December 2004 | Whole Health: Clean Living
Nutrient-Stealing Drugs
by Rebecca Ephraim, RD, CCN
The U.S. health-care system is built on a foundation of pharmaceutical drug use; two out of three doctor visits result in a drug being prescribed. In doing what drugs are supposed to do — that is, effecting change in the body by altering its normal metabolism — pharmaceuticals can cause untold numbers of other reactions, termed side effects. However, one very profound side effect is that, more often than not, a particular drug will deplete the body of valuable nutrients — vitamins, minerals, etc. — that, in turn, can cause even bigger health problems.
Ross Pelton, a pharmacist, Ph.D. (psychology and health) and a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, is one of the foremost experts on drug-induced nutrient depletions. Pelton is a staunch advocate of nutritional supplementation, regardless of whether one is taking drugs. He encourages everyone to take a good daily high-potency multi-vitamin/mineral supplement to cover their nutritional bases.
In his research, Pelton has found hundreds of studies demonstrating that numerous drugs — from antacids, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories to birth-control pills, cholesterol-lowering drugs, chemotherapy, and even aspirin — deplete the body of nutrients. The result is nutrient deficiencies that can complicate and compromise health. “We’re just touching the tip of an iceberg,” Pelton says, “because the Food and Drug Administration has never made it a priority that drug companies need to research and look into whether or not their particular drug causes nutrient depletions.”
However, there’s substantial evidence for many drugs. Let’s take the case of birth-control pills. One in four women of child-bearing age uses the pill. Others also take it to reduce symptoms of hot flashes or irregular periods or to treat acne. Some are on the pill for years. Pelton says, “There’s solid documentation that multiple nutrient depletions can cause a wide range of health problems in women due to the estrogen medications.” The estrogen in the pill depletes vitamin C, magnesium, selenium, zinc and especially all the B vitamins, which are essential in a multitude of enzymatic reactions. For instance, a deficiency of the B vitamin folic acid can cause birth defects, cervical dysplasia (a possible precursor to cancer), anemia and cardiovascular disease.
Another key nutrient, coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10), is depleted by an assortment of widely used drugs. CoQ10 is so vital to bodily functions that it has been likened to a spark plug in a car engine. Just as a car cannot function without that initial spark, the human body cannot function without CoQ10. Beta-blockers, diabetic drugs, blood pressure medications, cholesterol-lowering drugs and vasodilators all zap CoQ10. So, what to do? In addition to the multi-vitamin, Pelton advises supplementing daily with at least 100 to 120 milligrams of it. However, he adds, “You can’t say what level a person should take. Many of the studies on this topic will give whatever level of CoQ10 is necessary in order to get people up to a specific blood level and the range of supplementation varies from 75 mg up to 600 mg a day.”
Over-the-counter drugs are culprits of nutrient-depletion as well. Pelton reels a list off the top of his head. “Laxative medications, antacid medications, anti-ulcer medications, things like aspirin and Tylenol and some of the anti-inflammatory things...so yes, there are lots of them.”
The entire subject of drug-induced nutrient depletions may be news to many. New studies and information on the subject are hard to come by because, as Pelton says, “...drug companies are not interested in funding studies that tell you and me that their drug is causing nutrient depletions.”
However, Pelton and his coauthors have compiled the available research and put it in their books, the consumer version, The Nutritional Cost of Drugs (800-348-3777, $20) and the professional version, Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook (800-837-5394, $30).
Rebecca Ephraim is a registered dietitian and certified clinical nutritionist.
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