The Importance of Taking Multivitamins Everyday

Would it surprise you to learn that many of us do not get the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals necessary from our foods, even if we are consuming the suggested daily servings of fruits and vegetables?

Due to current farming practices, mass food production, processing and cooking, our foods are fewer nutrients dense than they were in previous years.

Vitamins and minerals help maintain cellular efficiency by activating enzyme systems that are essential to cellular function.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (2002;287:3127-

9) published a report by the Harvard researchers, Fletcher & Fourfield stating that “Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomized trials, it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplement”.

Eating right by making healthy food choices is always best, yet it is not always practical for everyone. Many of us have busy lives that do not leave time for proper meal planning and preparation which can help insure that our families and we, are getting the daily nutrients to prevent disease.

Take the right choice today by using multivitamins capsules which contains all the minerals and vitamins according to their RDA,which helps to maintain cellular efficiency thereby fortifying you against diseases.

10 Classes Of Drugs You Should Not Use Without A Prescription

All drugs are foreign substances which can be harmful (i.e. act as poisons) when administered in wrong doses and when administered wrongly. Although some are more potent than others and cause more serious side-effects than others, all drugs should be treated as what they are – poisons, and should not be taken without seeking advice from a board-certified Medical Practitioner and  a board-certified Pharmacist.

Drugs are categorized into two:

• Over-the-counter (OTC Drug) which are available without a Physician’s prescription.

• Prescription-only-medicine (POM Drug) which are not available without a Physician’s prescription.

Using drugs requiring a prescription without a prescription is tantamount to abuse but it must be stated that both OTC drugs and POM drugs can be abused.

Many deaths have been linked to the misuse of prescription drugs. Stars like Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and more recently Whitney Houston, have been caught by the clutches of death through such misuse.

I have compiled TEN classes of prescription drugs with some brand names in brackets that I know to be commonly abused in the Nigerian Society. This is not to say that POM’s not included in the list can be used without a prescription and this is not to say that OTC’s should be used without receiving advice on their safe use from a Pharmacist.

1. Antibiotics: Self-prescribing, not taking complete dose and incorrect usage has lead to resistant strains of microbes which no longer respond to the antibiotics. These includes Beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins, and the tetracyclines which include tetracycline, doxycycline, chlortetracycline, etc. Other common examples include ampicillin and amoxicillin.

2. Alcohol and other drugs of abuse: Alcohol is present in many beers and wines.
Ethanol, Methanol, Phencyclidine, Marijuana ‘igbo’, Lysergic acid diethylamide (which has no clinical use) and Cocaine are substances in this class.

Some abusers use them because of physiological actions like euphoria, arousal, sedation, excitation, etc. Other physiological actions include slurred speech,  decreased liver and hepatic function, hypersalivation, disturbed mood and perception, red conjunctiva, hallucinations and psychosis, and coma.

They all have a high risk of dependency and addiction and cause severe withdrawal symptoms.

3. Anxiolytics, Hypnotics, and Sedatives: These are drugs that can be used to treat anxiety, sleep disorders, panic disorders, alcohol withdrawal, convulsion, etc.

They include Diazepam (Valium), Temazepam, Alprazolam, Nitrazepam (Mogadon), Flurazepam, Flunitrazepam,  Buspirione,  Zaleplon, Phenobarbital,  Pentobartital, Ethanol and other examples.

 These drugs are not usually prescribed in large quantities because of risks of dependency and addiction. Remember  Cynthia Osokogu who was sedated with Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) which was purchased without a prescription from a Pharmacy by some persons she met via facebook after which she was  raped, attacked, and beaten.

She was the daughter of a retired Army General. Also, “Mr. Heath Ledger died as a result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of  Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Diazepam (Valium), Temazepam, Alprazolam, and Doxylamine.”  He was a thespian who was notable for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

4. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): are used to treat mild to moderate pain, inflammation (when administered in  higher doses), and fever.

“The common ones like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen are available over the counter in many areas. Others are available only with a prescription from a physician or a dentist.”

