New info about last week’s horribly flawed vitamin study. This story keeps getting worse and worse. A new Action Alert!
Last Monday the Archives of Internal Medicine released a study claiming that vitamin use might lead to an earlier death. This set off a major media feeding frenzy, wave after wave of scary stories. Fox’s headline was typical: “Are Your Supplements Killing You?”
In our article last Tuesday, we pointed out that the study was “junk science” at its worst. The data were “observational”: women in Iowa were asked what supplements they were taking three times over eighteen years—that is every six years. Who remembers what they have taken over six years?
In addition, it was all anecdotal: you didn’t have to say what you were taking specifically, just vague terms like “multivitamin.” Were the vitamins synthetic or natural? How much did they take? Did they really take it, and for how long? Did they take it to stay healthy or because they had become very ill, perhaps with cancer? No one knows.
The next day, Dr. Robert Verkerk, our scientific director, weighed in. His analysis reveals, among many other interesting points, that all of the data was “adjusted” by the authors using methods of their own choice. If you look at the study itself, the first thing you see is an adjustment for “age and energy.” After this adjustment, vitamins C, B complex, E, D, as well as calcium, magnesium, selenium, and zinc all appear to add to years lived.
This evidently wasn’t an acceptable conclusion. So two more adjustments were made. First, if you had a healthy lifestyle and took vitamin C and lived longer, the longer life was attributed largely to the healthy lifestyle and not to the vitamin C. That put everything except B complex and calcium into neutral or negative territory.
Still the authors weren’t satisfied. They adjusted again, this time for healthy eating, with the result that every supplement except calcium, B complex, and vitamin D became a contributor to an earlier death, according to this undocumented and completely loony math, and only calcium actually lengthened life. Not surprisingly, almost none of this—except possibly for the the use of copper supplements taken by 24 women at the end of the study—could be claimed to be statistically significant, even using the authors’ own methods.
The only accurate conclusion that can be drawn from this data is that supplement users are generally healthier people. The why and how and whether it is meaningful is really unknown
The authors of the study admitted they started out with a hypothesis that supplements wouldn’t add to life. It appears, although it is not revealed, that the supplement users actually lived longer than the non-supplement users. But the authors just manipulated the data until they got what they wanted and more: Supplements not only didn’t help—they were killers! And the lazy, biased, or naïve major media took it from there.
Life Extension Foundation also did its own scientific analysis of the Archives of Internal Medicine study. Among other things, it pointed out that copper and iron are pro-oxidants, so their overuse should be expected to lead to earlier mortality. It also noted that many people start taking supplements only after they become ill, which is not controlled for in any way, and that a sizeable minority of the supplements users were also taking drugs that have since been proved to be highly dangerous—patented hormones in particular—although no attempt whatever was made to control for drug use.
To pretend to control for so many factors but not to control for drug use—and to get through peer review this way—is a sad commentary on the state of medical research today. Could this be related to the overwhelming influence of drug companies on medical research in general?
Mike Adams’ NaturalNews.com also offered a close analysis of the junk science. In addition to covering what it referred to as the study’s “statistical voodoo,” it also reminded us that the Archives of Internal Medicine “receives millions of dollars in advertising from drug companies,” part of the $400 million that goes from drug companies to medical journals, and that the major media trumpeting the study in scary headlines also stay afloat from the $4.7 billion spent in Pharma-to-consumer ads (all of this data is from 2008, and is actually higher now).
As Dr. David Brownstein noted in a video interview with Adams: “This study says absolutely nothing about vitamins. If this study was done in reverse, where vitamins were shown to be effective [easily accomplished with some further data manipulation], no journal would have printed [it] because it was so poorly done.”
It might also be worth mentioning that the results of this so-called study contradict another Archives of Internal Medicine study from 2009, with four times as many participants, which showed that vitamins neither helped nor hurt mortality. We have to point out, however, that the earlier study from the same journal was also junk science. The main difference between the two is that in 2009 the apparently biased authors thought they would generate controversy be saying that popular supplements didn’t help, while the clearly biased authors in 2011 took their screwy methodology right over the cliff.
After offering such shoddy work, the authors even had the temerity to advise people: “We recommend that [supplements only] be used with… symptomatic nutrient deficiency disease.” The problem is that, having set out to prove this point, the authors have only demeaned themselves with their methods.
