Final Paper: Herbs, Supplements, & Nutrition

Deena Jirjees

Oakland University

 

 

 

 

 

1. Introduction:

The U.S Food & Drug Administration regulates the dietary supplements and various dietary ingredients. According to the set of regulations used by FDA, manufacturers and distributors are responsible for evaluating the safety of the products before selling them to consumers. In addition, each dietary supplement has to be labeled with safety precautions, including side effects, possible allergies, and the consequences of overdose. In addition, each supplement has to meet the requirements of FDA regulations and the regulations in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Overall, FDA and DSHEA control each manufacturer and distributor, and FDA is also responsible for taking fast action against misbranded dietary supplement products that already reached the market.

The supplement that the client uses is called “Balanced Health Omega”, and it is made by a brand called ‘Nutrilite’. It is a supplement that contains less than 0.5 grams of saturated and monounsaturated fat, and 1.5 g of polyunsaturated fat per serving. It also contains 3 mg of cholesterol per serving. As for vitamins, it contains 15 UI of vitamin E per saving, which equals 50% of daily value, which is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. In addition, it contains 450 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 450 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Other ingredients include fish oil, glycerin, water, gelatin, mixed natural tocopherols, and soybean oil. The client indicates that he does not have any allergies to foods, plants or flowers, but he is lactose intolerant, which brings certain discomfort when he consumes products that contain lactose. However, there is no lactose in the supplement, so the client feels comfortable consuming it. He has been using the supplement for a week in accordance with the recommendation, and he plans to continue using it, due to the health benefits. The “Balanced Health Omega” comes in a form of a soft gel, and one should take three servings per day (which equals to 9 soft gels per day, or 15.75 ounces of omega-3 fatty acids per week) before meals. To conclude, the client has said that there were several improvements in his health after he started to take the supplement. His concentration had increased, and he also indicated that he felt calmer than usual (there were several nerve wreaking events but they did not have a high impact on him). There were no bad reactions or side effects, except fish breath and the taste of fish in the mouth, which are not an issue for the client. The client also indicated that he has not taken more than the dose shown on the label, due to the fear of overdose. Moreover, the client does not consume other medications besides the supplement. It is recommended to consult a medical professional before choosing an over-the-counter drug because some medications can negatively interact with the supplement.  

            Furthermore, the client indicates that he uses the supplement only to support his health because he cannot consume ocean fish and fish oils. He does not have any health conditions, and he uses the supplement to increase his concentration, awareness, help the blood flow and his nervous system.

1. Supporting Evidence:

It was surprising to discover that there are no researchers dedicated to the specific supplement, which is "Balanced Health Omega" by Nutrilite. It should be noted that there are studies dedicated to the overall impact of Omega-3 on the health of consumers. However, they are not directly associated with the product and therefore they cannot be used for the study and research on the dietary supplement. In addition, the client does not have any health care issues associated with the consumption of the supplement and therefore they cannot be discussed for this research.

            Due to the lack of research articles dedicated to this specific dietary supplement, one should find research related to the specific nutrient that is used in the supplement, which is Omega-3 fatty acid. According to numerous studies dedicated to this nutrient, it has various health benefits. However, two aspects were chosen for this study, including the impact of the supplement on anxiety and depression, and how it influences age-related macular degeneration. I have chosen two articles that cover the two mentioned subjects. The first article is “Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depression: Scientific Evidence and Biological Mechanism.” The objective of the study is to discover the association between omega-3 intake and depression. The research design of this study is exploratory and clinical. The results have shown that there is a connection between depression and consumption of Omega-3 but yet the role of this nutrient still remains to be clarified. However, the researchers recommend proper intake of omega-3 because it “can result in substantial benefits for the general population” (Grosso et al., 2014). The second study was dedicated to the neovascular age-related macular degeneration and how it can be influenced by regular consumption of Omega-3. The research design of this study was exploratory. The results have shown that the intake of fish oil, which contains Omega-3, was significantly lower among patients who have AMD than in those who consumed the recommended amount. The researchers conducted that the consumption of Omega-3 is beneficial because it can prevent the neovascular age-related macular degeneration, which is one of the main causes of permanent blindness (Merle et al., 2014). Overall, each of the researchers is significant for the paper because they show the impact of the nutrient on health. Both studies provided charts and discussion, which are the main strengths of the paper. However, it should be noted that the first study lacked information about the causes of depression among the patients who were used for the study. The first study directly relates to the client because depression and anxiety are disorders that can be developed at different age and sex. The second study is important as well because macular degeneration is quite common and one should be aware of the aspects that can prevent this illness.

