ENCORE: Bias Against Nutritional Supplements, Part 1

Intelligent Medicine

Dr. Alan Gaby comments on bias against nutritional supplements. He recently penned an op-ed entitled “They’re telling us that nutritional supplements are a waste of money”. He is the author of the textbook “Nutritional Medicine” which contains thousands of references to studies substantiating the benefits of supplements. Is there collusion between the pharmaceutical industry, government regulators, politicians, and compliant media to rein in the supplement industry? Why has the press uncritically focussed on the alleged harms of supplements? What’s wrong with studies claiming lack of efficacy of multivitamins, fish oil, and vitamin D? Dr. Gaby takes an even-handed approach, citing instances of over-arching claims about nutrients; he urges “humility” and scientific rigor in nutrition science, and decries the missed opportunity for study of the promising roles of diet, lifestyle, and nutraceuticals afforded by our quest for measures to control the pandemic.