Natural supplements are everywhere, but a Massachusetts women’s health expert warned that the claims about what they can do are often without real research.Dr. Tara Iyer is the medical director of the Menopause and Midlife Clinic at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. She said she gets a lot of questions from patients about supplement claims they see on social media, from curing sleep issues to solving menopause symptoms. But Iyer said there are critical things to consider. “For many supplement brands, there’s no secondary laboratory that is testing that to say, ‘Hey, what you’re buying is exactly what they’re telling you,’” she said. “There’s no way for us to say what you buy in the pharmacy is actually what was tested in that particular study.”Iyer stressed that many supplements can also interact with other medications women may be taking, including making those medications less effective. “I think a lot of people have this idea that supplements feel more natural or they feel like they’re not as concerning as prescription medications because you can buy them at the regular pharmacy because you don’t need a prescription from a doctor,” she said. “But that’s certainly not always the case.”So, she added, before you believe the social media hype and grab a bottle of supplements, always consult your own doctor about the risks and rewards.
BOSTON —
Natural supplements are everywhere, but a Massachusetts women’s health expert warned that the claims about what they can do are often without real research.
Dr. Tara Iyer is the medical director of the Menopause and Midlife Clinic at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. She said she gets a lot of questions from patients about supplement claims they see on social media, from curing sleep issues to solving menopause symptoms.
But Iyer said there are critical things to consider.
“For many supplement brands, there’s no secondary laboratory that is testing that to say, ‘Hey, what you’re buying is exactly what they’re telling you,’” she said. “There’s no way for us to say what you buy in the pharmacy is actually what was tested in that particular study.”
Iyer stressed that many supplements can also interact with other medications women may be taking, including making those medications less effective.
“I think a lot of people have this idea that supplements feel more natural or they feel like they’re not as concerning as prescription medications because you can buy them at the regular pharmacy because you don’t need a prescription from a doctor,” she said. “But that’s certainly not always the case.”
So, she added, before you believe the social media hype and grab a bottle of supplements, always consult your own doctor about the risks and rewards.