Two other researchers, invited to comment by the journal, say that the study findings “add to the growing evidence demonstrating that certain anti-oxidant supplements, such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta carotene, can be harmful.” The trouble with this glib statement is that even the most “adjusted” data about these three supplements in the study is not statistically significant.
If you take a look at our web archive, you will see many articles about outrageous medical research studies and media distortions of even good studies. We can’t afford to let these pass by. At this very moment, the FDA is trying to revise the regulations governing supplements (see our Action Alert!) in a way that could raise supplement prices sky high and greatly restrict your choice. Senator Durbin has a bill in the Senate (see our Action Alert!) that would do the same. This phony Archives of Internal Medicine study will be used by the FDA and Durbin. It will fan the flames. We need to get the truth out there in response.
To do so, we have two new Action Alerts.
The first one is for doctors and scientists and will go to the editor of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The second is for consumers, doctors, and scientists (note that we need doctors and scientists as well as consumers), and it will go to major media outlets—places like Bloomberg, AP, Reuters, NPR, Time, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NBC, USA Today, the Daily Beast, and Fox, among others. It will also go to Congress because of the connection to new FDA regulations and the Durbin bill.
Please TAKE ACTION NOW!
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DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS: TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE TO THE ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE: CONSUMERS, DOCTORS, AND SCIENTISTS: TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE TO CONGRESS AND MAJOR MEDIA: |
Vitamins are much better than drugs. The FDA is in bed with drug companies. This needs to come to an end and leave vitamins to their on. No more fake or false news releases about vitamins. How about letting the american people know that 3 million people have died from tainge big pharma’s crap in the last 27 years. People need to be aware they might die early death just by taking one of their pills. That’s what really needs to be told to the american people.
AS long as most of our vitamins come from polluted China, where the methyl mercury in the air and toxin the the water exist, it is highly plausible that our vitamins can be toxic. Moreover, they have corruption, lower standards and laws are not enforced uniformly, so you have no idea what you are getting. Despite what companies say, you cannot do 100% testing on food, vitamins and phamaceuticals.
Copper and Iron shorten Life???
Looks to me like Life Extension’s Science is no less junky than Archives Of InFernal Medicine.
I have several studies done by no less than USDA, that copper dramatically increased the lifetime of rats, chicken and rabbits. The reason is copper increases the SOD content of cells, making them resistant to cancer, and increase the elastin synthesis enzyme lysyl oxidase, which strengthens the arterial and venous ground substance. (Hill Starcher Kim 1967)
Overdose amounts are harmful, those are both very important minerals that people can easily be deficient in same as they can easily take to much. Still I think the issue only arises from long-term over consumption of these nutrrients.
That is why I firmly believe all Health Professionals need training on nutrition & actively guide their patients to quality nutraceutical & the proper usage. Stop the bandage approach when it comes to patients health. Doctors should first help prevent patients becoming sick. Just an annual checkup is not enough to guide patients to optimal health !!!!!!!!!!
Great reply by Dr. Schep ! I would add that the scientisit who discovered SOD also studied Oxidative Stress and aging factors connected to the 200 Major diseases for over 40 years, and formulated a product that does indeed take this same fact to fruition … Proven by science and medicine. Too good to be true … was a couple of years ago ! NOW … it’s reality ! A product that eliminates 40 to 70 % of the Oxidative Stress from your system ! See the facts … http://www.mylifevantage.com/220189
In the US alone there are more than 110,000 deaths per year attributed to pharamceuticals, 10,000 deaths atrributed to all over the counter and “illegal” drugs yet the FDA is concentrates its efforts to do away with supplements which is in the minus 1% of deaths. Seems the FDA is wasting tax payers money focusing on the least harmful, and probably the most beneficial health aids. The FDA works for biotech& [harmaceutical companies yet we, the taxpayers, pay their salaries. Can’t we do bette? The FDA needs to be revamped, restaffed and recommitted to safeguarding the citizens of this country.
