Fair enough. We are of like mind. Understanding of a whole lot more isn't known than is, but a standard is necessary to validate.

The biggest issue with supplements is the lack of oversight. Pumping money into marketing instead of research. A perfect example of the variance you can get from the same type of supplement based on the manufacturer is a huge problem. One will work and the other is worthless. A fuller explanation about this is covered on Stuff You Should Know podcast on the Probiotic episode. It addresses the very problem of a compound that would have health benefits but too often the manufacturer doesn't really sell it in the delivery method necessary for the body to be able to process, even though the supplement contains x or y as it says but worthless in its present form.

I see you suffer from the extreme arrogance of a medical practitioner who thinks they're right about everything, and therefore are gods that need not ever be questioned or challenged. That can be fatal in some cases too. That's why you needed to pass laws to reduce competition. There are still docs like you around but thankfully many more are changing their tune and see a need for working together with other healthcare practitioners for integrated wellness. You guys treat pathologies and mainly symptoms the other guys build health. There are studies that show B12 supplements help for a tested B12 deficiency via bloodwork. Some doctors give B12 shots.

Just remember lots of people die from what doctors do too. Lots of lawsuits.

Dude, this is very, very true. This issue, though, is most supplement companies have ZERO incentive to conduct proper research. Why? Because they done have to prove the ****ing thing they are selling works. Further, they also don't have to prove the ****ing thing doesn't have side effects that outweigh any sort of benefit.

They can sell you a powdered form of sterilized sloth cum, promise crazy results, and enjoy ridiculous profit.

Integrated wellness is huge. I go to Northwestern for any medical care, and they are phenomenal.

How many people have died from supplements compared to properly prescribed medication?

You do know pharmaceutical or some corporations have been buying up supplement companies and weakening their formulas right?

Why would they do that?

To my knowledge the studies and research are done on things like vitamins, anti-oxidants and minerals and they do show health benefits just not all of them. I've read them. The FDA regulates them but they don't need to do so as strictly. Then there's the issue of co-factors in nature that have not all been isolated which help a supplement work. I don't buy off the shelf generally, unless it's just a one a day type thing. I received mine from health care practitioners and in one case a prescription based supplement.

As part of my training, I have seen and assisted ~40 liver transplants in the past 2 months. On average, each will prolong life for ~20 years. That's 800 years of life in 2 months doing something we could only dream of doing well 50 years ago. And it doesn't end when these people get livers. We immunosuppress the shit out of them so they don't reject. Problem is, they can get infections very easily, especially from assholes who don't vaccinate their kids among other sources.

So yeah, when you say dumb shit about your allergies and tell me naturopaths who work with humours or some shit train like I do, I think you are a ****ing nut.

And no, nobody in the medical community accepts alternative/naturopathic/quack doctoring as legitimate. Sorry.

I would love to see an alternative med doc manage an icu patient post liver transplant. they would shit the bed trying to suppress the patients while keeping infection in check.

Nope!

Look, you do your thing. I'll do mine. I get my medical physicals and I am healthy. I even see a specialist if I have to like a dermatologist. But by gyno sees this same chiro.

This is where your own ignorance is showing. This is not the work of that kind of doctor. They don't treat pathology like that. A person has let their health go for too long when they're in that kind of shape usually. If they had worked on their health they may have avoided that.

I said that earlier but you're too knee-jerk emotionally reactive about the subject and wind up using logical fallacies making strawman arguments by mixing two different categories of things. When you need that kind of medicine you go to that kind of medical practitioner.

It sure is and is the trend of the future. Actually, it's been here for awhile and growing. There's always gonna be some dinosaurs though.

Do you understand what you are saying? We don't treat pathology like that?

The ****? We have to suppress the native immune system so they don't kill their liver and die. We also have to give them antibiotics so they don't become septic and die. Some still do, but pumping them full of B12 or ginseng or st john's wort won't do a damn thing.

That sounds kinda like a methadone treatment for a heroine addict.

Diet carbonated drinks aren't great for your health either.

We transplant PSC/PBC and other autoimmune disorders. It's not people letting themselves go, and that is terribly insulting to people who acquired these disorders.

You are woefully ignorant about all of this.

Typically it's the FTC that goes after supplement companies for false claims in advertising, not the FDA.