Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

Your Supplements Are a Lie… Really

Feb 16, 2024

14:39

Snipd AI

Examining the controversy surrounding vitamins and supplements, including the FDA's stricter regulations for pharmaceuticals. The deadly consequences and subsequent ban of L-Tryptophan. The limited benefits and potential risks of vitamins and supplements. The questionable quality of supplements and the importance of sourcing high-quality ingredients.

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Quick takeaways

The relationship between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies may lead to potential conflicts of interest and raise concerns about the regulation of drugs and supplements.

The banning of L-Tryptophan and its subsequent approval highlights potential biases in drug regulation and raises questions about the influence of pharmaceutical companies on the FDA.

Deep dives

The FDA's Ties to Pharmaceutical Companies

The podcast sheds light on the relationship between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies. It reveals that FDA officials are often courted by pharmaceutical companies, leading to a potential conflict of interest. This can impact the FDA's decision-making process and raise concerns about the regulation of drugs and supplements. The speaker emphasizes that while the supplement industry may have some degree of corruption, it is important to acknowledge the influence that the drug industry holds over the FDA.

Introduction

4min

The Controversial History of L-Tryptophan

2min

The Limited Benefits and Risks of Vitamins and Supplements

3min

The Questionable Quality of Supplements and the Importance of Sourcing High-Quality Ingredients

6min

Are multivitamins and other health supplements good for you?

In this podcast, we’re going to talk about vitamins and supplements. Sometimes, health supplements are discredited because they’re not regulated by the FDA the same way as pharmaceuticals, but it's important to understand the relationship between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies.

People often become employees of the FDA to secure a much higher-paying career at a pharmaceutical company. This plays a major role in the approval of drugs.

Many drugs are approved without enough evidence of safety. Overall, supplements are generally recognized as safe.

In 1989, a dozen people allegedly died from taking L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan is an amino acid that helps you sleep, has an anti-depressive factor, and curbs cravings. The problem arose from a contaminated batch of L-tryptophan that was made using genetically modified bacteria. There was a recall, and the FDA banned the supplement for 16 years.

Synthetic vitamins are much cheaper than natural vitamins but do not have the same effects on the body. Around ⅔ of vitamins come from raw materials made in China, all of which are synthetic, industrially-made compounds.

There are several reasons why we need vitamins and supplements and why some people need them more than others. The following factors will increase the need for vitamins and supplements:

• Food is grown in poor soils or hydroponically

• Genetics

• Chronic inflammation

• Frequent exercise

• Seed oil consumption

• Grain consumption

• Veganism

• Fasting

We have a very high need for some vitamins and minerals that require a large consumption of certain foods to achieve adequate intake. For example, you need 4700 mg of potassium each day.

Some deficiencies can be dangerous. Deficiencies in folate can mimic the same damage to your DNA as radiation.

DATA:

https://www.nemsn.org/Articles/truth_...

https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7...

https://www.spglobal.com/commodityins...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24088...