The infinite greed of Big Pharma amazes me beyond words. They are launching an all-out attack on suppliments, the only things that are really keeping people healthy. Big Pharma doesn’t want people to be healthy. They don’t want people to be dead. They want people to be sick and stay sick, while they pump them full of their outrageously expensive, toxic drugs. They are making monstrous fortunes, yet it is never enough. They will never allow a cure for cancer or Hiv. Those are their biggest moneymakers. If they can take away our suppliments more people will be sick and they can make even more money. But people are not stupid. We know about Big Pharma, the FDA, the AMA, Monsanto…etc….
Thank you for speaking out about this media frenzy currently going on concerning taking vitamins and early death as a result. I have been amazed each day when I open my newspaper (yes, I still take a physical paper), and have seen this study take on a life of its own. We need to have more publications such as this one where the truth can be made known.
I am a 60 yr. old woman, and have been taking vitamins for over 40 yrs. My son does not take vitamins and he is only 41 and I can run circles around him and out walk him by miles. No, he does NOT take vitamins, although I did give them to him and his sisters when they were children. They were very healthy and we gave them ‘whole’ foods to eat from our garden and organic eggs. Our daughters to this day take vitamins and give them to their children, and there are only positive results.
For myself I suffered from seasonal depression because we live in New York. Taking vitamin D3 has helped beyond belief, I take 5,000 IU every day. After all the years I have studied the importance of vitamins I would be very STUPID not to pass this on to loved ones and friends and they have been grateful for their improved health. Happy to hear there are scientists out there who have a brain and can share their great knowledge for our health. I would love to tell them I am grateful. Thank you for this opportunity to vent on this topic.
The pharmaceutical lobby should stay out of people’s business. Prescription drugs are far more
dangerous than supplements. People are dying from them. Enough is
enough. Stay out of our business.
I haven’t been to a doctor in years and don’t need to go. I never take presceiption drugs and
don’t want doctors anywhere near me.
I have been taking vitamins and supplements for years and I feel they are keeping me in good health. I take no prescription medications. I believe the drug companies put medications on the market that are not properly tested and they cause serious complications yet they want take vitamins and supplements off the market so they can sell you their medications that are outrageously over priced and possibly harmful or useless.
Thank you for looking our for the consumer and preventive health practices!!
Good job, always.
This is a likely ploy of the pharmaceutical and medical establishment.
the “remember me” doesn’t work (using firefox)
can you help?
I was wondering when someone was going to take issue with these ridiculous reports that have been flooding the media. I suppose Big Pharma is really panicking. I hope that people have enough intilligence to put 2 and 2 together and realize that one of the reasons that Big Pharma is running out of prescription meds. is because more people are taking dietary supplements in order to avoid taking prescription meds., because they find that there is no longer a need for them.
27 years, no deaths from any kind of supplement.. and pharma kills 420,000 annually. Now that’s population control and enormous expense that we can’t afford. The number of sick and wounded from the drug model is what is more appalling and more expensive, plus it’s long term. Shame is right! Go ANH!!
This is just part of a set-up as ammunition for the FDA to remove supplements. We will see more and more of this kind on junk distorted science to convince the American people and congress that supplements must be eliminated so the pharmaceutical companies have no competition. So much for a free market.
Keep up the good work. It is so important that the shoddy research is exposed. Most people do not have the knowledge/training to evaluate these studies or access to their reviews. I think in most cases of pharm based studies, it boils down to “follow the money.”
I have had 5 strokes documented by five medical institutes. My neurologist in March of 2008 said I could set up an appointment to see him in September but he said if I did not start taking his pharmaceutical drugs and kept taking herbs and vitamins, I probably wouldn’t make it to September. His diagnosis of my stroke included the summary that my stroke was caused by the herbs given to me by a natural path. He said I was suicidal to leave a hospital and go to take herbs and acupuncture from a quack.
He refused to credit the person he called a quack for helping me survive my stroke.
Four strokes later my wife asked for a thorough evaluation and the specialists who did the exam told her I had four new strokes (March 16, 2009)-. They said I had two hemorrhages two blockages. They said if they treated a blockage it would cause hemorrhaging and treating the hemorrhaging would cause blockages. Their closing comments were, “Condition untreatable, permanent, and another heart attack or stroke would most likely result in loss of life”.
