Can dietary supplements cure disease?

To put it bluntly, the answer is no in most cases. For the health food category that my country’s regular dietary supplements belong to, it is mandatory to print “This product cannot replace drugs to treat diseases” on the packaging. This is a clear red line drawn by the regulatory authorities.

I have been doing dietary consultation in the nutrition department for almost 8 years, and I have met too many users who are obsessed with supplements. The one that impressed me the most was an old man with type 2 diabetes last year. He listened to a live broadcast anchor who was selling propolis and said that he could stop taking anti-diabetic drugs for 3 months. He secretly stopped metformin. After only 20 days, he went to the emergency room because of ketoacidosis caused by soaring blood sugar. After he was rescued, he complained that he had not eaten enough. It was really dumbfounding.

It cannot be said that this misunderstanding is entirely groundless. Indeed, many people have experienced taking supplements to improve their discomfort. For example, people with mild iron deficiency follow the doctor's advice and take iron + vitamin C supplements in addition to adjusting their diet. After a month or two, the dizziness symptoms are relieved, and the hemoglobin returns to the normal range. It is easy to think that the supplements have cured their anemia. We often say that taking folic acid during pregnancy can prevent neural tube defects, and many people think that enough nutrients can prevent and cure diseases. But in fact, in this kind of scenario, supplements only make up for the gap in dietary intake. The core is that your own problem is caused by insufficient nutrient intake, and the whole process is also carried out within the framework of medical intervention, and supplements cannot be regarded as independent "treatment".

There are also some different voices in the academic community. For example, some studies support that high-purity Omega-3 supplements have a clear effect on reducing high triglycerides. Some supporters of natural therapy believe that the root cause of many chronic metabolic diseases is long-term micronutrient deficiency. Replenishing the corresponding nutrients can reverse the disease. However, this view currently lacks evidence-based medical evidence to support large samples. Individual differences are also huge. Ordinary consumers have no way of judging whether their situation is suitable. Blind attempts can easily delay formal treatment.

If you check the regulatory documents of various countries, you will find that as long as the products are classified as dietary supplements, they are not allowed to claim therapeutic effects. Even the medical-grade nutritional supplements that some hospitals will prescribe are only used as an auxiliary to clinical treatment to improve the patient's nutritional status and help improve the therapeutic effect. They do not have the function of treatment themselves.

To put it bluntly, dietary supplements are "patches" for your daily diet. If you don't pay attention to your daily meals and you are missing something, use them to make up for a balanced nutrition. If you expect the patch to be used as a cotton-padded jacket to keep out the cold, you will definitely catch a cold. If you really have a physical problem, it is only right to see a doctor as soon as possible. Don't take supplements as medicine. Losing money is a small thing, but hurting your body is a big loss.