Taking energy, muscle-building supplements may lead to severe health risks
Earlier studies have linked weight-loss and muscle-building supplements with risk of stroke and liver damage.
By PTI |
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BOSTON: Taking dietary supplements for weight loss, muscle building, and energy is associated with nearly three times increased risk for severe medical events in children and young adults, compared to vitamins, a study warns.
"The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued countless warnings about supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building or sport performance, sexual function, and energy, and we know these products are widely marketed to and used by young people," said Flora Or from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the US.
The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, looked at adverse event reports between January 2004 and April 2015 in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System on the food and dietary supplements database.
The researchers analysed the relative risk for severe medical events such as death, disability, and hospitalisation in individuals aged 0 and 25 years that were linked with the use of dietary supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, or energy compared to vitamins.
They found that there were 977 single-supplement-related adverse event reports for the target age group.
National Nutrition Week: Keto, Paleo, GM, Most Effective Weight-Loss Diets
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In a world of convenience, where people prefer a bowl of instant noodles over a whole-grain chapatti, nutrition seems to have vanished from our plates. And thanks to such convenient options, the incidence of obesity, too, has been skyrocketing.
For all those who have crossed their healthy BMI mark and are overweight/obese, weight loss becomes one of the primary targets.
This National Nutrition Week, we bring to you 5 such diet plans which will help you lose weight in a the healthy manner.
In a world of convenience, where people prefer a bowl of instant noodles over a whole-grain chapatti, nutrition seems to have vanished from our plates. And thanks to such convenient options, the in..
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A ketogenic diet or keto diet is one which needs you to go high on proteins and fats, and low in terms of carbohydrates. It is touted to be one of the most effective diet plans for weight loss.
A person who goes on a low-carb or no-carb diet experiences a sudden drop in body weight during the first few weeks itself. During this diet, the body does not get its source of energy. So it starts burning fat cells, resulting in quick weight loss.
Foods to eat: Fish, eggs, meat, oil, nuts, avocados, leafy greens and butter.
Foods to avoid: Grains, potatoes, rice, beans, sweets, cereals and other high-carb foods.
A ketogenic diet or keto diet is one which needs you to go high on proteins and fats, and low in terms of carbohydrates. It is touted to be one of the most effective diet plans for weight loss.
A..
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A Mediterranean or plant-based diet has been deemed effective for preventing heart diseases and promoting a healthier life.
But there’s one benefit that usually doesn't get much credit, and that is its ability to induce weight loss.
The best part about this diet is that it offers all the essential nutrients which a human body needs for a healthy survival. This balanced regime needs you to eat natural foods and give up on processed items.
It also allows smaller portions of fish, dairy and poultry.
It is known to be more effective for weight loss than other low-fat diet plans.
A Mediterranean or plant-based diet has been deemed effective for preventing heart diseases and promoting a healthier life.
But there’s one benefit that usually doesn't get much credit, and that..
Read More
Basic requirement of the paleolithic or paleo diet is consuming as many natural products as much as possible.
Processed, sugary and refined foods are a big no. This cuts down on carb intake, therefore resulting in weight loss.
Basic requirement of the paleolithic or paleo diet is consuming as many natural products as much as possible.
Processed, sugary and refined foods are a big no. This cuts down on carb intake, the..
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The General Motors diet promises a drop in weight by 6.5 kgs in just one week. Every single day on this diet allows you to eat different types of food groups.
A GM diet is broken into 7 days, each day strictly dedicated to one food group. Broadly, it permits vegetables, fruits, milk and meat. Processed, high-fat, sugary foods are to be avoided. Bananas and potatoes are also strictly off limits.
The General Motors diet promises a drop in weight by 6.5 kgs in just one week. Every single day on this diet allows you to eat different types of food groups.
A GM diet is broken into 7 days, eac..
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Intermittent fasting is a popular weight loss diet plan. In this you need to eat and fast during a fixed period of time.
During specific hours of the day, you are allowed to eat what you want but during the fasting hours, you need to refrain from food completely.
This diet can be followed on every alternate day and and normal eating habits can be resumed in between.
One of the most commonly followed technique is the 16:8 plan. It includes a 16-hour fasting window and an 8-hour eating window. It is touted to be highly effective for weight loss.
Intermittent fasting is a popular weight loss diet plan. In this you need to eat and fast during a fixed period of time.
During specific hours of the day, you are allowed to eat what you want but..
Of those, about 40 per cent involved severe medical outcomes, including death and hospitalisation.
Supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, and energy were associated with almost three times the risk for severe medical outcomes compared to vitamins.
Supplements sold for sexual function and colon cleanse were associated with about two times the risk for severe medical outcomes compared to vitamins.
S Bryn Austin, professor at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, noted that reputable physicians do not recommend the use of the type of dietary supplements analysed in this study.
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Many of these products have been found to be adulterated with prescription pharmaceuticals, banned substances, heavy metals, pesticides, and other dangerous chemicals.
Other studies have linked weight-loss and muscle-building supplements with stroke, testicular cancer, liver damage, and even death.
