Article: Supplement use doesn't help and may harm, study finds

[Guest guest]

By Rob Stein

The Washington Post

 

Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease and

slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to actually

increase the risk of dying, according to the most comprehensive study

of whether popular " antioxidants " help users live longer.

 

The analysis, which pooled data from 68 studies involving more than

232,000 people, found no evidence that taking beta-carotene, Vitamin

A or Vitamin E extends life span. In fact, the analysis indicated

that the supplements increase the likelihood of dying by about 5

percent. Vitamin C and selenium appeared to have no impact — either

way — on longevity.

 

The study does not address the question of multivitamins.

 

Based on the findings, published in today's issue of the Journal of

the American Medical Association (JAMA), the researchers warned that

consumers should be cautious about taking supplements containing the

nutrients. At least 150 million Americans regularly take dietary

supplements that often include antioxidants.

 

" The message is: We shouldn't be putting anything in our mouths until

we know whether it works, " said Christian Gluud of the Copenhagen

University Hospital in Denmark, who led the study. " It appears as if

these substances may be harmful. "

 

Representatives of the vitamin industry, as well as some other

researchers, disputed the findings, criticizing the study for, among

other things, including people who were already sick. People tend to

take vitamins to stay healthy, they said.

 

" There's a large body of data that shows that antioxidant

supplementation is beneficial, " said Andrew Shao of the Council for

Responsible Nutrition, an industry group. " The message to the average

consumer is: Don't pay attention to this. This doesn't apply to you.

You can go ahead and continue taking your antioxidant supplements in

addition to the other things you do in your life to stay healthy. "

 

But Gluud and his colleagues defended the findings, saying that the

study used careful methods developed by the Cochrane Collaboration,

an independent nonprofit effort to methodically assess medical claims.

 

The analysis included many large studies involving healthy people,

and the increased risk was clear after accounting for factors that

could confuse the findings, Gluud said.

 

Other researchers, while noting that supplements are useful for

people who have nutritional deficiencies, said the findings should

prompt people to reconsider whether to continue taking megadoses in

an effort to live longer.

 

" This study shows that these products do not prolong life and may

actually shorten it, " said Paul Coates, who directs the Office of

Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). " If

you are taking antioxidant supplements, it would be a good idea to

review the results of this study, reflect on why you are taking them

and what you hope to gain. "

 

The findings do not necessarily apply to antioxidants found naturally

in fruits, vegetables and other foods, Gluud and other researchers

stressed.

 

But the findings are consistent with evidence suggesting that some

nutrients may be harmful at high doses or could interfere with the

body's natural defenses, the researchers said.

 

" By taking these supplements, you might be impeding your immune

system's ability to fight off disease or risk factors for chronic

disease, " said Edgar Miller III of Johns Hopkins University, who in

2004 reported similar findings about Vitamin E. " People are taking

these supplements with the presumption that they will live longer or

better. This shows they are not living longer and in fact may be at

higher risk of dying. "

 

Other researchers were cautious about concluding that the substances

were dangerous but said the study added to the now large body of

evidence indicating that the hoped-for health benefits have not

materialized.

 

" They probably won't kill you, but they're not going to do any good

for you if what you want is to live longer, " said Donald Berry, a

professor of biostatistics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson

Cancer Center in Houston.

 

Antioxidant supplements became a multibillion-dollar business after

studies indicated that the substances may promote health by mopping

up damaging " free radicals, " which are natural byproducts of cellular

processes.

 

But a series of studies testing the benefits of taking antioxidants

and other nutritional supplements has been disappointing. Another

study released Monday found that consuming garlic does not lower

cholesterol. And several studies have even been alarming, indicating,

for example, that beta-carotene increased rather than decreased the

risk of lung cancer among smokers, and that Vitamin E appeared to

boost the overall risk of death.

 

Gluud and his colleagues combed the scientific literature for every

study about antioxidants published since 1990 and found 68 involving

232,606 people.

 

Among those, the researchers identified 47 trials involving 180,938

subjects that they classified as " low-bias " because they did the best

job of eliminating factors that might produce faulty results.

 

Subjects in those 47 studies were randomly assigned to get real

vitamins or placebos.

 

When they analyzed that data, the researchers found that those taking

any antioxidant were 5 percent more likely to die than those who were

not.

 

With Vitamin E, the risk rose 4 percent; with beta-carotene, 7

percent; and with Vitamin A, 16 percent. The actual causes of death

in most studies were unknown, however.