My wife’s response to my request to leave the hospital and her having the medical power of attorney over my treatments, allowed me to leave the hospital that day. I never took any of their prescribed drugs,
I have been drug and alcohol free for 28 years, and I know vitamins and herbs are not poisons. No I don’t smoke marijuana, either. I don’t use anything as a recreation substance because I have respect for all of creation.
Those who say vitamins are poison don’t respect the vastness of life.
UMSIH, Dalon Jones
I have benefitted greatly from your news letters. The knowledge about vitamins and supplements
and me taking them has enriched my life to a new level. I am 74 years old and people guess me in
mid 50’s. I am embarrsed because I fell like I am onle in my 40’s. I have the glow of early life. I own and operate 2 farms and plan to do so until 99 years of age, retirement is for other people,
not me. After 99 I plan to run in marathons. Knowledge is power. Truth will prevale.
James Pelowski Utica, Minnesota 55979
According to the two Medical Doctors who wrote the content for medicinenet.com, Medical Author: Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH Medical Editor:William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR,
the 3 following sources were used to confirm the public health recommendation of supplementation with folate acid, and multi-vitamins for cardiovascular issues.
They even give the FDA credit for the recommendation. I found several books and websites with this recommendation from public health and health care practitioners. This is not the first time I have found government health agencies working against each other. This whole farce a perfect example of just how pathetic our public health system really is. The telomere research that won the Noble prize in 2009 confirmed multi-vitamins extend life. Did everyone in Internal Medicine miss this award winning research?
http://www.medicinenet.com/homocysteine/page4.htm
Eikelboom, JW, Lonn, E, Genest, J Jr, et al. Homocyst(e)ine and cardiovascular disease: a critical review of the epidemiologic evidence. Ann Intern Med 1999; 131:363
Robinson, K, Arheart, K, Refsum, H, et al. for the European COMCAC Group. Low circulating folate and vitamin B6 concentrations. Risk factors for stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and coronary artery disease. Circulation 1998; 97:437.
He, K, Merchant, A, Rimm, EB, et al. Folate, vitamin B6, and B12 intakes in relation to risk of stroke among men. Stroke 2004; 35:169.
I have first hand experience by using subplements and herbs after being told by my doctor of health conditions that I had. Refusing to us drugs, I told my doctor that I would use natural remedies. After six months or so passed the doctor would see me and after review of lab results was totally amazed that not only were my symptoms gone I was cured. The doctor not only wanted to know what I used but also the dose admitting that any drugs he would have prescribed would not have cured me, Thats when I told him that 12 years of med school never showed him how to heal because he was a despencery of synthitic drugs that would allways be rejected by the human body.
I take iron, vitamin D and B-12 shots prescribed to me by my doctor. I was massively deficient when they tested me. There is nothing wrong with a one a day to make sure we get a bit 0of everything. I was fainting from lack of iron and my vitamin D was well down in the clinical deficiency range. Trust me, a bit more is better than too little! It was a nightmare till it got straightened out.
Now it is proven. The medical and pharmaceutical industry together with the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know nothing about medicine. They are flim-flam amateurs and a fraud in their own profession. They are so desperate to cover up this fact, that they falsify studies and research results trying to white-wash their incompetence with junk science arguments. Eventually the public can see who the charlatans are!
Never forget that the government spent our social security money years ago. A population that dies before the age of eligibility to receive benefits is always a relief for the bureaucrats. There is more than just the FDA working against us. Far too many of my friends and acquaintances have died in their 40s and 50s recently. That’s not natural. We are being assaulted from all directions.
Now it is proven. The medical and pharmaceutical industry together with the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know nothing about medicine. They are flim-flam amateurs and a fraud in their own profession. They are so desperate to cover up this fact, that they falsify studies and research results trying to white-wash their incompetence with junk science arguments. Eventually the public can see who the charlatans are!
Now it is proven. The medical and pharmaceutical industry together with the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know nothing about medicine. They are flim-flam amateurs and a fraud in their own profession. They are so desperate to cover up this fact, that they falsify studies and research results trying to white-wash their incompetence with junk science arguments. Eventually the public can see who the charlatans are!
Now it is proven. The medical and pharmaceutical industry together with the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know nothing about medicine. They are flim-flam amateurs and a fraud in their own profession. They are so desperate to cover up this fact, that they falsify studies and research results trying to white-wash their incompetence with junk science arguments. Eventually the public can see who the charlatans are!
