Would you rather take a drug or a supplement for what ails you? Given the choice, many people would prefer to take a supplement—as long as it’s safe and effective.
But deciding which supplement might work best for you is like stepping into a world of fun house mirrors, where facts are twisted and evidence is distorted.
The biggest traps: Some manufacturers routinely make misleading (or even bogus) claims…and few supplements have sufficient scientific evidence to support their use.
To find out which supplements have the strongest research and best clinical outcomes in treating common ailments, Bottom Line/Health spoke with Mark A. Moyad, MD, MPH, one of the country’s leading authorities on the responsible use of supplements. Supplements worth trying if you have…*
Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin) and other standard treatments work relatively well for osteoarthritis, but they have a very high risk for side effects, including stomach bleeding. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose is the number-one cause of acute liver failure in the US.
Supplement to try for arthritis: SAM-e (s-adenosylmethionine). It’s been used for arthritis for years in Italy, Spain and Germany. Numerous double-blind studies involving thousands of participants have shown that SAM-e is at least as effective for treating osteoarthritis as aspirin, ibuprofen and similar drugs. However, it is far less likely to cause side effects—if any do occur, they tend to be mild and may include nausea and dry mouth.
Most people take SAM-e for one to two months before they get the full benefit. After that, it relieves morning stiffness and joint pain as effectively as conventional painkillers.
Typical dose: 600 mg to 1,200 mg daily (avoid at bedtime—it can keep some people awake).
Nothing protects the brain more effectively than mental stimulation and healthy behaviors such as exercise and a healthful diet. But adding a supplement could help prevent memory loss.
Supplement to try for memory loss: Bacopa. This herbal medicine contains bacosides, compounds that appear to improve the repair, production and signaling of nerve cells. A 12-week study found that people who took 300 mg of Bacopa daily had improvements in memory and information processing.
Typical dose: To help protect your memory, take 300 mg daily. Look for a product that contains 50% bacosides. Take it with food to help avoid stomach upset.
Men who have trouble getting an erection often turn to sildenafil (Viagra) or similar drugs. But these drugs can have troubling side effects such as vision or hearing loss.
Supplement to try for ED: L-citrulline, an amino acid that is mainly found in watermelon rind. It increases blood levels of nitric oxide, a blood gas that dilates arteries and increases the circulation that’s needed for erections.
Typical dose: 1,500 mg daily. It does not work within minutes of taking it (as do some ED drugs). Try it for two weeks to see if it improves the hardness of your erection. If so, take it to improve erectile function when your sex life is active. L-citrulline is considered safe but should not be combined with drugs taken for high blood pressure, ED or heart conditions (especially nitrates).
There are no effective medications for this inflammatory bladder disorder, which causes frequent and uncomfortable urination, mainly in women.
Supplement to try for IC: Calcium glycerophosphate. It neutralizes the acidity of foods, one of the main IC triggers. Research shows that calcium glycerophosphate reduces pain and urinary urgency when taken before consuming foods that exacerbate IC symptoms.
Typical dose: Two to three tablets (the dose studied has 345 mg of calcium glycerophosphate per tablet) or one-quarter teaspoon of powder (the equivalent of two 345-mg tablets) taken right before or during acidic meals. The Interstitial Cystitis Network lists many of the problem foods such as coffee, alcohol and artificial sweeteners. Caution: Long-term use of this supplement could slightly interfere with absorption of some nutrients, so talk to your doctor about ways to monitor your nutrient levels.
No medication has a significant impact on stopping Parkinson’s or slowing its progression.
Supplement to try for Parkinson’s: Inosine, a compound that raises levels of urate (a naturally occurring salt that has antioxidant effects). Parkinson’s patients often have lower levels of urate than those without the disease…and in some cases, those with higher levels appear to have slower disease progression.
An important trial investigating inosine found that it was generally safe and capable of increasing urate levels sufficiently to slow the progression of Parkinson’s. The downside to inosine is that it slightly increases the risk for kidney stones and gout. Patients who take this supplement need to have their uric acid levels monitored by a doctor.
Typical dose: 500 mg to 3,000 mg daily, depending on uric acid levels.
To help ensure that any supplement you take contains the ingredients listed on the label and meets purity and quality standards, look for products that have been certified (a seal will appear on the label) by one of the following—NSF (previously known as the National Sanitation Foundation)…USP (United States Pharmacopeial Convention…ConsumerLab.com…or NPA (Natural Products Association).
*Check with your doctor before trying any of these supplements alone or in combination with a prescription medication.
