The Dalglish Family 22q Clinic

Natural health products are supplements (e.g. pills, liquids, tinctures) that people take to solve a health problem. However, many natural health products can have bad side effects or interact with your medications. They can be taken as pills, liquids, energy bars, teas, creams, etc.

• Vitamins (multivitamins; vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, and folate)
• Minerals (iron, calcium, magnesium etc.)
• Herbs (turmeric, ashwaghanda, yerba mate, etc.)
• Probiotics
• Pre- and post-workout supplements (e.g. creatine, BCAAs)
• “Energy” supplements (e.g. taurine, guarana)
• Enzymes
• Others (glucosamine, probiotics, fish oils etc.)

• First, the best way to stay healthy is to eat a balanced diet and exercise every day.
• Don’t use a natural health product to replace prescribed medications.
• If you are interested in taking a natural health product, ask the doctor or dietitian from the Dalglish Clinic how it might affect you. Whenever you have an appointment at the Dalglish Clinic, please bring all your medications, including natural health products and all types of supplements. Thank you.
  • Remember, some products that seem safe for the general public may be unsafe for people with 22q.

Unfortunately, Yes. Just because a product is “natural” does not mean it is safe for you to use. For example, CBC’s Marketplace found over 60 cases where liver failures happened in people who took green tea supplements.

Other possible side effects include:

• Too much vitamin A can cause headaches and liver damage, reduce bone strength, and cause birth defects.
• Too much iron cause nausea and vomiting and may damage the liver and other organs.
• Herbs like combrey and kava can harm the liver.
• Some supplements can affect how people react to anesthesia for surgery.

Unfortunately, Yes. Here are some examples:

• Vitamin K can reduce the ability of blood thinner Coumadin® (Warfarin) to prevent blood from clotting.
• St. John’s wort can speed the breakdown of many drugs (including antidepressants and birth control pills) and thereby reduce these drugs’ effectiveness.
• Vitamins C and E can reduce the effectiveness of some types of cancer chemotherapy.

• Before you start using such a product, talk to your doctor to see if you should use it.
• Don’t use a natural health product to replace prescribed medications.
• Don’t use a natural health product together with prescribed medications unless your doctor gives you approval to do it.
• Whenever you have an appointment at the Dalglish Clinic, please bring all your medications, including natural health products and all types of supplements. Thank you.

• Ask your doctor so you can get information that is just right for you
• National Institues of Health – Office of Dietary Supplements (USA)
• About Natural Health Products – Health Canada