1. Considerations:

The most common side effects that may occur while consuming the dietary supplement is bad breath, and the taste of fish in mouth, but in general the supplement is safe to consume. However, one should be aware that Omega-3 acids help with the blood flow by making blood less thick. Therefore, consuming too many fatty acids can cause bleeding. It is important to consume the recommended amount of Omega-3 acids and to consult a medical professional if there is a need for increasing the dose of the supplement. As for my client, he is aware of the side effects and the general safety of the supplement.

There are certain medications that interact with the supplement, including aspirin, Warfarin, anticoagulant, and overall medications that alter blood coagulation. The client does not take medications that may interact with the supplement. However, it should be noted that it is important to know what medications can interact with the supplement because there may be some risks. For example, the supplement influences the thickness of blood, and medications that are prescribed for altering blood coagulation can cause more blood clots.

The supplement "Balanced Health Omega" it contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are found in ocean fish. It is possible to obtain these essential fatty acids from fish oil or from eating raw fish. Moreover, it would be better to consume Omega-3 through ocean fish, if this is possible, because food products do not have a high concentration of nutrients, and, therefore, they are a healthy alternative to supplements who may have too many nutrients. One can consume too many fatty acids without even realizing it, by taking the daily value of the supplement and then eating an ocean fish for dinner, for example. Therefore, one should choose natural food products when possible.

The client is taking three serving of the supplement per day, which equals to 9 soft gels or 15.75 ounces of Omega-3 fatty acids per week. According to the client, he is taking the supplement to support his memory, learning, and blood flow, and to support his nerve system. It is appropriate to consume 9 soft gels for his goal. The dose is safe for health and because the client does not take any other medication or supplement, there is no risk of overdosing in Omega-3 fatty acids or interaction with other medications.

Even though it is beneficial for health, consuming soft gels is not the best form of supplement. There are other ways to obtain the needed amount of omega-3 fatty acids, including consuming fish, fish oil in liquid form, and processed fish oil. However, for some people, it is hard to consume fresh fish oil due to the taste, texture, and consistency, which is why people prefer soft gels.

1. Recommendation and Reaction:

The “Balanced Health Omega” supplement is one of the safest and most effective ways of receiving enough nutrients. I believe that the client should continue to use the dietary supplement because of the health benefits. Omega-3 is an important nutrient that can help with various mental issues and disorders, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. According to a recent study, a daily intake of fish oil helps to prevent or decrease depression in patients (Grosso et al., 2014). Moreover, Omega-3 acid is an important component that is crucial for eye health. It helps to lower the chances of macular degeneration, which is one of the leading causes of blindness and eye damage (Merle et al., 2014). I would also recommend continuing to consume the supplement because it is one of the healthy alternatives when one cannot consume enough ocean fish. It does not have any side effects, and the client does not take any medications so the supplement does not interact with them.    

I have provided the client the learned information about the supplement. I told him the impact of Omega-3 fatty acids on both mental and physical health. I explained that according to several studies, Omega-3 fatty acids tend to decrease anxiety and depression, and overall makes people more calm than usual. It should be noted that the client stated that he noticed a slight decrease in disturbance during fairly exciting events. However, he does not complain about this effect, and he says that he is fully satisfied and is enjoying his calm state of mind.

 Moreover, I provided information on the side effects of the supplement, including fish breath and fish taste, and the consequences that may occur from overdose. He is aware of the side effects and that the overdose of this dietary supplement may cause bleeding. Therefore, he is extremely aware of the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids that he consumes daily, and he does not consume other supplement or ocean fish in order to prevent the overdose of this supplement. I also explained how the supplement interacts with other medications. According to the client, when consulting with a medical professional during an illness he always mentions the supplement in order to prevent negative medical interaction. 

I recommended the client to consume more ocean fish and natural fish oil in liquid form. However, according to the client, he cannot consume ocean fish due to his location, and he cannot eat natural fish oil because of the consistency and taste. Therefore, the supplement is the best alternative for him, and I agree with his statement. 

References

Grosso, G., Galvano, F., Marventano, S., Malaguarnera, M., Bucolo, C., Drago, F., & Caraci, F. (2014). Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depression: Scientific Evidence and Biological Mechanisms. Oxidative Medicine And Cellular Longevity, 2014, 1-16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/313570

Merle, B., Benlian, P., Puche, N., Bassols, A., Delcourt, C., & Souied, E. (2014). Circulating Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 55(3), 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/iovs.14-13916