 

Even though the possible increased risk was relatively small,

the " public health consequences may be substantial " because of the

large number of people taking the substances, the researchers said.

 

Vitamin C and selenium did not appear to have any effect on the risk

of dying. But Gluud said that " the verdict is still out on those two. "

 

Efforts are still under way to assess the value of taking individual

antioxidants for specific purposes, including a large federal study

that is testing whether Vitamin E and selenium reduce prostate-cancer

risk.

 

Material from The Associated Press and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

is included in this report.

[Guest guest]

These studies all looked at isolated nutrients. Study upon study have

shown that the isolated nutrients don't work. The nutrients in our

fruits and vegetables (and other whole foods) are present in perfect

balance with each other, and work together as a package deal.

Epidemiological studies have also shown repeatedly that a high intake of

antioxidants in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables (not from pills)

result in lower rates of disease and overall improved health. We

cannot rely on manufactured substitutes for real food to maintain our

health, nor can we compensate for a poor diet by popping pills.

 

Sue

Raw food dietitian

 

 

>

>

> Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease and

> slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to actually

> increase the risk of dying, according to the most comprehensive study

> of whether popular " antioxidants " help users live longer.

>

>

[Guest guest]

The healthiest people I know take the least, if any, supplements. It

makes sense to me that those taking the supplements (the least healthy)

would be more likely to die earlier. I would need more information on

the study, including who funded the study (pharmaceuticals?) I wonder

if they gave the placebos to the healthiest people? Hopefully, they

were unbiased and administered them without even knowing who received

what.

 

Of course the pharmaceuticals, hospitals, medical groups, and JAMA

would not want people taking things that could jeopardize their

business, so it makes sense that they would attempt to undermine the

supplement industry, as well as vegan and raw foods diets.

 

On the other hand, taking a pill or capsule instead of fresh organic

produce is not natural.

 

Fruits and other vegetables contain these nutrients naturally (not

processed, dried out, and stuck in a capsule). In nature the nutrients

work synergistically with other nutrients found in those foods. There

may even be hundreds of other nutrients that have not been discovered

yet. The natural foods (and their " nutrients " ) can not be replaced!

Hundreds of millions of Americans (and others) replace their natural

diet with cooked and processed foods, including animal products and a

lot of artificial ingredients. That situation cannot be corrected with

supplements.

 

Jeff

[Guest guest]

What is the point of eating food that is low of devoid of antioxidants, and

then adding vitamins to make up the difference? Why not eat food in its

natural state with plenty of antioxidants. People are expecting some

magic pill to undo all their dietary transgressions. It doesn't exist.

Ron

 

RawSeattle , " monikakinsman " <monika

wrote:

>

> By Rob Stein

> The Washington Post

>

> Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease and

> slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to actually

> increase the risk of dying, according to the most comprehensive study

> of whether popular " antioxidants " help users live longer.

[Guest guest]

Ron,

I think most people on this list agree. However, most people in my household

don't and I'm trying to find authoritative studies like this one that might

break through their harmful beliefs. Does anyone have a direct link to the

study?

 

Thanks.

Nick Hein

Morgantown, WV

 

-

Ron Koenig

RawSeattle

Sunday, March 04, 2007 7:39 PM

[RawSeattle] Re: Article: Supplement use doesn't help and may harm,

study finds

 

 

What is the point of eating food that is low of devoid of antioxidants, and

then adding vitamins to make up the difference? Why not eat food in its

natural state with plenty of antioxidants. People are expecting some

magic pill to undo all their dietary transgressions. It doesn't exist.

Ron

 

RawSeattle , " monikakinsman " <monika

wrote:

>

> By Rob Stein

> The Washington Post

>

> Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease and

> slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to actually

> increase the risk of dying, according to the most comprehensive study

> of whether popular " antioxidants " help users live longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

The Seattle Times reported on 2/28 that it was in the current issue of

JAMA. That URL is at:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/current.dtl

but I couldn't find the study there.

Ron

 

, " Nick Hein " <nick.hein

wrote:

>

> Ron,

> I think most people on this list agree. However, most people in my

household don't and I'm trying to find authoritative studies like this one

that might break through their harmful beliefs. Does anyone have a

direct link to the study?

>

> Thanks.