The drugs Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Sulindac, Diclofenac potassium (Cataflam), and Diclofenac Sodium (Voltaren) are in this class.

5. Anti-depressants: These drugs are used to treat depression which is an affective syndrome characterized by a feeling of intense, general  loss of interest in the everyday aspects of life, insomnia, changes in appetite, and low self-esteem.

They include Amitriptyline (Tryptizol), Imipramine (Tofranil), Chlormipramine (Anafranil), Floxetine, Sertraline (Zoloft), Phenelzine, Trazodone, and Venlafaxine. Side effects include nausea, hypertensive crisis, sexual dysfunction, weight gain and others.

6. Corticosteroids: Steroids are grouped into:

• Mineralocorticoids: an example is Desoxycorticosterone  

• Glucocorticoids: examples include Prednisone, Dexamethasone, Beclomethasone, and Betamethasone.

There was a time when it was the craze for a medication popularly called “mawu-mawu”. “It was a drug called Dexacotin, a steroidal preparation which was immensely abused in the weird African concept of equating beauty with obesity.”

I am sure most of the women were not aware that the weight gain caused by such drugs will not be evenly distributed  and that the weight gain is not as a result of the pharmacological activity of the drug but is a side-effect (as earlier stated) of the drug and even if they were, there is little assurance they would have ceased it’s usage.

 A number of persons still abuse these drugs whose side effects include weight gain, adrenal suppression, and osteoporosis (disease of the bone that leads to an increase risk of fractures).

7. Anabolic Steroids: These are examples of  performance-enhancing-drugs and individuals using them are highly prone to dependency and addiction.

They increase muscle mass and enhance athletic performance.  “A Nigerian hurdler, Ogoegbunam Amaka tested positive for the anabolic steroid metenolone at Berlin world championships.”

Another notable athlete, Marion Jones a U.S. Olympian has also been sanctioned for using such drugs. Side effects include low sperm count, shrinkage of testicles, and baldness (in men), loss of  breasts, a deepened voice, and hair loss (in women).

8. CNS Stimulants: These drugs cause an increase in motor activity, cause excitement, and decrease feelings of fatigue. They include Methylxanthines, Nicotine, and the Amphetamines.  Of all the classes, most of us are familiar with Methylxanthines and Nicotine.

The former includes Caffeine contained in  beverages such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks and Theobromine contained in cocoa. Use of Caffeine can cause side effects such as insomnia, vomiting, and  convulsions while Nicotine contained in cigarettes can cause side effects like tremors, irritability, and diarrhea.

9. Appetite Stimulants: Loss of appetite is a problem in many debilitating diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Cancer. Stimulation of a patient’s appetite is important to improve nutritional status and the  patient’s sense of well-being.

Alcohol, Cyproheptadine (Cypron and Cyprigold), and Megestrol acetate (to treat cathexia in AIDS patients), and Corticosteroids (in palliative care) are  common examples.

Again, cases have been reported where individuals with no medical reason or disease necessitating it’s use administer them because of the desire to gain weight for example, Cyproheptadine “a form of multivitamin that was effective as an appetite stimulant was also massively abused by our women folk in the craze for getting fat” in the mid-nineties.

It is still greatly abused by administering in an over-dose. Side effects include:  sedation, dizziness, weight gain, nausea, impotence, vomiting, and shortness of breath.

10. Opioid Analgesics: These drugs with morphine-like activity are potent pain-killers which can also be used to treat illnesses like cough , diarrhea, and cardiac asthma. Examples are Pentazocine, Morphine, Heroin, and Codeine. It is important to add here that Benylin with Codeine (a cough medicine) which is an OTC in Nigeria is abused by many adults and youths; some use it as  a substitute for cocaine as it is relatively cheap and available.

The Deputy Director of Public relations and Protocols, National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Mr. Abubakah Jimoh said NAFDAC was aware of abuse of cough syrups. He stated that the Agency was torn between an outright ban to make it a prescription drug or taking codeine out of the syrups, but since Nigeria is a country with a large number of rural dwellers with huge medical issues, it will limit access to such drugs if  it is made a POM.

