Do Supplements Cause Side Effects?

When I work with clients, if there is an underlying toxin or pathogen (virus, bacteria, fungus, etc) that is contributing to their problem, or if they have a nutrient deficiency, I typically refer them to a remedy that we use with Body Code (See disclaimer).   Most clients don’t notice any problems with the supplements, but sometimes they do.   Some clients stop taking their remedies due to unwanted side effects.  However to heal, giving up on a remedy without knowing the cause of the side effects may be doing more harm than good!

Before stopping a supplement, is always important to determine whether 1.) the symptoms are related to the supplement 2.) the remedy is causing a healing crisis 3.) the client is having an allergic reaction 4.) the dose needs to be adjusted, or 5.) the client is getting non-specific effects of the supplement.

Fortunately, I can get at those answers by asking the subconscious:

1.)  Are the symptoms related to the supplements?

Sometimes a client’s “side effects” are due to a completely unrelated experience that co-occurred at the same time.   It is important to rule that out.

2.)  Is the remedy causing a healing crisis?

When you are taking a supplement that is clearing out a toxin or pathogen, or replenishing the body with a nutrient, usually the side effect is better described as a healing crisis. It’s also been known as a Herxheimer’s reaction, a cleansing reaction or a detox reaction and it is very different than side effects seen with most drugs.

With a healing crisis, when toxins or pathogens are released from fat cells and organs, they can enter the blood stream at too rapid a rate. This can cause a temporary increase in symptoms as the body is working to eliminate the waste products. Replenishing the body with the nutrients it needs might also cause similar effects as it makes the body’s elimination system work better, and thus can cause a healing crisis.  

These effects are temporary and usually occur within the first 90 days of use. The most common symptom is fatigue, but the possible number of effects are wide ranging and are dependent on the person and what they are clearing.

What should you do if you think you are having a healing reaction?   Check with your naturopath or if you are my client, you can ask me. I typically advise clients to take a smaller dose until symptoms decrease enough to make them tolerable. Also I have them drink lots of water, try to find a way to sweat, get lots of rest and do EFT.   Recommendations are tailored specifically to each client. This is my favorite source for more information on the Healing Crisis.

3.) Are you having an allergic reaction?

Once in awhile, there might be an ingredient in a supplement that the client is having an allergic reaction to.   For example, one of the supplements I recommend has turmeric, and I had a client with an undiscovered turmeric allergy. After clearing the allergy, it was safe for her to take the supplement.

4.) Is the dose you are taking toxic?

There are recommended daily intake (RDI) values for vitamins that vary by age, gender and habits. For a number of nutrients, there are no known problems with high doses. However, for many minerals and nutrients, it is possible to cause more problems by taking too much.   For example Ruth Frachman, MS, RD from the American Dietetic Association says that too much vitamin B6 can cause nerve problems, too much niacin (vitamin B3) can cause flushing, and too much vitamin C can cause kidney stones.

5.) Is there something wrong with this batch?

If supplement makers are not careful, when creating a Gingko supplement, they can mistakenly extract a ginkgotoxin, which can cause seizures or death.   Clients who work with me can usually avoid this if we pick out a supplement together.   This is extremely rare, but there can also be bad batch. I’ve heard more about this problem with contaminated food or pharmaceuticals than with supplements, but it can happen with anything we ingest.

After considering and ruling out all the possibilities above, then the effect is most likely non-specific.  With drugs, side effects regularly happen because they are designed to target specific receptors.  Unfortunately, these receptors are usually located in a large number of organs, but drugs are not specific enough to only target the part of the body that needs it.   This happens often for drugs used in psychiatry. They are designed to target the brain, but often create problems for the stomach or elsewhere.

So can supplements cause side effects?

In summary, the answer is that they can. However, it is important to not confuse the side effects caused by supplements with the non-specific effects caused by drugs.  While herbal remedies can cause drug like, non-specific effects, they are less likely to. More often than not, clients are experiencing a healing crisis, which means that the effect is temporary and that the supplement is working.   Working with a practitioner who understands this difference is vital to your recovery.

Are you struggling with a health or other problem that no one else seems to be able to solve?   Give the Body Code a try!   Listen to my interview Releasing Subconscious Barriers, the Key to Health and Happiness and call me at 1 855 ENERJOY for a free 1 hour consultation!

 

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