> Nick Hein

> Morgantown, WV

>

> -

> Ron Koenig

> RawSeattle

> Sunday, March 04, 2007 7:39 PM

> [RawSeattle] Re: Article: Supplement use doesn't help and

may harm, study finds

>

>

> What is the point of eating food that is low of devoid of antioxidants,

and

> then adding vitamins to make up the difference? Why not eat food in

its

> natural state with plenty of antioxidants. People are expecting some

> magic pill to undo all their dietary transgressions. It doesn't exist.

> Ron

>

> RawSeattle , " monikakinsman " <monika@>

> wrote:

> >

> > By Rob Stein

> > The Washington Post

> >

> > Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease

and

> > slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to

actually

> > increase the risk of dying, according to the most comprehensive

study

> > of whether popular " antioxidants " help users live longer.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ron,

Thanks. I wasn't able to access the link you gave, but I'm a 15 minute walk

away from the WVU library. I'll go see if I can find it there. Upon reading

the Seattle Times article I was reminded about an AMA article in about 1973 that

completely dismissed the use of supplements as unecessary (assuming a " healthy "

diet is followed). My Dad (a doctor who smoked, drank, ate wrecklessly and

exercised very little) crowed cheerfully about the results because he had

friends who were taking supplements and he was eager to show them how foolish

they were being. Thirty years later the AMA retracted the study findings.

 

Dad died " unexpectedly " in 1999 of a heart attack and massive stroke. He had

received a physical that morning which completely missed the circulatory

problems, but did identify lung cancer that might have killed him 6 months

later.

 

I guess my short message is that AMA is certainly wreckless about what they

publish, but there still might be useful information to be found in the study's

raw data (no pun intended).

 

Nick Hein

Morgantown, WV

 

 

-

Ron Koenig

Monday, March 05, 2007 9:37 PM

[RawSeattle] Re: Article: Supplement use doesn't help

and may harm, study finds

 

 

The Seattle Times reported on 2/28 that it was in the current issue of

JAMA. That URL is at:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/current.dtl

but I couldn't find the study there.

Ron

 

, " Nick Hein " <nick.hein

wrote:

>

> Ron,

> I think most people on this list agree. However, most people in my

household don't and I'm trying to find authoritative studies like this one

that might break through their harmful beliefs. Does anyone have a

direct link to the study?

>

> Thanks.

> Nick Hein

> Morgantown, WV

>

> -

> Ron Koenig

> RawSeattle

> Sunday, March 04, 2007 7:39 PM

> [RawSeattle] Re: Article: Supplement use doesn't help and

may harm, study finds

>

>

> What is the point of eating food that is low of devoid of antioxidants,

and

> then adding vitamins to make up the difference? Why not eat food in

its

> natural state with plenty of antioxidants. People are expecting some

> magic pill to undo all their dietary transgressions. It doesn't exist.

> Ron

>

> RawSeattle , " monikakinsman " <monika@>

> wrote:

> >

> > By Rob Stein

> > The Washington Post

> >

> > Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease

and

> > slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to

actually

> > increase the risk of dying, according to the most comprehensive

study

> > of whether popular " antioxidants " help users live longer.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I've read the arguments against nutritional supplements and think the

previous posts are missing the point. Look at the word.

It's " supplement " not " replacement " . Supplements were never

intended to be used as a replacement to a good diet. Of course

many people take supplements as a replacement, but any substance can

be used improperly.

 

I find it interesting that many people use a " study " to back up a

particular view while ignoring any " study " that contradicts their

belief system. Look at the money trail. Who funded this

study? And even if you can prove it's 100% legit (which I highly

doubt it is), I can show you many other studies that show that

certain nutritional supplements, when used with a well balanced diet,

are beneficial. We could go back and forth with our " studies " and

what would it really prove?

 

Look at the pressure groups. A couple of years ago nutritional

supplements became perilously close to being classified as

prescription drugs. This would be a huge blow to individual

liberty. The pharmaceutical industry is beneath contempt in their

drive to stifle competition and limit our freedom.

 

The mainstream media is heavily biased against the use of

supplements. When such a huge percentage of ads are for

prescription drugs, how can they possibly be trusted? They are

quick to report studies showing the danger of supplements while

almost always ignoring studies showing their benefits.

 

The important thing is to make up your mind based on your own life

experience and not on these so-called studies. There is an

entanglement between big government and large corporations which has

distorted the truth when it comes to any situation that they stand to

gain from. We live in a corporatist economy that seeks to control

what we think and how we spend our money.

