More than 50% of people in the US take dietary supplements to enhance an aspect of their health. Maybe you take supplements on a regular basis…

In fact, over 20 billion dollars per year is spent on vitamins, minerals, herbs and other assorted pills. As you can see, the supplement industry is booming.

Unfortunately, a lot of what is sold to the public is under the umbrella of deceptive advertising. We are talking about fake pictures and ridiculous testimonials. Even worse, some supplements are extremely unhealthy.

So here are common misconceptions you need to know about dietary supplements:

1. Supplements are safe because they are “natural”: Just because something is natural does NOT make it safe. After all, there are many things in nature that will kill you if eaten. And keep in mind that many supplements contain ultra-concentrated levels of natural nutrients which ironically, makes then quite unnatural.

2. Dietary supplements are backed by peer reviewed research: Very few supplements actually undergo the rigors of peer reviewed research. In fact, the majority of research you see in the advertisements are fly-by-night studies performed by the companies themselves.

3. Supplement manufacturers are acting in our best interest: The bottom line is that millions and millions of dollars are spent on advertising to get you to buy. And the reality is that when so much money is involved, things can get a little out of control. Ephedra is a perfect example here. So please do not be swayed by the sexy advertising.

4. Word of mouth is reliable: Word of mouth is definitely convincing, but it should not be taken as the end all be all to a supplements efficacy. You see, the placebo effect is extremely strong. In fact, if you gave a sugar pill to 100 people, 40 would claim a noticeable difference!

I recommend staying on the safe side here. And the best way to do this is to only take supplements that have undergone peer reviewed research. You see, peer reviewed research is the closest we can get to the truth. And with the truth you will be better informed as to what decisions are right for your health.

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