The hazards associated with dietary supplements have been
well-documented—with Herbalife, Hydroxycut, and Garcina cambogia all
tied to potential liver failure in adults. And according to a new
retrospective, observational study in the Journal of Adolescent Health,
teenagers and young adults are also at risk for complications—including
hospitalization and death.
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“The
FDA has issued countless warnings about supplements sold for weight
loss, muscle building or sport performance, sexual function, and energy,
and we know these products are widely marketed to and used by young
people,” said lead study author Flora Or, ScD, in a press release. “So
what are the consequences for their health? That’s the question we
wanted to answer.” Dr. Or is a researcher with Harvard Chan School’s
Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders.
The
study authors used adverse event reports from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration Adverse Event Reporting System on food and dietary
supplements database spanning January 2004 and April 2015. They
calculated the relative risk of severe medical events (including death,
disability, life-threatening events, hospitalization, emergency room
visit, and required intervention to prevent permanent disability)
associated with dietary supplements in patients aged between zero and 25
years.
Over the 11 years studied, 977 single-supplement–related
adverse events occurred. Just over half (50.6%) affected females (mean
age = 16.5 years [standard deviation = 7.5 years]). Compared to
vitamins, a significantly higher risk for severe medical events was
observed in supplements promoting muscle building (risk ratio [RR] =
2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9–4.0), energy (RR = 2.6; 95% CI =
1.9–3.6), and weight loss (RR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.9–3.4).
Senior
author S. Bryn Austin, ScD, a professor in the Department of Social and
Behavioral Sciences, questioned why action has not been taken sooner to
prevent adolescents from taking these supplements.
“How can we
continue to let the manufacturers of these products and the retailers
who profit from them play Russian roulette with America’s youth?” said
Dr. Austin. “It is well past time for policymakers and retailers to take
meaningful action to protect children and consumers of all ages.”
The Wall