b'Over 771,368 television ads for drugsrecord.And,unfortunately,lower-in- are unproven, and do not prevent, treat, were aired nationally in 2016 (2,000 percome households are less able to aff ordor cure any disease, the caveat the FDA day), says ascathing report in The Newsupplements as a result. requiresonalldietary-supplementla-York Times. 9 Many of these TV ads arebels where a structure-function claim is for problems likeerectile dysfunction orDietary Supplementsmade.Still, if dietary supplements do in ineff ective fl u vaccines, which dont makeDemonized fact quell any disease, they would be cate-Americans any healthier. 10 The news media is quick to put di- gorically classifi ed as drugs.So, they must About 33% of consumers say they endetary supplements in a bad light.Newsremain unproven.uptalking to doctors about medicinesreportsexaggeratepublishedstudiesLabels on dietary supplements are not they saw advertised on TV. 11 The phar- that showed dietary supplements induceallowed to state that they are eff ective maceutical industryspent $3.7 billion onside eff ects.Study fi nds 275,000 callsagainst any disease, even for dietary de-TV ads in 2018.12If you can believe this,topoisoncontrolcentersfordietaryfi ciency diseases such as scurvy (Vitamin consumers are eveninvited to select theirsupplementexposures. 15However,C),perniciousanemia(VitaminB12), favorite drug ad on TV. 13 thatwas for a 13-year period from 2000and beriberi (Vitamin B1, thiamin), all of Doctors dont mind since advertisingto 2012. 16 Consumers were exposed to,which are in resurgence today.brings new patients to their offices.Andbut may not have experienced, side ef-to make matters worse,98% of the adsfectsfromdietarysupplements. WhatHigh-Calorie Malnutritionthat appear in medical journals promotewent unreported is that70% of these ex- Dr.DerrickLonsdalecallsthis prescription drugs. 14 So, medical journalsposures involved small children youngerhigh-caloriemalnutrition. 20Refi ned are also captive to drug companies. than six years oldand had nothing to dosugars and refi ned carbohydrates along The Hidden Secret with the products themselves. 17 withalcoholblocktheabsorptionof Even though the biological action of most prescription drugs can be dupli- Doctorsandpharmaceuticalcompanies cated by vitamins, minerals, amino acids,wouldntmakeasmuchmoneycuringor oils and herbs, the doctor only puts hispreventing disease as they do in ine ectively imprimatur on drugs that are designed to allay symptoms but not cure the dis- treating its symptoms.ease. Virtually every human malady is addressed as if it were a drug defi ciency.Over the past several yearsno deathsVitamin B1.Thiamin blocks all of the Costly Drugs Morehave been reported from the use of di- harmful eff ects of diabetesthat induce Affordable Thanetary supplements by Americas Poisonproblems in kidneys (nephropathy), heart Dietary Supplements ControlCenters,whichissomething(cardiomyopathy), retina (retinopathy), The lucrative pharmaceutical dispens- FDA-approveddrugscannotclaim. 18and peripheral nerves (neuropathy). 21ing business is dependent upon healthFurthermore, the annual report did notIt is not uncommon for diabetics to be insurerscoveringthecostofdrugs,state how many adult consumers mayplaced on acid blockers for heartburn, which makes them more aff ordable thanhavemisused(overdosed)ondietarywhich, due to lack of adequate stomach dietary supplements that are viable al- supplements.Compare this zero-deathacid, worsens the above problems.Dia-ternatives.Even economical nutraceuti- result to a report showing107,000 deathsbetics should be prescribed Vitamin B1 cals cost more in terms of out-of-pocketannually from properly-used, nurse-dis- across the board. Few are.So, where is costs than do prescription drugs whenpensed drugs in hospitals alone. 19 Thisthe news media to report this?insurancecompaniesworkinleaguelatter death rate is akin to the entire city with pharmaceutical companies to lowerof Allentown, Pennsylvania being wipedTreating Nutrient the co-payment to combat the so-calledout every year. De ciencies with Drugsproblem of non-compliance due to price. Dietary SupplementsAt any given time millions of Ameri-Intermsofeffectivenessandtrue costs, dietary supplements and herbs areClaimed Unproven cans are defi cient in Vitamin C (particu-far more aff ordable and efficacious thanYes, but not disproven. How can un- larly smokers), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, drugs. Yet, unnecessary FDA regulationsapproved dietary supplements be far saferVitamin B1, and magnesium. Yet, the sharply push up the cost of dietary sup- than FDA-approved drugs?Yet, time andsymptoms of these defi ciencies are being plementswithoutcorrespondinglyin- again, news reporters say that dietarytreated with drugs. The root cause of the creasing their already phenomenal safetysupplements are not FDA approved andproblem is not being generally addressed 10 H EALTHF REEDOMN EWS /F ALL2023'