Posted by Larry Hoover on May 23, 2003, at 11:16:56
In reply to THANKS, LAR, posted by ncfelines on May 23, 2003, at 10:41:14
> It is very difficult to find the "truth" out there between the one extreme who loves a certain supplement or drug, and the other extreme who is convinced it will kill you! I posted the information to be helpful. I feel protective of us, because I know most of us are vulnerable and are faced with many difficult decisions and a sea of facts and opinions. I am trying to find my way, and find posts like your very helpful.
I'm glad that you find my postings helpful, but remember, I'm biased too.
I personally believe that there is more hype in the pharmaceutical industry than in the alternative/supplement industry. Certainly, the latter group has its bad apples, as well. Particularly when I come across the common notion summed up by "all natural = perfectly safe", I want to scream. Poison hemlock is all natural, ya know?
What really gets under my skin is the failure of our North American governments to enact and enforce regulatory controls on supplements. It could be done very easily. The Germans did it many years ago.
It may well be a cynical position to take, but I have concluded that it is the pharmaceutical lobby groups that have blocked such a process. By blocking regulation of supplements, and encouraging massive publicity around fraud and contamination of supplements, public trust is eroded. People then turn to pharmaceutical interventions. Follow the money.
When I think of but one of the multitude of adverse effects associated with pharmaceutical antidepressants, sexual dysfunction, I am aghast. The massive success of Viagra clearly demonstrates the importance of sexuality in people's lives. Yet, sexual dysfunction as a side-effect is trivialized.
I have yet to find a psychotropic medication that both works, and that I can tolerate. I have, however, found mood stability over a reasonably long term, by means of supplements, often at doses much higher than the same doctors pushing those other substances would recommend. I have to wonder whose assumptions are not in accord with reality.
Best wishes,
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:227895
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030520/msgs/228583.html