Now it is proven. The medical and pharmaceutical industry together with the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know nothing about medicine. They are flim-flam amateurs and a fraud in their own profession. They are so desperate to cover up this fact, that they falsify studies and research results trying to white-wash their incompetence with junk science arguments. Eventually the public can see who the charlatans are!
Now it is proven. The medical and pharmaceutical industry together with the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) know nothing about medicine. They are flim-flam amateurs and a fraud in their own profession. They are so desperate to cover up this fact, that they falsify studies and research results trying to white-wash their incompetence with junk science arguments. Eventually the public can see who the charlatans are!
Please keep our rights to choose supplements our rights not the governments
I have been taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbs since the 60 s while staying abreast
of all the research thru the years and I do 2 blood tests per year , and use no prescription
drug or aspirin and have always remained healthy. and retired at 75. I Work 16 hrs a
day now for myself. So when I read these basher reports against vitamin usage , and there
have been many over the years, it is so obvious that they were paid for by the drug makers.
I wish someone would do some research on deaths and it could be limited to just cancer
deaths , where the patients medical history and prescribed drug intake were observed and
see how many died from the damages caused by the drugs.Just look thru the PDR. REFERENCE
book and peruse the massive lists of contraindications on each one. And then write a report
so all Americans can see for themselves.
I have been taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbs since the 60 s while staying abreast
of all the research thru the years and I do 2 blood tests per year , and use no prescription
drug or aspirin and have always remained healthy. and retired at 75. I Work 16 hrs a
day now for myself. So when I read these basher reports against vitamin usage , and there
have been many over the years, it is so obvious that they were paid for by the drug makers.
I wish someone would do some research on deaths and it could be limited to just cancer
deaths , where the patients medical history and prescribed drug intake were observed and
see how many died from the damages caused by the drugs.Just look thru the PDR. REFERENCE
book and peruse the massive lists of contraindications on each one. And then write a report
so all Americans can see for themselves.
I have been taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbs since the 60 s while staying abreast
of all the research thru the years and I do 2 blood tests per year , and use no prescription
drug or aspirin and have always remained healthy. and retired at 75. I Work 16 hrs a
day now for myself. So when I read these basher reports against vitamin usage , and there
have been many over the years, it is so obvious that they were paid for by the drug makers.
I wish someone would do some research on deaths and it could be limited to just cancer
deaths , where the patients medical history and prescribed drug intake were observed and
see how many died from the damages caused by the drugs.Just look thru the PDR. REFERENCE
book and peruse the massive lists of contraindications on each one. And then write a report
so all Americans can see for themselves.
I have been taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbs since the 60 s while staying abreast
of all the research thru the years and I do 2 blood tests per year , and use no prescription
drug or aspirin and have always remained healthy. and retired at 75. I Work 16 hrs a
day now for myself. So when I read these basher reports against vitamin usage , and there
have been many over the years, it is so obvious that they were paid for by the drug makers.
I wish someone would do some research on deaths and it could be limited to just cancer
deaths , where the patients medical history and prescribed drug intake were observed and
see how many died from the damages caused by the drugs.Just look thru the PDR. REFERENCE
book and peruse the massive lists of contraindications on each one. And then write a report
so all Americans can see for themselves.
I have been taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbs since the 60 s while staying abreast
of all the research thru the years and I do 2 blood tests per year , and use no prescription
drug or aspirin and have always remained healthy. and retired at 75. I Work 16 hrs a
day now for myself. So when I read these basher reports against vitamin usage , and there
have been many over the years, it is so obvious that they were paid for by the drug makers.
I wish someone would do some research on deaths and it could be limited to just cancer
deaths , where the patients medical history and prescribed drug intake were observed and
see how many died from the damages caused by the drugs.Just look thru the PDR. REFERENCE
book and peruse the massive lists of contraindications on each one. And then write a report
so all Americans can see for themselves.
I have been taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbs since the 60 s while staying abreast
of all the research thru the years and I do 2 blood tests per year , and use no prescription
drug or aspirin and have always remained healthy. and retired at 75. I Work 16 hrs a
day now for myself. So when I read these basher reports against vitamin usage , and there
have been many over the years, it is so obvious that they were paid for by the drug makers.
