Celebrity endorsement not a good reason to take vitamins or supplements | Health

For The Daily Item

If you’ve ever been sitting on the couch watching television and found yourself intrigued by a commercial featuring a well-known celebrity promoting vitamin supplements or another health-related product, you’re not alone.

Will their presentation encourage you to try the product or will you pass until a professional recommends it?

According to worldmetrics.org, a website that “provides comprehensive market data and statistics to help you make informed decisions,” nearly 50 percent of consumers are more likely to buy a product endorsed by a celebrity, though only 19 percent of consumers said that a celebrity endorsement has influenced a purchase decision they made in the last year.

Have you ever wondered whether or not it is a good idea to follow recommendations peddled by famous people who you don’t know personally?

Just because the person on screen might be a beloved entertainer doesn’t necessarily mean they know what they’re talking about.

So how do you know if a product can be trusted?

“It’s easy to be swayed by supplement ads promoted by popular celebrities and influencers promising improved health,” said Dr. Kristen Bernas, resident physician, UPMC Williamsport Family Medicine Residency. “Regardless of the health benefits being advertised, it’s important to seek advice from your primary care provider before starting any supplement.”

Jen Gross, a clinical pharmacist who has worked in the Susquehanna Valley for many years, said prior to purchasing any supplement, whether it be vitamins or weight loss medications, people should do their due diligence and research the product.

Gross said over-the-counter vitamins and supplements can cause serious drug interactions, and are potentially fatal in some cases. Others can worsen certain health conditions.

Take green tea, for example.

“I think about so many of the weight loss products right now, they are just very high doses of green tea,” Gross said. “Green tea has many, many benefits. However, it also has many side effects that may harm somebody, especially at high doses.”

Then there is echinacea.

“There’s actually documented studies that it can damage your liver,” explained Gross. “Another issue that’s a really big concern with echinacea is it causes the breakdown of Warfarin, a common blood thinner. So if a person is taking Warfarin then takes the echinacea it could cause a blood clot.”

Others that can cause issues through drug interaction include, but are not limited to, Omega 3, St. John’s wort, Ginseng, Ginko, CBC and Taurine.

Amy Mahon of Lewisburg said she always does her research prior to purchasing any type of vitamin or supplement for precisely the reasons Gross indicated.

“While I believe that vitamins and supplements can be beneficial in generalized medicine, I need to see the research evidence behind it,” Mahon said. “I’m not likely to purchase just based on a celebrity endorsement. They are paid to speak about a product. They have everything to gain by endorsing a product that they know little about.”

Mahon said there’s also something to say for common sense.

“The big thing right now is miracle weight loss supplements,” Mahon said. “In reality, the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to change your eating habits while not being extreme. The ‘guaranteed’ loss of 35 pounds in a month is not realistic.”

When considering what to buy, Mahon admitted there are some celebrities she might trust more than others.

Fortunately, Mahon is familiar with many professionals working within the medical community, so she trusts recommendations that come from doctors and pharmacists she knows personally rather than relying on what she sees advertised on television or social media.

That, Gross said, is smart.

She recommends anyone interested in adding a vitamin or supplement to their daily regimen should make sure they take the time to evaluate the ingredients and cross-check with any prescription and over-the-counter medications a patient is currently taking.

“Look into things like ‘has it been studied and approved?’ ‘Is it from a reputable lab?’ ‘Are they — the owner or company — benefiting monetarily?’ ‘Does the celebrity take it themselves? If not, why not?’” Gross said.

Finally, she said she would advise against taking any supplements without first checking with a health care professional.

“That includes your standard vitamins,” she said.