Pharmacist warns people against taking three popular supplements

A pharmacist has shared some critical advice on the dangers of improper supplement use, emphasising that certain products should carry warning labels.

Ariana Medizade (@thewellnesspharm) urged her social media followers to pay attention to the dos and don’ts of supplement consumption and urged them to “take supplements the right way.”

Her viral 60-second tutorial features a stark on-screen message: “STOP MAKING THESE DANGEROUS SUPPLEMENT MISTAKES.”

Medizade revealed there are three supplements she steers clear of, or takes in a very specific way. She continued: “There should be a warning label on supplements for this, but I would never take vitamin D3 by itself. You always have to take vitamin D3 with K2.”

The wellness guru first drew attention to the serious implications of vitamin D3 alone as it can lead to calcium deposits in undesirable locations such as the arteries and not bones, cautioning this could induce calcification and subsequent health complications.

BetterYou, a leading supplement source, reinforces her point explaining that combining vitamin D3 with K2 guarantees the efficient absorption of calcium directly into bone mass while averting the risks of arterial calcification.

Additionally, K2 is touted to maintain normal blood clotting, with D3 esteemed for bolstering muscle function and immune health. The data suggests a lack of these key nutrients in average diets since K2-rich foods are seldom consumed by most people.

Medizade, a health expert, has cautioned against the use of St John’s Wort, particularly for those on other medications like oral birth control and antidepressants. She highlighted that the herb can lead to “breakthrough bleeding, follicle growth, and ovulation” due to its interaction with other drugs, while also speeding up medication metabolism with its “CYP3A4 inducer,” potentially rendering other medications less effective.

The National Institutes of Health confirm this risk by listing several CYP3A4 inducers which include “barbiturates (phenobarbital), carbamazepine, corticosteroids, phenytoin, rifampicin and St John’s wort.”

Moreover, Medizade suggests not taking zinc and magnesium at the same time owing to their competitive nature during absorption, effectively leading to wasted money. Zinc and magnesium are key out of the seven essential minerals that our bodies require; however, she warns that BetterYou advises caution as well.

They noted: “As zinc can interact with other minerals (calcium and iron, for example) and vitamins, you need to be aware of how combining them can impair your body’s ability to absorb them.”

“You should avoid taking zinc and copper together zinc, particularly in high doses, can stop your body absorbing copper and potentially lead to a deficiency. In some people, it can also cause bones to weaken.”

Ariana’s advice won the hearts of many as scores of individuals expressed their gratitude for her shared information. A user chimed in, commenting: “The way I just realized at 39yrs old how I prob ended up preggo at 18 ON BC, my mom had me taking St John’s for anxiety.”