Are your medications depleting nutrients from your body?

Despite the focus on eating a healthier diet as a tool for staying healthy, medications, prescription or non-prescription drugs may be necessary from time to time. For many people, circumstances necessitate the continuous use of one or more drugs.

 Unfortunately, many of these drugs can cause the body to lose nutrients. The medical name for this is 'drug-induced nutrient depletion'. This topic is of vital significance to both health professionals and the general public.

For decades, studies have documented that many commonly prescribed drugs can cause the depletion of one or more nutrients. Unfortunately, this information does not receive the publicity and attention it deserves.

Researchers believe that many of the side effects from drugs may actually be due to the nutrient depletions that are caused by the drugs, when taken over time. In 1998, 11 of the top 20 drugs prescribed were drugs for which studies showed potential nutrient depletion.

Some of the most commonly prescribed drugs and over-the-counter drugs include: antacids, NSAIDS, aspirin, cardiovascular drugs, oral contraceptives and ulcer medications. These categories of drugs have the potential to deplete numerous vitamins and minerals.

Below is a list of the nutrients that may be depleted by long term use of these medications.
 

As you can see, both over-the-counter and prescription medications have the potential to deplete nutrients from the body, with minerals and the B vitamins being the most common drug-depleted nutrients.

When you combine this potential problem with the high stress lifestyle, environmental pollution and generally poor dietary habits of the American public, you have the potential for serious nutrient deficiencies.

Because so many people depend on medications to maintain their health, simply removing medications or stopping the use of medications is not necessarily the answer. Changing the use of medications must be done only under the supervision of a physician.

However, you can make changes in your lifestyle, particularly through proper diet and supplements, to help replace the nutrients that may be depleted during the use of medications. Begin by including more fruits and vegetables in the diet.

The next step is to help replace what's missing by choosing a high quality multi-mineral supplement and a whole-food multi-vitamin supplement. Finally, ask your physician and/or pharmacist about the medications you may be taking and become informed about the interactions those medications may have with nutrients. In the end, your health is your responsibility.

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