Keep your dietary suppliments and energy drinks which are hazardous at bay. Many consumers believe dietary supplements are held to the same safety and efficacy standards as over-the-counter medications.Dietary supplements, including energy drinks which have become a fad today, are not regulated and should not be consumed as these may cause severe health issues, especially in children, US-based researchers have advised.
The US Poison Control Centers:
- The US Poison Control Centers receive a call every 24 minutes, on average.
- Regarding dietary supplement exposures.
- According to researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy.
- In addition,the Central Ohio Poison Center.
- Both at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio.
- They said,the dietary supplements with the highest proportion of serious medical outcomes.
- They were energy products, and botanical and cultural medicines.
- Within the botanical category, “yohimbe”.
- Accounted for the largest proportion of serious medical outcomes (28.2 per cent).
- Henry Spiller, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s said.
- “Exposures to ‘yohimbe’ and energy products can be dangerous.
- Suggesting the need for child-resistant packaging.
- In addition,caregiver education and FDA regulation of these substances.
- ‘Yohimbe’ is taken for sexual problems.
- Furthermore, athletic performance and weight loss, among others.
- Gary Smith, senior study author and director of the Center of Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s.
- He said, however, dietary supplements are not consider as drugs.
- Thus they are not require to undergo clinical trials or obtain approval from the FDA prior to sale.
- In addition,unless the product is labelled as intended for therapeutic use, noted Gary Smith.
Medical Toxicology:
- The study, published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology.
- Found the rate of calls regarding dietary supplement exposures.
- Increased (46.1 per cent) during 2000-2002.
- In addition,decreased (8.8 per cent) during 2002-2005.
- Furthermore,increased again (49.3 per cent) from 2005-2012.
- 70% of dietary supplement exposure calls occurred among children.
- Children younger than six-year-old and the majority of these were unintentional.
- Most exposures (97.3%) occurred at home.
- In addition,more than 97 percent of the cases, the child swallowed the substance.
- Serious medical outcomes accounted for 4.5 percent of exposures.
- Nearly 30 per cent of ‘yohimbe’ exposure calls resulted in moderate or major effects.
- ‘Yohimbe’ can cause heart beat rhythm changes, kidney failure.
- In addition, seizures, heart attack and death.
- Energy products, including drinks, advertised to increase energy and mental performance.
- It can cause bad clinical effects as well, the researchers noted.
- Data for this study were obtained from the National Poison Data System.
- In addition,maintained by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC).