Friday, May 8, 2015

Be a wise consumer - Read ingredient label

Recently, I saw a post in FB from a friend which shared that after taking a joint (glucosamine) supplement of a particular brand, the joint pain improved a lot, means not as painful as before. 

I was very curious, hence googled to search some information about it! 

The below is the info I obtained about this glucosamine supplements:


I decided to search more info about what boswellic acid which the company claimed to improve joint functions in 7 days! 

That's amazing isn't it? 

To my surprise, this is what I found:

Boswellia, also known as Indian Frankincense, is an herbal extract taken from the Boswellia serrata tree.
Resin made from boswellia extract has been used for centuries in Asian and African folk medicine to treat chronic inflammatory illnesses, as well as a number of other health conditions. It is available as a resin, pill, or cream.
Studies show that boswellia may reduce inflammation and may be useful in treating:
  • osteoarthritis
  • rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • asthma
  • inflammatory bowel disease
Besides being an effective anti-inflammatory, boswellia can be an effective painkiller and may prevent the loss of cartilage. Some studies have found that it may even be useful in treating certain cancers, such as leukemia and breast cancer.
Boswellia may interact with and decrease the effects of anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen and other medications. Talk to your doctor before using boswellia products, especially if you’re taking other medications to treat inflammation.
Important: Boswellia may be an emmenagogue and abortificient. This means it can stimulate menstruation and induce miscarriage by increasing blood flow in the uterus. Pregnant women are advised to avoid this herb.
Source:
http://www.healthline.com/health/boswellia
After reading the above, boswellic acid can be chemically extracted from the boswellia herb. No doubt it has good anti-inflammation properties.

HOWEVER, what I also saw is the side effects from using the acid. It acts as a painkiller too. And interact with other medications and can induce miscarriage among pregnant ladies. 

I was thinking that's the reason why my friend has less pain in her joint after taking the supplement as it has pain killer effect. 

So what if she stops taking the supplement, will the pain come back? Probably yes...

What we are more worrying is the long term consumption of this glucosamine supplement will endanger a person's health:

Why? 

1. Boswellic acid a not natural plant, it has become some form of chemical as it's chemically extracted out, no longer wholesome. 

2. What if the person taking medicine for eg ibuprofen that treat her inflammation and at the same time taking this supplement too? chemical interaction which leads to serious side effects.

3. Since it's a chemical form, it causes side effects especially on liver and kidney when consuming on long term. 

4. For Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements which either come from crab shells/ shrimp shells/ made in laboratory - chemically synthesized, it will give side effects such as leading to diabetes problems as these ingredients will cause the pancreatic cells to die off.

Read below for more details:
http://healthywholesomefood.blogspot.sg/2013/08/glucosamine-supplements-safety-concern.html

5. The claim stating the product's effectiveness to be seen within 7 days has not been evaluated by US FDA. 

So, we must be a wise consumer to always learn to read the ingredient labels.

Some unsafe ingredients may be hidden without being marketed out for consumers' information, instead the company will over exaggerate on the effectiveness to catch consumer's attention. 



Best regards,
Joselyne