EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) —If you’ve ever been tempted by an online supplement promising to “boost metabolism” or support your thyroid or adrenal glands, an endocrinologist has a simple message: don’t expect miracles.
Dr. Luis Ortiz joined Christian for a Monday “Medical Myth busters” segment to tackle a trend he says is everywhere right now — products marketed as natural multivitamins that claim to help the thyroid, adrenal glands and metabolism. Ortiz said many of these supplements are sold like a standard multivitamin you could pick up at CVS, Walgreens or Walmart, but with bigger promises attached.
Ortiz, who said he specializes in hormones and gland-related conditions, said most of these organ-targeting supplements aren’t effective.
“The majority of these supplements do nothing,” he said, adding, “Just like you’re throwing money away.”
He said when someone truly has a thyroid issue, adrenal issue or metabolism issue, the first step is figuring out what’s actually going on. That typically means a full workup, including lab tests — “most of the times blood work and sometimes imaging,” Ortiz said — before deciding what needs treatment.
There is one important exception Ortiz pointed out: supplements can help when they’re used to correct a true deficiency.
“If you use supplements because you have vitamin D deficiency any sort of vitamin the deficiency then they actually work,” he said.
Christian also asked about another popular category: “detox” products marketed for organs like the liver and lungs. Ortiz said that’s another trend he’s not a fan of. “The majority of these detoxes are not good,” he said, adding that they generally “don’t do anything.”
Ortiz said the body already has built-in systems for cleaning itself —
“Two organs that cleanse our body,” Ortiz said: “the kidney and the liver.” And, as he put it, “they’re free.”
“So no magic peel, no magic solution drink is gonna help detox,” Ortiz said.
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