you take vitamins? Do you use sports supplements like CLA or protein shakes? Do you use supplements like acidopholous? If you do, your choice to use these supplements is in danger of being taken away from you from the Hatch/Durbin AER bill in its current form.
If you enjoy your choice in using supplements, I urge you to make your voice heard! I am enclosing some links of interest if you wish to explore these issues.
Remember, it is your choice as adults to take or not take dietary supplements. Before you take any supplement, do the responsible thing and research it.
To those of you who take supplements or wish to support our choice in taking supplements, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Now, go forth and be healthy!
http://www.nha2006.com/
http://www.nha2006.com/wu_ad_5-1-06.pdf
http://www.saveoursupplements.org/
http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/478/67h211511318237.html
User Reviews
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2007-01-10 11:08:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-09-02 13:19:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
*couple*
*folks*
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-09-02 13:17:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Forensic, there is a book you may want to read. It is:
"Life Extension, A Practical, Scientific Aproach" by Durk Pearson and
Sandy Shaw. -Warner Books, 1981-
It may sound like a coule of whackos, but the science inside is dead on.
They, too, hold the view that the FDA abuses its power on a regular basis.
The FDA should be advisory rather than regulatory, with a couple of possible
exceptions: If bad food/supplements hit the market, they can force a recall
with VALID proof. Also, they should ensure the constant consistency of the
contents of a supplement.
Another chapter in the book addresses the concept of social scientists who
worry about what will happen if filks start living to 110 years on a
fairly regular basis. . .
Another suggestion is the book Linus Pauling, Nobel Prize winner, wrote
about Vitamin C.
Submitted by Kaelic (user info) at 2006-09-02 02:08:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I actually did read it, and I tried to sign the petitions and mail my representative, but the links weren't working at the time. Dead on, though.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-09-01 20:04:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I feel neglected by you lately.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-09-01 13:08:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Danm you, the FdA needs to aprove supple mints first because teh FDA nevar lest bad tings onto the marletplace!
Tis whole pots is rodiculos.
Ezcuse my tupos. Im dong the best I can with my tiny underdebeloped arms.
Submitted by Adamdidit2u (user info) at 2006-09-01 12:59:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Supplements need to be regulated by the FDA, the current state of things allow the companies to put a product out there with no guarentee of their quality and/or purity. Watch one of those ads on TV for the latest fad diet pill, herbal of course, and read the fine print. It usually states that no scientific eveidence supports their claims.
I am glad you took the time to find an actual peer reviewed journal that supports some scientific findings. Saw Palmetto is one of the rarities when it comes to research.
However, this brings me back to the original point. You could go to the store and buy a Saw palmetto extract. It could be made frm the berries, containing the important sterols and antioxidants, but then again it could be made from processed leaf clippings and roots. Without regulation, who is to say what you're getting? What about chemicals? Who ensures that your current saw palmetto supplement isn't contaiminated by bio-accummalitive persistant organic pollutants. Currently there is regulation on what kinds of pesticides can be used on food crops, but not on what is also a popular southern landscape plant.
To allow companies to advertise their product wholesale with only a SCIENTIFICALLY UNCONFIRMED benefit, and allow them to omit any possible side effects is stupid. period.
With that said I also feel like the FDA is fucking over the american public by allowing the drug companies to advertise their product on TV. If you need cholesterol medication, your doctor should reccomend it, not vice versa. If you don't trust your doctor's competence to do so, you NEED ANOTHER FUCKING DOCTOR.
Ehhh
Thats it I think.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-09-01 12:54:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
seriously
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2006-09-01 12:43:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2006-09-01 12:07:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fucking ridiculous.
Submitted by Ejryuu (user info) at 2006-09-01 10:19:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Is there a side-effect on birth control pills? Because I've been taking them for years and my moobs are getting bigger.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2006-09-01 08:35:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by UnderOathMeal (user info) at 2006-09-01 08:33:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
~OathMeal Approved Post~
Submitted by UnderOathMeal (user info) at 2006-09-01 08:32:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm on an ECA stack (Ephedrine, Caffeine and Aspirin) with Creatine Monohydrate for building mass.
I'm not aware of any insidious side effect of any of this, but I'll be *sure* to do further research. Thanks for this post.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2006-09-01 08:25:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I never saw Palmetto, but I've heard mixed reviews.
I think people should be allowed to put whatever they want into their own bodies, be it nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, or saw palmetto. They should be liabble for any consequences arising out of said indulgences, but I don't see a need to place limits on what people can and can't do to themselves.
Submitted by darko (user info) at 2006-09-01 08:01:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Does it have something to do with Dutch Ovens?
Submitted by FWFIV (user info) at 2006-09-01 07:44:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
tilting at windmills are we
Submitted by rockdocc (user info) at 2006-09-01 03:00:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I take Leukic and NitroTech, both from muscletech, one of the biggest supplement companies out there. Now, the only side effects I've ever had from these products is the G.I problems (usually whenever I take a nitrous oxide supplement or something of the like) but that's about it. I think the benefits of a stronger body, healthier circ. system, and the mental benefits (most people who are fit usually have pretty good attitudes, it's the thought of being at the top of your game physically is what does it) far outweigh the risks. Now, I know that an overuse of any supplement (or medication) for that matter can cause the taker to have liver problems. No worries, they make a supplement that helps to clean the liver. Milk Thistle, I think, and to help clean out the system there's always Niacin.
My point is, there are going to be side effects to using any sort of supplement whether created in a lab, or grown by crazy hermit germans, but these risks are, in my opinion, less important than the benefit.
The human body is a piece of art. If we wanted to, I believe any of us could achieve the "greek statue" physique, or have a healthier heart, or anything for our bodies we truly wanted; but we can't always do that on our own, it takes outside help, and that's where the supplements come in.
and speaking from a medical standpoint; the ingestion of extra protein is going to require an increase in the consumption of water. This also includes creatine and nearly any other bodybuilding/weight loss supplement. For anything herbal, check with your doctor about any sort of medications you're on already, sometimes these things can actually interact with prescriptions, sometimes having disasterous results.
be careful, but don't let them take our supplements away. Granted, one might think that people don't "need" them. but think about this for a moment; what was the first medication? An herb. Where does aspirin come from? The bark of a tree. The list goes on and on. Personally, I think this is an attack on herbal supplements by major drug companies. These guys don't want us healthy, because if we're healthy, we don't need their synthesized medicine.
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2006-09-01 02:39:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Pharmaceutical corporations that contribute to the campaigns of such men are to blame for the continued regulation and squelching of herbal supplements and stricter laws against alternative medicines.
It's IMPORTANT that each one of us go and THOROUGHLY STUDY the voting records of the people we will end up putting into office this November (that is assuming we still have a choice in the matter).
Don't be stupid. Inform yourself and go VOTE this year. This might be perhaps one of the most important times to do so. Don't vote for someone just because they're talking about pulling out of iraq and you don't like the war. Make sure the rest of their record stands up to scrutiny. If it doesn't, dont award them with your vote.
There are plenty of third party candidates that deserve to be representatives above those that have, for reasons having nothing to do with the will of the American people, blown their chance to be a fit representative.
That said, Forensic, I'll take a look at this. Thanks for bringing it up. Important issue.
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2006-09-01 02:28:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I took a supplement..
wait for it..
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hi..
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!
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!!
!!
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!!
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!!
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\/
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in teh pooper.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-09-01 01:19:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
My gurls wicked smahhht....
Submitted by DonovanMD (user info) at 2006-09-01 00:43:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You bring way to much intelligence to this website.
Submitted by Sepsis (user info) at 2006-09-01 00:37:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
didn't read any of it
but looked at the picture
and i loved the picture