34
3.9 Future Perspectives
Attitudes toward safety, efficacy, and values about what is important in food and life
will be important in determining future needs involving supplement science in the
countries we have discussed and perhaps elsewhere in the world. Safety is critical
and requires better chains of custody and product characterization that exists at
present for these products, particularly those involving global markets. Efficacy/
health promotion claims for the product as being true and not misleading is also
critical. Demonstrating efficacy requires clinical studies with well-defined products
and rigorous experimental designs, and the studies must be replicable (NCCIH
2017). Finally, there are issues of personal choice and values, sometimes involving
the efficacy of supplements as complementary and alternative therapies that are part
of larger philosophical or religious world views and systems (Sebastian et al. 2017;
González-Sarrías et al. 2017). Supplements intended to enhance sports performance
(Kuhman et al. 2015) botanicals used for disease treatment (Costello et al. 2016)
and those ingredients thought to slow aging (Delmas 2015) all require identification
of valid biomarkers of efficacy as well as of exposure. The associations between
supplement ingredients and health outcomes in chronic degenerative diseases must
be clarified (Yetley et al. 2016; Pérez-Cano and Castell 2016). Collaborations
among scientists in a number of countries are needed to drive supplement science
forward. Irrespective of the type of health product, high quality science is fundamental to the success of any regulatory framework. Assessments of the safety, quality and efficacy of nutrients and other bioactive compounds are needed to provide
the scientific information that regulators need (Taylor and Yetley 2008).
3.10 Conclusion
Scientists and health professionals agree that dietary supplements can be under certain conditions beneficial to human health but should not replace complete and balanced daily meals of food substances. The market for dietary supplements taken to
improve the health or well-being of the customer is enormous. However, these products are not necessarily safe for everybody. Like regular drugs, supplements with
active ingredients that provide a physiological or pharmacological effect are likely
to also cause adverse effects in susceptible individuals. More attention to adverse
effects and potential interactions is needed to avoid serious medical outcomes.
Users and physicians alike should consult updated literature before beginning or
advising a regimen involving these substances. Medical providers should be aware
that a large fraction of the general population takes dietary supplements. They
should therefore request information from patients about their supplement intake to
provide optimal medical care. Self-prescription of dietary supplements should be
avoided and patients, older people, pregnant women, young persons and people livS. Hassan et al.
3.9 Future Perspectives
Attitudes toward safety, efficacy, and values about what is important in food and life
will be important in determining future needs involving supplement science in the
countries we have discussed and perhaps elsewhere in the world. Safety is critical
and requires better chains of custody and product characterization that exists at
present for these products, particularly those involving global markets. Efficacy/
health promotion claims for the product as being true and not misleading is also
critical. Demonstrating efficacy requires clinical studies with well-defined products
and rigorous experimental designs, and the studies must be replicable (NCCIH
2017). Finally, there are issues of personal choice and values, sometimes involving
the efficacy of supplements as complementary and alternative therapies that are part
of larger philosophical or religious world views and systems (Sebastian et al. 2017;
González-Sarrías et al. 2017). Supplements intended to enhance sports performance
(Kuhman et al. 2015) botanicals used for disease treatment (Costello et al. 2016)
and those ingredients thought to slow aging (Delmas 2015) all require identification
of valid biomarkers of efficacy as well as of exposure. The associations between
supplement ingredients and health outcomes in chronic degenerative diseases must
be clarified (Yetley et al. 2016; Pérez-Cano and Castell 2016). Collaborations
among scientists in a number of countries are needed to drive supplement science
forward. Irrespective of the type of health product, high quality science is fundamental to the success of any regulatory framework. Assessments of the safety, quality and efficacy of nutrients and other bioactive compounds are needed to provide
the scientific information that regulators need (Taylor and Yetley 2008).
3.10 Conclusion
Scientists and health professionals agree that dietary supplements can be under certain conditions beneficial to human health but should not replace complete and balanced daily meals of food substances. The market for dietary supplements taken to
improve the health or well-being of the customer is enormous. However, these products are not necessarily safe for everybody. Like regular drugs, supplements with
active ingredients that provide a physiological or pharmacological effect are likely
to also cause adverse effects in susceptible individuals. More attention to adverse
effects and potential interactions is needed to avoid serious medical outcomes.
Users and physicians alike should consult updated literature before beginning or
advising a regimen involving these substances. Medical providers should be aware
that a large fraction of the general population takes dietary supplements. They
should therefore request information from patients about their supplement intake to
provide optimal medical care. Self-prescription of dietary supplements should be
avoided and patients, older people, pregnant women, young persons and people livS. Hassan et al.