Senior News Line: Research before taking vitamins and supplements

Oh, it was so tempting, I have to admit. When a neighbor strolled by on her afternoon walk, we got to talking about how she stays in shape, and she rattled off a list of vitamins and supplements that she takes.

She swears by them, and she appears to be in excellent condition — although being 20 years younger might have something to do with it. Still, I was tempted to try some of those supplements she recommended.

But a little voice told me to check first before I loaded up my cart at the big box store. It’s a good thing I did.

I learned that too much calcium can affect the absorption of several medications, and St. John’s wort can change how over 70% of prescription drugs work, sometimes in dangerous ways.

I also learned that one of the supplements advertised on TV is made with grapefruit, which I cannot have.

This is a time to be cautious. Do not add any supplements to your diet without running it by your doctor.

Even giving a list of potential supplements to the nurse practitioner can be a good start if she also asks the doctor.

If you’re thinking about taking vitamin D or Omega-3, ask about increasing your intake of seafood instead.

If you wonder about magnesium for bone health, ask whether you need it or if you should eat more bananas.

Read the labels on your food. Cereal, for example, is already fortified with several vitamins.

Remember that the vitamin and supplement industry is not regulated. Many are made overseas, and our FDA has no say in what’s actually in each one.

Do your own online research. Checking drug interaction websites can help. The one I liked best is www.drugs.com — click “Interaction Checker.”

Read what the National Institutes of Health has to say about dietary supplements for seniors at http://tinyurl.com/2w6pwuvj.

Search their database of 178,111 supplements at dsld.od.nih.gov.