No End to Magical Remedies and Multivitamins

58 pill bottles in a 91-page Costco magazine for March. No big deal. That’s what Costco magazines are for, advertising their products, after all. Including 58 pill bottles. Every other page, every five pages, it is not uncommon to see a pill for vitamins, digestion, allergies and all sorts of aches and sores. Below many of them: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the companies are responsible for providing accurate and truthful information on their ads if this statement is present. The broad impression of the ad has to be supported by evidence. However, the guidelines written by the Federal Trade Commission relies on arbitrary examples and rules, which can be easily dodged by these companies.

The fact that there are so many pills in the Costco magazine shows that, one, there is a lot of money to be made, and two, someone is listening and buying these products. It might also reflect society’s tendencies toward medication rather than a healthy lifestyle, looking for the immediate solution, which may be no solution at all. When a person does have an illness, of course they should use the necessary medication, as directed by their doctor. The over-reliance on quick-fixes or miracle pills are the real issues, whether it be antibiotics, unapproved pills or over-the-counter medications. And since there is demand for “organic” and “all-natural” products, some pills are portrayed as “natural”. Brands are now called Nature Made, Az Natural, Sun Biotics, Pure Body Naturals…there is no end. The fact remains that these are manufacturers and their products are synthesized in labs.

On to vitamin supplements, which Americans spend 28 billion dollars on every year. Vitamins and multivitamins can’t possibly be bad, the body needs them, surely. Well, excess vitamin D can cause muscle pain, kidney stones and abdominal pain. Too much vitamin A can lead to toxicity, expressing itself in headaches and skin rashes, according to Cleveland Clinic. Taking vitamin A over a long period of time may also affect your bones, making them prone to fractures.

Steven Salzberg, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins states, “Supplementation with extra vitamins or micronutrients doesn’t really benefit you if you don’t have a deficiency.”

We all know the Multivitamin Gummies from Costco though, with colorful fruit decorating the bottle. But there is no evidence that taking multivitamins reduces your risk for illness, supports the immune system or magically makes you healthy. When a person does not have a deficiency, there is no reason to take vitamins, especially multivitamins. Fruits, vegetables, meat, fish – a healthy diet should be all you need.

So the next times you see a bunch of pill ads in your Costco magazine, be mindful of the statements and claims they make. Be smarter than those translucent words, and be mindful of the real needs of your body.