 

I support the use of certain nutritional supplements in addition to a

well balanced vegan (better yet - raw) diet. I believe that

supplements can extend animal (human) life beyond the capabilities of

the ideal diet alone (while not diminishing the importance of diet).

 

Waiora Natural Cellular Defense is one of the most exciting

supplements on the market for its ability to remove heavy metals and

other toxins from the body. I take it on a daily basis and have

noticed some positive effects.

 

Jeff makes a good point by saying, " In nature the nutrients work

synergistically with other nutrients found in those foods " . I

agree with this. I haven't seen evidence that taking certain

supplements interferes with this synergy.

 

Many people say that taking MSM helps their joints. Now are they

jeopardizing their health by taking it? And even if it could be

proven that it was harmful, should the government step in and make

MSM a prescription drug now? So that we can all be protected as if

we were little children?

 

I think that certain nutritional supplements, when used with a

healthy diet, can be beneficial and actually extend our life span.

 

Josh

[Guest guest]

I agree with what Josh is saying here.

I am obtaining my Masters degree in Science of Nutrition from a University

specializing in Natural health. My current text book; " Staying Healthy with

Nutrition " by Elaine M. Haas M.D. quotes:

" The science of herbology is as old as medicine itself and is the people's

healing system in nearly all cultures of the world. Plants and their specific

parts--be it roots, leaves, flowers, or berries--have clear pharmacological

activity in our bodies, ranging from very subtle to profound. The system of

pharmaceutical medicine is based on the knowledge and effects of herbal

medicine, where the active components discovered in the plants were concentrated

or synthesized to make " patent medicines. " "

In this day and age there are millions of different toxins that we are exposed

to on a daily basis and the body has to work hundreds of times as hard as it did

back in the day when there weren't a million cars on the road, chemicals in the

air, and in the soil, and in products that we use. Our body has to work to

fight this off and Herbs (which have been used for thousands of years) has been

proven in scientific studies to help many different causes.

What does it mean to say the word supplement anyway? Wheat grass can be called

a supplement by some becuase of its many antioxidants, enzymes, minerals, and

chlorophyl. Put wheat grass in a capsule and it is surely called a supplement.

In fact I took a shot of E3live when I was feeling sick and I felt instantly

better last week.

My mom once read an article that said " There is no difference between organic

and non-organic food. " She didn't do background research to learn the number of

chemicals sprayed on non-organic food and how tightly regulated the FDA is in

making sure organic food upholds itself to very tight regulations.

I believe it is best to do a lot of research when formulating an opionion and

spreading it to others. This is why I decided to obtain my Masters In Holistic

Nutrition, becuase I want to help people make opionions about supplements and

herbal remedies that are right for them based on the years of background

research that I have done to look at all the studies.

Josh is right in that the government spends millions of dollars advertising the

pharmaceutical industry and works hard at suppressing herbal supplements. In

fact, there are drugs that have killed people and are listed in the media but

aren't stopped from being prescribed by doctors, and then something like Ephedra

has a death from it because it is primarily for people with Asthma to clear

bronchial tubes that people abused for its caffeine like affects and it is

pulled off the shelf immediately.

The FDA stands behind things like Hydrogenated oils even though it is proven to

turn into trans fatty acids which clog arteries. Yet something like Kava Kava

which is a root that people have used for thousands of years for ceremonial

purposes as well as anxiety issues, and was not made in a lab, was pulled off

the shelf for a while becuase it was noted to have effects that were harmful to

the liver when taken in high doses. I was put on acutane by a western doctor

and they have to constantly check your liver when you go on that drug becuase it

is proven to harm the liver, as well as cause birth defects in pregnant women.

When on this drug I had to have a blood test done every week. I became ill from

this harsh drug. And dermatologists still prescribe it even though all negative

effects from it has been proven. Yet I have taken Kava Kava tea as a supplement

with only positive benefits. We definitly are a country that is run by

corporate greed and control over the

meat, dairy, and pharmaceutical industry.

I think people should make informed decisions when it comes to supplements for

themselves, and that they shouldn't be yanked off the shelf when one person

reports ill effects from it giving the particular supplement a bad rap. Why

don't we give all these synthesized lab made medicines a bad rap and pull them

off the shelf? It is a fact that pharmaceutical kill people on a daily basis.

Being aware of all the options and doing your own reseach is the best way to be

informed about what is right for you. Reading a trusting one article is like

trusting that everything you hear in the news or politics to be compelety

factual.

