This article is sponsored by WellMed.
We see fads come and go. One day something is healthy for you, the next it's not. And you may see in the news some time later that doctors have once again deemed it safe. It could be a number of things, but when we're talking about our health, that can raise a lot of questions.
Like supplements. Remember when fish oil was the gold standard to deal with issues of the heart? Then it wasn't. Now it is again. So how do you know?
"I really don't recommend supplements unless there's actually some evidence to suggest that it actually works and not just something you read on WebMD," Dr. Joshua Beck said.
Beck, who joined attorney and broadcaster Ron Aaron on a podcast from WellMed, said he shares information with some patients about certain supplements he knows to be helpful with certain things.
But when people take supplements without consulting with their physician, there's reason to take pause, especially if you're on pharmaceutical meds.
"Be aware of potential drug-to-drug interactions," Beck said. "Sometimes these supplements can interact with other pharmaceutical meds, and to some degree, some of those interactions may be dangerous."
Beck said one of the supplements he might recommend is turmeric for chronic pain or inflammation.
Tumeric, a plant-based supplement, has been one to show that it has anti-inflammatory style actions.
"Obviously it's not going to be quite as strong as the prescribed meds, but those are supplements that can help with inflammation," Beck said. "Obviously I wouldn't endorse any of the supplements I'm mentioning today to anybody — I would want them to talk to their family practitioner and get their take."
Beck said as a new patient, you should take in any supplements or medication to your doctor for them to review what you're taking.
"I think it's important for several reasons," he said. "One is that we can update the electronic medical records — oftentimes these patients are seeing other medical specialists who are prescribing meds, and maybe we didn't get the note that said they started the patient on (a medication)."
Regardless of the supplements Beck would or would not recommend, he circled around several times to reiterate the importance of checking with your doctor first.
"It's very important to have that discussion with your doctor and be able to share your questions about certain supplements and see if it's a supplement you should be taking, and whether there's really any evidence to suggest that it does anything, because often times, for certain things … there are supplements that have been shown to not really help."
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