AN AWFUL LOT OF MISINFORMATION, FALLACIES AND HALF-TRUTHS ARE MAKING THE ROUNDS ABOUT HOW TO BEST USE VITAMINS AND HERBS. TO HELP YOU SORT FACT FROM FICTION, WE’RE REVIEWING EIGHT COMMON SUPPLEMENT MYTHS THAT POP UP TIME AND AGAIN

Myth #1: Dietary supplements are a waste of money.

This supplement myth is the granddaddy of them all. “While there are any number of hucksters peddling baloney, there are a great number of supplements that have been validated by science. The US Food and Drug Administration has even recognized this and allowed for expanded health claims on these supplements with overwhelming evidence of benefit,” says Christopher Turf, a registered pharmacist who specializes in herbal medicine. Poor quality or synthetic supplements and those unnecessary for your health needs are a waste of money, says Elena Michaels, PhD, a naturopath based in Santa Clarita, CA. But a qualified clinician or practitioner can work with you to identify your specific nutritional needs and health concerns and help you select the best supplements for your situation.

Myth #2: Once you select your daily supplements, you’re set for life.

Just as your health needs change over time as you enter new stages of life, so do your supplement needs. It’s a good idea to periodically review your supplement regimen to see if there are supplements you no longer need, or others that should join your overall plan. For example, a young woman with heavy periods may benefit from 15–18mg of iron daily, but as she heads through menopause, the extra iron is no longer needed and may, in fact, increase her risk of heart disease. Michaels suggests that her patients come in for tune-ups, especially after life changing events. Having surgery, giving birth, being injured, losing a job or changing jobs, getting married or divorced, losing a loved one, and many other situations can change your nutritional needs.

Myth #3: An herbal remedy works for only one condition.

In the pharmaceutical world, a drug is designed to target one particular problem. Not so with herbs, which can have multiple effects in the body. “Nature, in her infinite wisdom, has given us herbs that are able to help us feel better in many areas. Turmeric for example, helps with digestion as well as with inflammation and pain. Garlic is a natural antibiotic as well as heart healthy,” explains Michaels.

“Many herbs and plant-based substances have multiple health benefits, and have beneficial effects for various health problems,” says Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN, a San Carlos, CA-based chiropractor and clinical nutritionist. Asian ginseng (also called Panax ginseng), an adaptogenic herb, serves as another example of the versatility of herbal remedies. As Husbands explains, this herb “helps the body to release the proper amount of the stress hormone cortisol at the proper time,” while other research shows that Asian ginseng assists men with low sperm counts.

Myth #4: With a good diet, you don’t need ’em.

While a well-balanced and varied diet will take you far nutritionally speaking, even those with stellar diets would find it tough to get optimal amounts of certain nutrients, such as vitamin D. And at certain life stages many people require more of particular nutrients than their diets can serve, such as folic acid for women of childbearing age or calcium for pregnant and nursing women. It’s not an either-or situation; eat the best you can, and take supplements to fill gaps.

Myth #5: All vitamins are the same.

The natural forms of vitamins and minerals tend to be better in terms of absorption and use by the body. “In the case of vitamin E, natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol or RRR-alphatocopherol) with all of its components is much better for our bodies as opposed to the synthetic version of this vitamin (dl-alpha tocopherol),” says Michaels. Natural selenium (listed as selenium-rich yeast or L-selenomethionine) and natural chromium (found under the name chromium-rich yeast) are also examples of better choices.

Other examples? The more active form of vitamin B6 is pyridoxal-5-phosphate and vitamin B12’s active forms are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is better absorbed when it comes in the form riboflavin-5-phosphate.

Myth #6: All supplements must be taken with food.

Most supplements work best taken with food, but check the product label to see if they are an exception to this general rule. Overall, taking supplements with food improves absorption and minimizes stomach irritation. For example, taking B complex vitamins with food will help to avoid the queasiness that these vitamins can trigger. Only a few supplements are best taken on an empty stomach. Proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain or protease are used to dissolve inflammation in the body. If taken with food the enzymes could end up aiding the digestive process instead of reducing inflammation. Iron and amino acids, such as arginine, should also be taken without food.

Whether you should take calcium with food depends on the type of calcium you are taking. The calcium carbonate form needs a bit of food in the stomach for best absorption, however the calcium citrate form can be taken with or without food. It is best to take probiotics (acidophilus and other beneficial bacteria) on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before a meal.

Myth #7: You must take herbs for weeks to feel results.

Herbal remedies tend to work in more subtle ways, especially when compared to pharmaceutical drugs. Tonic herbs—such as the Asian herbs ashwagandha, astragalus and ligusticum— nourish the body and improve vitality, exerting their effects over a period of weeks. In other cases, an herb’s effect may be felt within minutes of the initial dose, notes Turf. Drinking ginger tea for nausea will settle your stomach instantly and valerian has an immediate sedating effect.

Myth #8: Be careful of nutrient interactions if you take any medications.

Overall, herbs and other natural therapies are safe to use; however they can interact with prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Women taking oral contraceptives should not take St. John’s wort because it can make birth control pills less effective. Also, anyone taking the chemotherapy drug methotrexate should not supplement with folic acid. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the supplements you are taking to avoid potentially dangerous nutrient-drug interactions.