From the Guidelines
I strongly advise against taking any supplements without consulting a healthcare professional, as the potential risks and interactions can outweigh any potential benefits, especially considering the lack of strong evidence supporting their use for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer 1. To provide personalized guidance, I need to know which specific supplements you're considering, their dosages, why you want to take them, and any relevant health conditions or medications you're currently using. Some key points to consider when evaluating supplements include:
- The USPSTF found inadequate evidence on the benefits of supplementation with individual vitamins or minerals or functional pairs in healthy populations without known nutritional deficiencies to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease or cancer 1.
- Certain supplements, such as β-carotene, may increase the risk for lung cancer in persons who are at increased risk for this condition 1.
- The American Diabetes Association recommends that individuals with diabetes focus on nutrition counseling rather than micronutrient supplementation to reach metabolic control, and that routine supplementation with antioxidants is not advised due to lack of evidence of efficacy and concern related to long-term safety 1. Please share the necessary information about the supplements you're considering, and I'll provide guidance on potential benefits, risks, drug interactions, and appropriate dosing.
From the Research
Supplement Interactions
- The use of dietary supplements with prescription medications can lead to clinically important drug interactions, with nearly 25% of U.S. adults reporting concurrent use 2.
- Certain supplements, such as St. John's wort and goldenseal, are known to cause significant interactions and should be avoided by most patients receiving pharmacologic therapy 2, 3.
- Other supplements, like curcumin, echinacea, and garlic, may cause interactions with a few medications but are likely to be safe with others 2.
- Some supplements, including black cohosh, cranberry, and ginkgo, have a low likelihood of drug interactions and can be safely taken with most medications, but with certain caveats 2.
Antiretroviral Therapy Interactions
- The use of complementary and alternative medicine, including herbal supplements, is frequent among people living with HIV/AIDS, but often not disclosed to prescribing physicians 3.
- Certain supplements, such as St. John's wort, garlic, and grapefruit, are known to have significant interactions with antiretroviral therapy and should be avoided or used with caution 3, 4.
- Other supplements, like calcium, magnesium, and iron salts, can reduce the absorption of integrase inhibitors and should be monitored 3.
- Vitamin C and quercetin may also interact with certain antiretrovirals, and efficacy and tolerance should be monitored 3.
Premenstrual Syndrome Treatment
- Certain herbs, vitamins, and minerals, such as calcium, chasteberry, and vitamin B6, may be effective in reducing the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms 5.
- Preliminary data suggests that ginkgo, magnesium pyrrolidone, saffron, St. John's Wort, soy, and vitamin E may also be beneficial, but further research is needed 5.
- Evening primrose oil and magnesium oxide were found to have no evidence of benefit for PMS treatment 5.