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		Vitamins & Supplements (continued from part 2) Smart Shopping When buying supplements, check the expiration date on the bottle. It's fine to buy supplements that contain sugar and starch; in fact, they are sometimes added to ensure better nutrient absorption. And store brands may be just as good as name brands and may be made by the same manufacturer. They are less expensive because you're not paying for advertising. But since some nutrients can be toxic in high doses, and much is still unknown about toxicity levels, most people would be wise to limit themselves to a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement that provides no more than 150 percent of the RDA for each nutrient. For example, supplements of iron, zinc, chromium, selenium and other common minerals can be toxic at levels not much higher than the recommended allowances. High levels (say, 50,000 IU of vitamin A) can cause dry skin, headaches, joint pain and insomnia. More than 1,000 mg of vitamin C can cause cramps and diarrhea and interfere with the body's ability to use other nutrients such as copper and vitamin B12. Play it Safe Use caution when buying herbal supplements. The active ingredients in many of the prescription drugs we use--digoxin (heart medication) and codeine, for example--are extracted from plants. But over-the-counter herbal preparations are neither standardized for dose nor regulated for safety. In recent years, some popular supplements, such as chaparral (a" blood cleanser"), germanium (promoted as an anticancer agent), Ma huang (used in energy-boosting and weight-loss products) and Jin Bu Huan (promoted as a sleep aid and pain reliever), have caused serious problems. Experts have recently been concerned about reported health problems linked to popular herbal supplements containing ephedrine. Although the FDA has linked the supplements to more than 600 reports of adverse events and 15 deaths since 1993, they're still on the market. Reported side effects have included abnormal heart rhythm, seizure, stroke, psychosis, heart attack, hepatitis and death. The FDA is considering a ban on ephedrine-containing supplements because no safe level has been identified for its use in dietary supplements. Vitamins and minerals are essential micronutrients needed for health and life. They are not miracle cures for aging, poor diet, lack of physical exercise, or lack of motivation to take responsibility for one's physical and emotional well being. Extra vitamins will not treat anxiety, depression, lack of adequate rest, bad interpersonal relationships or unhappiness on the job. If you want to improve your nutritional health, look first to a well-balanced diet. In most cases, making changes in your diet has a far greater chance of promoting health than taking supplements. Reference Source 22,24,26,70