Are Vitamins Really So Safe?
I saw a patient this week who realized that she needed to take better care of herself - so she decided to start taking a variety of vitamins.
Her cholesterol level was high despite a pretty healthy diet and lifestyle, so I discussed the reasons why she should take a statin (a cholesterol lowering drug).
"A medicine?" She was uncomfortable with the concept; that's what her parents did, take prescription medications.
"Do you want to lower your risks? To do so, would you prefer to use approaches that are proven safe and effective? Would you care to hear the scientific data that shows an approach that is safer and more effective than the vitamins you are taking?" She was, but then became very uncomfortable when I told her that statins were proven to be safer and more effective than her vitamins.
I expect she will be like most patients in this situation. In a couple of months she will be ready to take the prescription medicine, the one proven in scientific studies to be the safest and most effective way for her to avoid a heart attack or stroke.
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