Depletion! If you are taking prescription or OTC medications, then you probably know about some of the side effects they may cause. In addition to the side effects, or possibly one of the causes of the side effects, and what many people and doctors don't realize, is the fact that drugs deplete certain vitamins, minerals, hormones, and other nutrients. This can happen in one of two ways – either by blocking their absorption, or by causing your body to eliminate them in less time than it normally would. The result is that you end up with deficiency symptoms that can have serious consequences (heart and nerve damage, stomach problems, etc).
Depending on which drugs you're taking will determine which nutrients are getting depleted. These can include B vitamins, Vitamin K (needed for clotting and bones), friendly bacteria (which help balance immune function and digestion, among other benefits), coenzyme Q-10 (for cellular energy, the greatest concentration being in the heart), iron, zinc, and hormones, such as melatonin if you are taking beta-blockers. If it is not contra-indicated, you can take supplemental nutrients to help get your system back in balance. However, sometimes taking supplemental vitamins, minerals, or hormones may interfere with the drugs that you're taking – so always check with your doctor and find out if you can take certain nutrients.
If your doctor is not aware of nutrient depletion, and is unable to answer your questions relating to that, you can find answers at several sites on the internet. I entered “"prescription drug" deplete nutrient” into Google and the first listing was an excellent chart showing what prescription drugs deplete which nutrients, with a link from that chart to a chart of OTC drugs and which nutrients they deplete. For drug nutrient interactions, a Google search with “"prescription drug" nutrient interactions chart” yielded good results. Another good source of information is your pharmacist.
The population of the US (and much of the world, for that matter) is already nutrient deficient due to poor eating habits (fast foods, processed foods, sugar, artificial ingredients, etc), and depleted foods. Taking medicines that also depletes them can add to the problems and make matters worse. For example, the number one mineral deficiency in this country is magnesium. Complications from magnesium depletion include muscle weakness and conduction abnormalities, twitching, depression, hypertension, heart disease and cardiac arrhythmias. So if you are taking medication that blocks absorption of magnesium or causes it to be excreted from your system, you're adding to the problem - unless you take supplemental magnesium and eat foods rich in magnesium.
What should you do? Well, besides adding a good multi-vitamin to your diet, as well as other nutrients that may be getting depleted, you need to take a good look at your diet and exercise program and make the necessary changes to them to get on the road to health. Then perhaps you will be able to discontinue the drugs and get back in the balance nature intended.
If you would like more information and education about diet, exercise, and nutrition, please visit my site at stayfit4ever.com. Thank you for stopping by.
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