From my years of doing research on supplements I believe them to be beneficial

for myself. Especially for something like arthritis that is brought on by an

injury. MSM isn't extensive in the diet and it there have been studies done

that have shown MSM to help sufferers of arthritis. As someone who is in her

30's suffering from acute arthritis, I take MSM to help.

In conclusion, I believe that a mostly raw vegan diet along with supplements to

help certain conditions is the most beneficial diet for myself.

Andrea

 

Josh <jjc132 wrote: I've read the

arguments against nutritional supplements and think the

previous posts are missing the point. Look at the word.

It's " supplement " not " replacement " . Supplements were never

intended to be used as a replacement to a good diet. Of course

many people take supplements as a replacement, but any substance can

be used improperly.

 

I find it interesting that many people use a " study " to back up a

particular view while ignoring any " study " that contradicts their

belief system. Look at the money trail. Who funded this

study? And even if you can prove it's 100% legit (which I highly

doubt it is), I can show you many other studies that show that

certain nutritional supplements, when used with a well balanced diet,

are beneficial. We could go back and forth with our " studies " and

what would it really prove?

 

Look at the pressure groups. A couple of years ago nutritional

supplements became perilously close to being classified as

prescription drugs. This would be a huge blow to individual

liberty. The pharmaceutical industry is beneath contempt in their

drive to stifle competition and limit our freedom.

 

The mainstream media is heavily biased against the use of

supplements. When such a huge percentage of ads are for

prescription drugs, how can they possibly be trusted? They are

quick to report studies showing the danger of supplements while

almost always ignoring studies showing their benefits.

 

The important thing is to make up your mind based on your own life

experience and not on these so-called studies. There is an

entanglement between big government and large corporations which has

distorted the truth when it comes to any situation that they stand to

gain from. We live in a corporatist economy that seeks to control

what we think and how we spend our money.

 

I support the use of certain nutritional supplements in addition to a

well balanced vegan (better yet - raw) diet. I believe that

supplements can extend animal (human) life beyond the capabilities of

the ideal diet alone (while not diminishing the importance of diet).

 

Waiora Natural Cellular Defense is one of the most exciting

supplements on the market for its ability to remove heavy metals and

other toxins from the body. I take it on a daily basis and have

noticed some positive effects.

 

Jeff makes a good point by saying, " In nature the nutrients work

synergistically with other nutrients found in those foods " . I

agree with this. I haven't seen evidence that taking certain

supplements interferes with this synergy.

 

Many people say that taking MSM helps their joints. Now are they

jeopardizing their health by taking it? And even if it could be

proven that it was harmful, should the government step in and make

MSM a prescription drug now? So that we can all be protected as if

we were little children?

 

I think that certain nutritional supplements, when used with a

healthy diet, can be beneficial and actually extend our life span.

 

Josh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need Mail bonding?

Go to the Mail Q & A for great tips from Answers users.

 

 

[Guest guest]

The Life Extension Foundation recently published an article

challenging the claims made by the JAMA report that we've been

discussing. Here is the link:

 

http://www.lef.org/featured-articles/consumer_alert_020307.htm

 

To summarize:

- Many important vitamins and minerals were omitted. As noted

previously, benefits arise from the synergistic use of antioxidants.

- The average age of the subjects was 62. Preventing oxidative

damage is a lifelong commitment and many of these subjects already

had poor health.

- The study used the wrong form of Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol)

rather than gamma tocopherol.

- 91% of the studies were excluded for statistical review (only 68 of

815 were selected - this could easily lead to data manipulation to

suit ulterior motives).

 

The list of flaws in this study are too great to go into here. I

have little doubt that this is simply a political maneuver in order

to sucker the public into thinking supplements are harmful. Most

Americans will go along with it because only a small percentage will

actually look at the details. Pure brainwashing this JAMA report is!

[Guest guest]

Josh,

You make excellent points and I think I agree with everything you've said.

However, being an engineer and science-minded citizen there's a point about the

scientific process I like to make that might help guide people to useful

conclusions from study results - even if those results are faulty.

 

The scientific process is different from the experimental process. The

scientific process consists of these 5 steps:

 

Purpose

Research

Hypothesis

Experiment

Conclusion

 

(The experimental process is the last 3 of the 5 steps)

So to do justice to any study results you should first find out as much as you

can about the purpose and research that was done before anything else.

