Q: Can I take nutritional supplements during the treatment?

In my experience as a healthcare provider, I’ve noticed a prevalent trend among my patients – a high proportion of them rely heavily on nutritional supplements. Advising patients against or advocating for reduced consumption of these supplements can be a tough sell. It seems that the notion of taking nutritional supplements has become deeply ingrained in our collective health consciousness, akin to the belief in the necessity of drinking eight glasses of water daily.

First and foremost, let me clarify that I’m not here to demonize the role of nutritional supplements. There are certainly specific populations and situations where individuals can benefit from them, and that’s indisputable. However, it’s evident that many people hold misconceptions regarding their use, and this is something worth addressing and reflecting upon.

For starters, we live in an era of nutritional abundance where the average person lacks no essential nutrients. Introducing unnecessary substances into the body only burdens it. And where there’s burden, there’s potential harm with prolonged use. The logic here is straightforward and easily understandable.

Secondly, we mustn’t turn excessive consumption of nutritional supplements into a placebo for health aspirations. Many individuals are swayed by the marketing hype surrounding these supplements, believing that their consumption will lead to miraculous improvements in health. I must assert that such occurrences are exceedingly rare. Especially when one’s health is compromised, the tendency to grasp at any semblance of a solution is heightened. Regardless of the success stories you’ve heard, when it comes down to you, it’s likely to be merely a placebo effect. Achieving good health isn’t as simple as popping a pill.

Thirdly, a common psychological dependency arises where individuals feel discomfort when they refrain from taking supplements, leading them to believe they need to continue. How can I be so sure this is a psychological dependence? As a physician, I understand the core issues afflicting their bodies and require a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to their specific needs. How could a single supplement like fish oil or melatonin possibly address these complex issues?

Fourthly, the market is flooded with a plethora of nutritional supplements, each claiming (and sometimes delivering) benefits such as immune enhancement. However, from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, some supplements possess cooling properties, which may not be suitable for individuals with already low energy levels. Moreover, individuals with compromised liver or kidney function may unwittingly strain these organs further by overloading them with supplements. Additionally, there are new ingredients whose thermal properties are unclear from a traditional medicine standpoint, making it challenging to determine their suitability for individuals’ constitutions. This is why I advise patients to minimize or avoid nutritional supplements while undergoing traditional Chinese medicine treatment.

For a healthy individual, maintaining normal metabolic function does not necessitate the use of nutritional supplements. For those with health concerns, supplements should not be the first line of defense; breaking free from psychological dependencies and avoiding easy solutions is key to truly understanding your body’s needs. For those battling illness, refraining from interfering with prescribed medications is paramount for maximizing one’s health outcomes. Ultimately, seek guidance from someone who can truly understand your body’s unique conditions when considering the necessity and appropriate usage of nutritional supplements, which often isn’t necessarily a “nutrition expert” in the conventional sense.

In short, as a clinical doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, I am not opposed to the use of nutritional supplements. Regardless of whether they are effective or ineffective, they do meet some of the psychological needs of modern people. I just ask my patients to minimize its use during treatment so that the body can focus on treating the disease and not be “distracted” from unnecessary things.