Too Many Supplements Had Scary Results

Q. I used to rush out and buy any supplement I read about to get its purported health benefits. At one point, I was taking handfuls of supplements each day. I thought I was healthy.
When I had to have some major surgery at age 49, I was told to discontinue the supplements. The nurses said I could keep on taking glucosamine and cranberry, though.
I always had bruising worse than most people, and my pre-surgery blood work showed a prolonged clotting time that delayed my surgery for five weeks. Both of these supplements can interfere with clotting. If they hadn’t figured this out, I could have died of bleeding during surgery!
The lesson is, don’t believe everything you read. Do your own research on supplements and get your vitamins from eating real food. After all, the supplement makers are just trying to sell you something.
A. We certainly agree that you should only take supplements after informing yourself carefully about the pros and cons. Not every nutrient that might be helpful will be available in adequate quantities from food, though. Vitamin D, for example, can be readily obtained through sun exposure but not so easily from foods.
When seeking supplement information on the internet, consider the source. Sites that are selling supplements do not always provide objective information. You might want to consult www.peoplespharmacy.com for some information. Other useful sites include www.consumerlab.com, the alternative medicine information at www.umm.edu/altmed/ , the information at MedlinePlus: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html and that at the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine).