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The No. 1 thing to do before taking a new supplement, according to a cardiologist

Nbcwashington · 🇺🇸 public United States · · 540 words · By Sarah Jacoby; TODAY
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What to know about The No. 1 thing to do before taking a new supplement, according to a cardiologist

Whether it’s vitamins, minerals, herbs or something else, dietary supplements are wildly popular in the U.S.

Claims checked 7
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
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Center100%
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6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Whether it’s vitamins, minerals, herbs or something else, dietary supplements are wildly popular in the U.S.

Why it matters

But they can come with risks that people taking these pills, gummies and powders may not realize.

Common ground

If you’re among the 61% of Americans who take at least one supplement, you should keep a few things in mind — particularly if that supplement is something you purchased online.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/what-to-do-before-taking-new-supplemen…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

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info Single Source 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
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Claim 1: “supplements don’t undergo the FDA approval process that prescription medications do”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Wikipedia, a research paper/article, and a wellness industry summary) explicitly state that supplements do not undergo the same rigorous FDA approval process as prescription medications.
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web search NEUTRAL — FDA-approved drugs cannot be ingredients in dietary supplements.The same protein ingredients marketed as dietary supplements can be incorporated into meal replacement and medical food products, but th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_supplement
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web search NEUTRAL — While medications go through strict testing and approval processes, supplements don't require the same testing, leading to inconsistencies in their composition. Therefore, reliable results are more li…
https://brainly.com/question/2566965
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web search NEUTRAL — Remember, supplements are not regulated with the same rigor as prescription medications. They don’t go through the same FDA approval process, which means quality, purity, and dosage can vary widely be…
https://www.tiktok.com/@drkaydo/video/7563441678644776223
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Claim 2: “these compounds can also interact with prescription medications”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (WebMD, Weekend Doctor, and a Drug Interaction Checker) confirm that dietary supplements and herbs can interact with prescription medications, with specific examples like Vitamin K and warfarin provided.
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web search NEUTRAL — Drug interaction checker. Not all drugs interact, and not every interaction means you must stop taking one of your medications.Can herbs and supplements interact with my drugs? Herbal drug interaction…
https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Use WebMD’s Drug Interaction Checker to identify potential interactions between medications, supplements, and foods. Reduce side effects and support safer treatment decisions.
https://www.webmd.com/interaction-checker/default.htm
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web search NEUTRAL — Moreover, dietary supplements can interact with prescription medications, sometimes with dangerous consequences. For instance, vitamin K can interfere with blood-thinning medications like warfarin, po…
https://www.adaicon.com/news/202506/weekend-doctor-healthcar…
info
Claim 3: “St. John’s wort is often advertised to help with certain menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and mood changes”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions that women seek CAM for menopause symptoms (hot flashes, mood) and that St. John's Wort is used for depression, but there is no direct evidence in the snippets confirming it is specifically 'advertised' for menopause symptoms like hot flashes.
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web search NEUTRAL — St. John’s Wort: Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, and Interactions.
https://www.verywellmind.com/st-johns-wort-a2-89959
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web search NEUTRAL — Menopause is associated with problematic symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep problems, mood disorders, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and declines in cognitive functioning. Many women seek comple…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6419242/
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web search NEUTRAL — St John’s wort isn’t a recognised cause of weight gain, and some people report the opposite. Low mood itself can affect appetite and weight in either direction, making any change hard to blame this as…
https://click2pharmacy.co.uk/st-johns-wort/
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Claim 4: “Studies have shown that melatonin supplements can contain significantly different amounts of the active ingredient from what’s advertised on the label”
SINGLE SOURCE
While one search result mentions a 'New Study Questions Ingredient Levels in Some Melatonin', the provided snippet does not contain the actual findings or confirm that amounts differ 'significantly' from the label. Other results discuss interactions and uses, not label accuracy.
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web search NEUTRAL — Melatonin supplements come in a range of formulations, including flavored liquids, rapid-dissolve tablets and strips, traditional chewables, and capsules that contain a blend of vitamins, minerals and…
https://www.consumerreports.org/melatonin/study-questions-in…
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web search NEUTRAL — Immunosuppressants : melatonin may stimulate immune activity and could interfere with treatment. Fluvoxamine : can substantially increase melatonin exposure and adverse effects. Hormonal contraceptive…
https://www.drugs.com/melatonin.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Some studies have shown that melatonin supplements may help prevent or treat jet lag. Discuss your case with a sleep specialist to prevent or treat jet lag with melatonin. The protocols differ based o…
https://www.verywellhealth.com/melatonin-7501303
verified
Claim 5: “they do not get FDA approved in the United States”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia's entry on the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) explains that supplements are regulated for Good Manufacturing Practices but are not 'FDA approved' in the same way drugs are; they are regulated as food, not drugs.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 ("DSHEA"), is a 1994 statute of United States Federal legislation which defines and regulates dietary supplements. Under the act, supplements ar…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_Supplement_Health_and_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet in the form of a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients that are either extr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_supplement
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a pharmacopeia (compendium of drug information) for the United States published annually by the over 200-year old United States Pharmacopeial Convention (usuall…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Pharmacopeia
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Claim 6: “But it [St. John's wort] can interact with many medications, including some antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, statins and blood thinners.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (GoodRx, Mayo Clinic, and NIH via Drug Interaction Checker) confirm that St. John's wort interacts with antidepressants, blood thinners, and other medications.
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web search NEUTRAL — St. John’s wort interactions can affect many medications, such as antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and birth control pills. It typically makes other medications less effective. But in some cases, it …
https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/supplements-herbs/st-johns…
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web search NEUTRAL — St. John's wort can treat mild to moderate depression. But the supplement interacts with many medicines and can cause serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare professional before taking St. Joh…
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-st-johns-wort/a…
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web search NEUTRAL — For example, St. John's Wort, Coenzyme Q10, and melatonin can interact with medicines like antidepressants , blood thinners or alcohol, according to the National Institutes of Health .
https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html
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Claim 7: “61% of Americans who take at least one supplement”
DISPUTED
Two different sources provide conflicting statistics: one web search result states 61% of U.S. adults take a supplement daily (2023), while the NCCIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) states 52% of American adults take at least one dietary supplement.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — African Americans or Black Americans, also formerly called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group. As defined by the United States census, they are Americans who have ancestry from "a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Americans
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States. U.S. federal law does not equate nationality with race or ethnicity, but rather with citizenship. The U.S. has 37 ancestry groups with mo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Americans is an American period spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg for FX. It aired for six seasons from January 30, 2013, to May 30, 2018. Weisberg and Joel Fields also served as…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americans
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.