I wish someone would do some research on deaths and it could be limited to just cancer
deaths , where the patients medical history and prescribed drug intake were observed and
see how many died from the damages caused by the drugs.Just look thru the PDR. REFERENCE
book and peruse the massive lists of contraindications on each one. And then write a report
so all Americans can see for themselves.
You can be sure there is a long term plan here. They are working with the FDA to plant negative seed in the public mind. Then, when the ruling comes out that vitamins must be prescribed by your doctor there won’t be too much outrage.
They’ve done it before. One example is ephedra and the Florida baseball player. They were waiting for something to boost public support. This time though, they are creating it because they can’t find a good negative event to capitalize on.
Orthodox medicine is nothing short of ridiculous!
I’ve helped heal over 10,000 of my own patients with these nutrients they claim are shortening life.
Mainstream medicine is desperate because the truth is many are waking up to their ignorance of health. Thank God for all the crazy Big Pharma commercials highlighting all the drug side-effects. Intelligent people are now making fun of them.
I just now sent an email to Kim Robien, the principle investigator for the Iowa Women’s Health Study to ask her some questions about how the participants were recruited and who funded the study.
The methodology of this vitamin and supplement study is so biased that any reasonably thinking scientist would have thrown it out on it’s ears.
Also, whatever happened to the basic scientific credo of replication? One very bad study does not a scientific certainty make!
Robert Kracauer
Prior researcher in Medical research.
We now have a system (the Internet) that is now exposing us to the Truth, about many and all subjects!
Before the Internet we were only able to read a very small controlled information that Big Business wanted us to know.
All over the World now – information is getting to us all in a second. Revolutions are started by the new technology the Internet. Now that we have this wonderful information network, false infromaton can be exposed! Like what you are doing now. We are in a World Wide Revolution of Information that will only benefit ManKind. Thank you for all you are doing for the rest of us. Cheers! Bill Montague
It’s all about money, isn’t it? If a pharma lab spends x number of monetary units on testing some product, then the results had better be positive, hadn’t they? So who gets screwed in this scenario? We do. Especially when the industry has its eye on those horrible dietary supplements that so many people seem to prefer in place of their toxic products. They’re taking some of pharma’s market share…unthinkable! They must be stopped!
We have to stay vigilant and be sure our upstanding model citizens that represent us in Congress know that we won’t vote for them if they vote to take away our supplements.
Hey ANH,
Thanks for continuing to cover this hot subject! I did want to say that although I’m in agreement with you on the core of your argument, I think you went a little overboard. “adjustment for …age and energy, whatever “energy” means in this case” Energy refers to calorie intake. Although it’s a little out of date way of wording it, that’s still an appropriate scientific term. Not only that, but they clarify that on table 1 “Energy intake kcal/d”. I used your link to find that information… Also, where the article says “…according to this undocumented and completely loony math….” If the math was undocumented, how do you know it was loony? Again, I agree that this study is a sad piece of “research”. But when you start attacking it without offering a detailed rebuttal, it adds to the fire, but takes away from reasonable discussion. I’m more reluctant to share this article because of small issuesPlease keep fighting the good fight and point out the simple truth of these flawed studies.
Co-author Lisa Harnack, Dr.PH, RD, MPH, is Director of the Nutrition Coordinating Center at the U of Minnesota. She also has some strong views about the dangers of vitamin D.
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/health/professor-dishes-on-vitamin-d-use-sept-15-2011
It always amazes me how people can be influenced by the babble on Morning Shows, News Reports, fake studies, etc etc. Who are those people reporting on something that somebody said somewhere? What are their credentials? And more importantly: Who is paying them? People, smarten up, use the internet wisely, gather all info and go with your guts. We don’t need FDA regulations on vitamins. They better make sure that genetically modified foods stay off our tables. How many people die everyday from drug overdoses, interactions, side effects, adverse effects, or surgery? How many people die everyday of Vitamin overdoses, under doses, side effects, interactions, adverse effects? Why does nobody report on these numbers?
