Pharmaceuticals are known as “Prescription Drugs” because they may only be ordered for use (prescribed) as a medical care treatment by licensed health care providers. Many people are prescribed and take several prescription drugs at the same time. The drugs often belong to different drug classes and are sometimes used alongside nutraceuticals. Many pharmaceuticals are useful, but their major disadvantage is that most of them, even when used as prescribed, can cause unintended adverse reactions, known as side effects. Their use rests on a harm-benefit analysis that judges the harms acceptable in light of the benefits they provide. Lifestyle, diet and movement remain the major players in healthspan, and every drug deserves equal scrutiny of both its benefits and its harms.
The pharmaceutical industry, like the nutraceutical and food industries, mostly operates with unrestrained market power, and much of what reaches the public is shaped by those who sell the product. Knowing what a drug is used for, how it works, what research and experience say about it, its side effects and warnings, how it interacts with other drugs, nutraceuticals, foods and alcohol, which nutrients it can deplete, and what inactive ingredients it contains can make a real difference in your health.
What to do:
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