In our quest for better health, are we being led down an expensive and unnecessary path? As a doctor who has practised medicine in Tanzania for over two decades, I have observed a worrying trend. Our pharmacies and shops are flooded with bottles promising stronger bones, sharper vision, healthier skin and boundless energy for every stage of life, from childhood to our golden years.
This rise in pills and powders is often supported by questionable research and aggressive marketing. We are fed a seductive message: that these supplements will “make life easy” and are something we must take “for life” in order to be truly healthy. This message feeds on our natural desire to do the best for our bodies and our families. But do we really need all this? Certainly not.
Human beings are born resilient. For millennia, our remarkably intelligent bodies have obtained everything they need from one primary source: our food.
Excluding processed “junk food” — which is proven to cause harm — our natural, local diet is already a complete pharmacy. The mchicha (spinach) and maharage (beans) in our markets, the dagaa (sardines) from our lakes, the matunda (fruits) from our trees — they are all rich in the precise combinations of vitamins and minerals our bodies were designed to utilise. So why do we need all these expensive supplements?
Supplements are only beneficial in cases of proven deficiency. Otherwise, they may do more harm than good, as noted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As medical professionals, we are morally and ethically bound to “do no harm”. This includes the harm of financial toxicity — imposing unnecessary costs that do not translate into clinical benefit.
A landmark review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded: “Evidence is insufficient to determine the benefits or harms of vitamin and multivitamin supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer.” The study further stated that for well-nourished adults, these supplements offer no clear benefit and may even cause harm.
In countries where there are no prescription restrictions, pharmacies often leave no stone unturned in selling expensive and unnecessary medicines. One of the contributing factors to antimicrobial resistance is the over-the-counter availability of antibiotics. Sleeping pills, when not sold judiciously, promote addiction and dependency.
The supplements with proven efficacy and benefit are simple and free. Avoid the avoidable — laziness, hopelessness, smoking and excessive alcohol. Do the doable — walk regularly, maintain adequate fluid intake, laugh often and spend time in the sun.
Life is certainly not easy these days. The secret to a healthy and happy life is to think positively, remain optimistic and say goodbye to unnecessary supplements.
