What’s Sending Over 20,000 People to the Hospital Each Year?

What's Sending Over 20,000 People to the Hospital Each Year?

(AscendHealthy.com) – We humans have enough issues to worry about. With plenty of natural diseases and fatal injuries potentially looming overhead, we don’t need to be adding to our personal dangers. Still, we find ways.

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, over 23,000 people send themselves to the hospital each year as the result of this one avoidable cause. It’s one that seems safe and innocent enough — and that’s a big part of the problem. Read on to find out what it is.

Accidental Ingestion

A staggering 21.2% of all supplement-related hospital visits are children who’ve gotten into them. Children, especially those under 5 years old, may mistake tablets, which might not come in child-resistant packaging, for candy. In total, about 4,600 children visit the emergency room each year due to supplement ingestion.

Always keep bottles out of the reach of young children, preferably locked in a cupboard or lockbox. Just as importantly, never administer a dietary supplement to a child without consulting their physician first.

Dangerous Lies

Supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, and they can circulate for some time before they get pulled for being proven dangerous or deceitful in their claims. Until then, people can get hurt or even killed.

Some of the most dangerous products have been those marketed for weight loss and increased energy. Respectively causing 25.5% and 10% of all supplement-related hospital visits, the two account for nearly 72% of all related cardiac events. Women are three times more likely to go to the emergency room due to complications from these supplements. In men, products marketed to improve intimate performance account for 14.1% of hospital visits.

The bottom line: Healthy people are unknowingly causing themselves harm by taking these products. There is no magic, over-the-counter pill capable of safely making a person thinner or that increases libido, and anyone who claims otherwise is just looking to make a quick buck off others’ desperation.

Hidden Hazard

Sometimes, the pills themselves pose the dangers. Among adults over 65 years old, 37.6% of supplement-related emergencies involve choking or swallowing difficulties. The majority of pills that cause these problems are vitamin and mineral supplements. People who find larger pills hard to swallow may want to consider alternatives. Some may find they never really needed a supplement in the first place.

Self-improvement is vital to growth and good health, but it’s also important that we’re careful about how we go about bettering ourselves. There are no shortcuts, and any attempts at finding one may lead to more harm than good. Always talk to a doctor before starting or changing any supplement regimen to make sure it’s safe and doesn’t interact with any prescriptions. In many cases, a well-balanced diet is better than any supplement a person might buy.

~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension

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