Effects of opioid analgesics include euphoria which is characterized by a freedom from tension and fear and analgesia thus such drugs (including the OTC Benylin with Codeine) can be used perpetrate evil acts like robbery when used under their influence.

Also persons who have jobs requiring hard labour have been known to abuse Benylin with Codeine because it enhances tolerance for hard work.

Now that you know the harmful effects of this drugs, you should ensure that you never use them without a prescription, and actively discourage others from doing so.

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By Alebiosu Omobolaji Taiwo

Side Effects of Common High Blood Pressure Medications

The first medication to control high blood pressure was called sodium thiocyanate, created back in 1900. It's actually a compound mixture of salts and cyanide. It was found to dramatically reduce blood pressure, but also came with a price - life threatening side effects.

Today, over 50,000 Americans die every year because of hypertension (high blood pressure). And now, more than ever, high blood pressure medications are being doled out to us like children touring a candy factory. These meds appear to have come a long way since 1900...but have they?

Not cyanide, but...

It's a drug called Nitropress® . It's a far removed cousin of the old sodium thiocyanate. And it too has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure...

But some of the side effects of this injection drug are:

• Confusion and tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Gasping for a breath - or breathing that stops altogether
• Extreme light-headedness - even while horizontal
• Fainting
• Hyperventilating, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and possible seizure

Fact is, there has never been a high blood pressure medication without dangerous side effects - and there may never be...

Here are just a few things you need to worry about when taking the most common high blood pressure medicines:

→  Diuretics -  these seemingly harmless "water pills" cause an increase in urination and are designed to lower blood pressure by eliminating excess water and salt in the urine. This makes it easier for your heart to pump. They carry the common names of Zaroxolyn and Esidrix. The problem is that they deplete your body of much needed nutrients that also flow out when you urinate. These drugs produce undesirable side effects like frequent urination, dehydration, lethargy, cramps and weakness. More serious (and dangerous) to your health are fever, sore throat, dizziness, blurred vision and arrhythmia (abnormal heart beat).

→ Beta Blockers - designed to block the flow of adrenaline, they can successfully lower blood pressure by opening the blood vessels for easier blood flow, and can reduce the speed and force of your heartbeat. Some common side effects are dizziness, feeling faint, and cold or swollen hands and feet.  In patients with diabetes, these can also "block" the warning signs of low blood-sugar levels. Less common, but all too real, are wheezing and shortness of breath. Beta Blockers can narrow air passages, making it difficult to breath. If you're taking Propanolol, Acebutolol, Metaprolol, Bisoprolol, or Nebivolol - you're at risk.

→  Alpha Blockers - Flomax®, Cardura®, Uroxatral®, and Hytrin® are all Alpha Blockers. They lower your blood pressure by blocking chemical messages sent by blood vessels. They can also cause hair loss, runny nose, dizziness, pounding headaches, extreme weakness, weight gain, and can surge bad cholesterol, putting your heart at risk of failure. Also, a sudden drop in blood pressure caused by these medicines brings the warning against driving or "performing dangerous tasks" until you know how they will affect you.

→Vasodilators - high blood pressure is marked by a contraction of the blood vessels, inhibiting blood flow and making your heart work harder to perform. So it makes sense to use a dilator to relax those smooth muscles and open up the passages. However, the usual problems are associated with their use - dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting. But these can also cause diarrhea, and loss of appetite (which they swear is temporary). More serious are the side effects they want you to see your doctor for: unusual change in appearance - rashes, skin tone changes - fainting, fluid retention, pain in joints or back, weakness, unusual bleeding, abnormal heart beat, mood changes, and weight gain.  

Most of these drugs are prescribed together. Many times, one is prescribed to cancel out the dangerous side effects of another. Do you really want to put that kind of stress on your body? If your answer is NO, Learn how to prevent hypertension from this simple tips.

Seems not much has changed since that fateful day back in 1900 when the first high blood pressure "cure" was invented.