‘The FDA should be called the war on natural medicine’ If i ever wished for one federal program abolished it would be a draw for two’ CPS and FDA’ Ii would have to wish these two programs where closed forever until such a time when they could be re structured by wise men not used as weapons to destroy families and persons but to heal them and make the people in charge of themselves not the system in charge of the people! It should be against the law for anyone to tell a parent how to raise there child as well as what they use for pain in the house or abroad! REMEMBER THESE WORDS DO NOT COVET ANYTHING IN A MANS HOUSE NOT HIS-MAID SERVANT OR HIS OX OR ASS OR ANYTHING OF THAT MANS HOUSE! DO NOT TELL ANYONE WHAT THEY PLACE THEIR BODY’S IT”S NOT THE GOVERNMENTS JOB TO GOVERN IT! AND IT’S BEST TO LEAVE THAT CHOICE TO THE-PERSON IF THEY WANT TO DIE FROM EATING POISON THAN LET THEM DIE!
Soon everyone will be given their chance to reclaim what was once theirs this includes property well being and Justus Who am I ? THAT IS-THE GAZILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
Figure it out yourselves………..
Great article ! You’ll never see one like this in any of the major media sources of (mis) information. They are bought and paid for with all the advertising $.
Sadly perhaps, I did not need this list of problems with the study, to discount it. My experience with vitamins and vitamin takers is full of the evidence not only of how much good they can do people, but of the benefits of simply becoming more informed and taking the reins on one’s health outcomes.
Plus, a few years back they tried the same thing, and it went back to who was funding the “research:” Not the AMA itself, but drug manufacturers. “All” the AMA did, was to take drug money and give them the “results” they asked for. The motivation of the drug companies and their pet “doctors” was pretty evident: If people could no longer keep themselves healthy, there would be more money for the companies and “doctors.”
Believe it or not, I didn’t used to be such a cynic. I’m cured of that naivete, now.
Even though it may sound like something straight out a science fiction novel, the underlying truth behind reports such as this is an attempt by those who profit from disease to keep people in the dark by censoring vital information about the enormous health benefits of dietary supplements. In the U.S., it’s strictly prohibited to for any dietary supplement to associate itself with a claim of disease treatment, even if the claim has been proven to be true, which keeps the people away from information that could extend or even save lives. When it comes to health, a well-informed public will of course make dietary decisions that minimizes the risk of disease and improves health thus reducing the need for expensive pharmaceutical drug-based therapies.
Anyone watching the anti-aging research develop knows that a molecule found within the Astragalus herb has been proven to extend the telomeres, and thus extend the life of the cell. The pharmaceutical company that found it passed it on to a biotech company that now sells it through a doctor’s prescription for $2500- $5000 depending on dosage. At those prices it is only available to the rich. They say the high price is due to the difficulty of extracting the constituent from an herb. Any herbalist knows this is false information. Thirty-nine other telomere extending molecules have also been found in herbs.Probably more now.
Further research into policy making and implementation has lead me to believe that these attacks on supplements are so that the biotech companies can have proprietary use of herbs to locate compounds they can use for anti-aging medicines and extraordinarily high priced supplements.
Recently our elected officials in DC have pledged to advance the biotech industry, and I believe this is why they want to take herbs and other nutrient supplements out of the hands of the people. Permitting the biotech industry to prosper while the only one who can get the components to maintain health are the rich who are planning to have a longer life than the rest of us. This is how they plan on doing this.
My question is how do we fight the biotech progress, which is threatening the public’s health and lives? We have not gotten far in our fight against GMOs. Its not just ignorant backward Senators that is the issue here. Scientist are very smart and backed by the very rich and our legislators, can they really be stopped?Creating monopolies are our legislators specialty. They are not going after melatonin infused brownies, that is just a way to cover up the real agenda. Even raw materials one encapsulates on their own is being threatened, and word is prices are going higher than even expected.
If ever our vote counted, we are going to have to use it during this election to detour this supplement grab or give up hope of having a chance to maintain our health. We must vote as if our health depends on it; because it truly does. We may never get another chance, not as fast as they are moving on this issue. Good luck everyone, we are all going to need it.
The most reputable companies do not use China to vet their supplements. They may have in the past, but soon learned the pitfalls of doing that, and most of them use USA oversight with their own people on the ground. Quality control is tight in the US among the most highly regarded supplement manufacturers.
JOANNE BECKER