Ever notice how supplements are always the victim of media crucifixion? Stats are distorted, facts are misconstrued and a rogue element is always attached to their use. I still read articles where they call creatine a steroid.
Why all the ignorance in the media? Well, aside from the obvious bias journalists seem to have toward supplements, especially those used for building muscle and increasing performance, maybe they are purposely fed the wrong information. It appears they are brainwashed by the powers that be against anything that is not produced by the major pharmaceutical companies. Many times, journalist stories read like FDA press releases.
Ephedra is a good example of the media’s complete ignorance of the research. Stories still appear in newspapers quoting erroneous statistics from data proven grossly inaccurate and in some cases, downright fraudulent. Whatever the real reason, the prejudice is there and the public will never get the real story from regular media outlets.
When the table is turned and FDA approved drugs make the news, the media gingerly handles the information. Case in point, acetaminophen. I’m going to throw a few stats at you that are almost mind boggling. And when you compare these stats to the grossly inflated stats used to scare the public and paint a skull and crossbones on supplements, this media bias and misinformation becomes quite clear.
Acetaminophen, best known by the name Tylenol, is in more 200 different over the counter products designed as such products like headache relievers to cold medications. Well, this widely used ingredient kills over 100 people a year. 100 deaths a year from a product that most parents don’t thing twice about giving to their children. To top this off, acetaminophen is responsible for more than 56,000, yes fifty six thousand, emergency room visits each year.
Recently, a study of 395 liver-failure cases by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center linked 40 percent of the failures to acetaminophen. This is more than any other liver-toxic medication and is even more than hepatitis.
These stats were derived from accidental overdoses. An example here would be where you may take a couple of acetaminophen for a headache and then, later in the day, a cold medication containing acetaminophen. But that’s not the only cause for concern. The FDA showed that 22% of liver damage is acetaminophen induced from less than maximum daily dosage.
All in all these are scary statistics. Can you imagine how quickly the FDA would yank a supplement off the shelves if it was even 1/1000 as bad as the stats show acetaminophen is? But have no fear, acetaminophen is FDA approved. If it’s FDA approved it has to be safe right? Yeah right. Think again.