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World Nutrition Day: Proteins, Vitamins, Calcium And Other Nutrients You Need For A Balanced Diet
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Too busy to prioritise what you eat? It just needs a conscious thought before eating any meal and basic understanding of different kinds of food and nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron, calcium, protein, energy and folic acid.
It is important to consume food that can provide good nutrition for a healthy lifestyle.
The Indian dietary guidelines recommend that a balanced diet should provide around 50-60% of total calories from carbohydrates, preferably complex carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins, and 20-30% from both visible and invisible fats. A balance diet should also provide vitamins and minerals along with dietary fibres and antioxidants.
Dr Rajan Sankar, Senior Advisor - Nutrition at Tata Trusts, shares what one needs to eat to get started.
Too busy to prioritise what you eat? It just needs a conscious thought before eating any meal and basic understanding of different kinds of food and nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron, calcium..
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Carbohydrates are either simple or complex and are a major source of energy. Simple carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, etc. while complex carbohydrates abound in cereals, roots, tubers, grains, etc. In the Indian diet, 70-80% of total dietary calories are derived from carbohydrates present in plant foods such as cereals, millets and pulses.
Also, fats - often termed 'bad' - are essential like other macronutrients. They are needed for energy, absorbing vitamin, and protecting the heart and brain health. Bad fats such as trans-fats and saturated fats, generally found in vegetable shortenings, butter, fried foods, hydrogenated oils are rightly blamed for weight gain and clogged arteries. But 'good' fats, such as unsaturated fats and omega 3, present in nuts and oil seeds, play a major role in managing mood, fighting fatigue, and even controlling weight.
Eat a lot of cereals, tubers, rice, wheat, potatoes, almonds, walnuts, coconut, groundnuts, oil seeds, vegetables oil, ghee, etc.
Carbohydrates are either simple or complex and are a major source of energy. Simple carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, etc. while complex carbohydrates abound in cereals, roots, tubers, g..
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Proteins, the 'body-building foods', are primary structural and functional components of every living cell. Milk, meat, fish and eggs and plant foods such as pulses and legumes are rich in protein. A typical Indian diet is mainly vegetarian. Therefore, a combination of cereals, millets and pulses must be eaten as it provides most of the amino-acids, which complement each other to provide better quality proteins.
One should also eat Bengal gram, green gram, lentils, red gram, cheese, khoya, milk powder, and nuts and oilseeds like groundnuts, cashew nuts, almond.
Proteins, the 'body-building foods', are primary structural and functional components of every living cell. Milk, meat, fish and eggs and plant foods such as pulses and legumes are rich in protein. ..
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Vitamins and minerals, and essential micronutrients, are required by the body in small amounts. They are essential for maintenance of the structure of skin, bones, nerves, eyes, brain and organs, as well as battling infections. Deficiencies, however, can lead to severe problems. The best way to ensure healthy growth and development is to consume a wide variety of fresh foods like leafy vegetables like ambat chukka, coriander, spinach, mint, amaranth, fenugreek, radish leaves and curry leaves, pumpkin, green chilies, carrots, fruits like mangoes and papaya, eggs, meats, dairy products, pulses and cereals.
Vitamins and minerals, and essential micronutrients, are required by the body in small amounts. They are essential for maintenance of the structure of skin, bones, nerves, eyes, brain and organs, as ..
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It's important to limit use of butter, refined flour, sugars, ready-to-eat fast food, and processed food. Cut down salt, soft drinks and fatty foods. Preferably, fill your plate with seasonal and locally available fruits and vegetables.
To have a good intake of folic acid, green leafy vegetables like amaranth, ambat chukka, mint and spinach, and pulses like Bengalgram, blackgram, greengram and redgram.
It's important to limit use of butter, refined flour, sugars, ready-to-eat fast food, and processed food. Cut down salt, soft drinks and fatty foods. Preferably, fill your plate with seasonal and lo..
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Make sure half of your plate consists of fruits and vegetables. Also, don't forget to include whole grains and cereals.
Iron deficiency can lead to extreme fatigue. To keep the haemoglobin level in desired levels, include iron-rich foods like amaranth, bengalgram, leaves, cauliflower, greens, radish leaves
Make sure half of your plate consists of fruits and vegetables. Also, don't forget to include whole grains and cereals.
Iron deficiency can lead to extreme fatigue. To keep the haemoglobin level in ..
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While it is important to eat macronutrients (carbohydrate, proteins and fats) in relatively large quantities, it is sufficient to consume micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in rather small quantities.
In order to get Vitamin C, eat more of citrus fruits, amla, guava, lemon, tomatoes, etc.
While it is important to eat macronutrients (carbohydrate, proteins and fats) in relatively large quantities, it is sufficient to consume micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in rather small quant..
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Always choose healthier options when eating out, and read the nutrition labels and ingredient list when buying food.
For a calcium-rich diet, eat cereals and legumes, ragi, kidney beans, soyabean, milk and milk products, nuts and oilseeds like coconut dry, almond, gingelly seeds, sunflower seeds.
Always choose healthier options when eating out, and read the nutrition labels and ingredient list when buying food.
For a calcium-rich diet, eat cereals and legumes, ragi, kidney beans, soyabean, ..