Peer-reviewed studies ALWAYS make this information known as a matter of

professional procedure. Popular press articles leave it out as a matter of

procedure, because their audience and purpose are different.

 

I'm not saying you HAVE to do this. In a free country you can do what ever gets

you the results you want. I envy those who live in a completely raw and

self-aware community because they can do their own studies and reach the

conclusions that do them the most good. However, I'm not in that situation and

frequently have to defend my actions (either to help myself or others) so it

helps to have access to every relevant and persuasive bit of experience.

 

Above all though, any study helps most when you leave personalities (individual

or group) out of the argument. Studies are a systematic way to record

experience. Focus on how the experience of the past can guide actions for the

future that will do the most good for the most people for the longest time.

 

Topical content: I'm going to go have an organic mango for breakfast now. :-)

 

Nick Hein

Morgantown, WV

 

-

Josh

Tuesday, March 06, 2007 10:15 PM

Re: [RawSeattle] Article: Supplement use doesn't help

and may harm, study finds

 

 

I've read the arguments against nutritional supplements and think the

previous posts are missing the point. Look at the word.

It's " supplement " not " replacement " . Supplements were never

intended to be used as a replacement to a good diet. Of course

many people take supplements as a replacement, but any substance can

be used improperly.

 

I find it interesting that many people use a " study " to back up a

particular view while ignoring any " study " that contradicts their

belief system. Look at the money trail. Who funded this

study? And even if you can prove it's 100% legit (which I highly

doubt it is), I can show you many other studies that show that

certain nutritional supplements, when used with a well balanced diet,

are beneficial. We could go back and forth with our " studies " and

what would it really prove?

 

Look at the pressure groups. A couple of years ago nutritional

supplements became perilously close to being classified as

prescription drugs. This would be a huge blow to individual

liberty. The pharmaceutical industry is beneath contempt in their

drive to stifle competition and limit our freedom.

 

The mainstream media is heavily biased against the use of

supplements. When such a huge percentage of ads are for

prescription drugs, how can they possibly be trusted? They are

quick to report studies showing the danger of supplements while

almost always ignoring studies showing their benefits.

 

The important thing is to make up your mind based on your own life

experience and not on these so-called studies. There is an

entanglement between big government and large corporations which has

distorted the truth when it comes to any situation that they stand to

gain from. We live in a corporatist economy that seeks to control

what we think and how we spend our money.

 

I support the use of certain nutritional supplements in addition to a

well balanced vegan (better yet - raw) diet. I believe that

supplements can extend animal (human) life beyond the capabilities of

the ideal diet alone (while not diminishing the importance of diet).

 

Waiora Natural Cellular Defense is one of the most exciting

supplements on the market for its ability to remove heavy metals and

other toxins from the body. I take it on a daily basis and have

noticed some positive effects.

 

Jeff makes a good point by saying, " In nature the nutrients work

synergistically with other nutrients found in those foods " . I

agree with this. I haven't seen evidence that taking certain

supplements interferes with this synergy.

 

Many people say that taking MSM helps their joints. Now are they

jeopardizing their health by taking it? And even if it could be

proven that it was harmful, should the government step in and make

MSM a prescription drug now? So that we can all be protected as if

we were little children?

 

I think that certain nutritional supplements, when used with a

healthy diet, can be beneficial and actually extend our life span.

 

Josh

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Nick,

 

I agree with you. My rant wasn't meant to attack the scientific

process and like you said you can derive important information from a

study without necessarily agreeing with the results. It just seems

that many studies I read about are either doomed from the beginning

through flawed methodology or influenced by politics. Of course this

is not scientific in the least bit. When someone tries to prove a

point to me by starting off with " There's a study... " my eyes usually

roll up to the ceiling.

 

Josh

[Guest guest]

Great post, but MSM is a poor example. If you are eating raw foods, you

are getting plenty of MSM in your diet as that is where it is found. It will

cause your nails and hair to grow faster if you take a good dose of it as a

supplement.

Ron

 

, " Josh " <jjc132 wrote:

>

> Many people say that taking MSM helps their joints. Now are they

> jeopardizing their health by taking it? And even if it could be

> proven that it was harmful, should the government step in and make

> MSM a prescription drug now? So that we can all be protected as if

> we were little children?

>

> I think that certain nutritional supplements, when used with a

> healthy diet, can be beneficial and actually extend our life span.

>

> Josh

>