No one wants to be unhealthy. No one wants to be overweight, to not exercise enough, to have high blood pressure, to have muscle pain, to make poor dietary choices, etc. Yet, the reality is that it’s very difficult to live a healthy lifestyle; it requires dedication, commitment, and time. It’s no wonder then, that so many people turn to supplements, vitamins, shakes, or lotions sold online that claim to have amazing properties or to deliver beyond-belief results. However, as tempting as these over-the-counter “miracle” supplements can be, there are plenty of good reasons NOT to buy them. Here are three you should keep in mind the next time you’re considering buying a “weight-loss vitamin” or a “cancer-healing lotion”:
They Won’t Work
Purchasing health and wellness products from disreputable sources found online is akin to playing roulette with your well-being. At best, nothing will happen. It’s unreasonable to expect any pill or vitamin to produce incredible weight loss results. If such a product really existed, it would have supplanted diet and exercise years ago. But no product has. Difficult though it may be to accept, you’re not going to see tremendous health gains by using supposed health products pedaled by flim-flammers and con artists.
They Might Seem to Work (Even When they Don’t)
What’s worse than an ineffective health product that doesn’t work? One that gives the appearance of working. Take for instance, one of a myriad of home or over-the-counter remedies for STDs like chlamydia or gonorrhea. After taking such a supplement, it’s entirely possible that a person will no longer experience symptoms of the infection. However, correlation does not equal causation in this scenario. In truth, symptoms of common STDs come and go naturally –– independent of at-home treatments. Rather, the only way to truly deal with STDs is to find an STD testing center near you and get tested and treated by a medical professional.
Taking a supplement that seems to deliver results, but doesn’t, won’t solve any serious health issues and could lead to further problems down the line.
They Can be Actively Dangerous
Recently, the FDA put out a warning for individuals to stop purchasing a certain “miracle health product” solution that claimed to cure a number of medical ailments. Why did the FDA do such a thing? Because, in reality, this solution was just as toxic as bleach! Many so-called health supplements are mere placebos, but it’s important to note that others can actively harm you and even threaten your life. Don’t buy or use any supplement, vitamin, lotion, cream, or treatment that isn’t backed up by a doctor.