Step-by-Step Process
Doing some research is key to ensuring you get all the tests that are appropriate and that you have the best possible questions to ask your healthcare provider. Specifically, doing web-based research on the drugs and vitamins you take as well as your health conditions, you’ll be able to compile a list of possible mineral and vitamin deficiencies, excesses and vitamin-drug interactions you may have. Since this research is a key step in our “Get Tested” process, you may want to review our Get Tested Page to understand how this research fits into the big picture. So, listed below are the research steps you’ll want to follow:
STEP 1: Compile a list of all medications and supplements you take. Also list your health conditions, including symptoms and diseases/conditions that have been diagnosed. You’ll need this for your research (in Step 2) and when you visit your healthcare professional.
STEP 2: Visit a Healthnotes website (the link is below). Healthnotes is the premier and highly-credible health and lifestyle information system that incorporates research from scientific studies in over 550 publications.
STEP 3: Using this Healthnotes website, research the following using the “Search Healthnotes“ field on the right (and leaving the “Healthnotes Index” field blank). Make sure you get their comprehensive information page on each drug, vitamin and health condition. This page is usually one of the top 3 search results and lists things like: introduction/about, medicines and therapies, vitamins/herbs, amounts to take and interactions. You’ll want print out information you find useful as well as specific vitamin-drug interactions, deficiencies or excesses mentioned. This will be information you’ll want to bring with you when you visit your healthcare provider.
A – Prescription drugs: Search each drug you take. Note and print out interactions with vitamins you’re on, deficiencies produced by the drug and recommended supplements.
B – Supplements: Search each supplement you take. Note and print out interactions with prescription drugs you take.
C – Health Conditions: Enter each health condition you have (e.g. arthritis, acne). Note and print out any deficiencies common in people with similar conditions. Also note supplements that are recommended for that health condition.
STEP 4: Compile a list of potential vitamin deficiencies, excesses and drug-vitamin interactions. Using your research and printouts, create a short summary of potential vitamin/mineral deficiencies, excesses and drug interactions. This information will help you ask your healthcare provider the best possible questions, give them the justification they need to order the best possible tests and ensure you get the tests you feel are appropriate.
Congratulations, you’ve now taken important steps in improving your health!
Other Useful Research
- You can visit Drug Digest.org and enter all of the drugs and vitamins you take onto one screen and receive a comprehensive report on drug-drug and vitamin-drug interactions. Using a second source for researching drug interactions may provide you with some additional insight and information. However, this site does not let you know what vitamin deficiencies or excesses may be caused by the drugs you’re on or health conditions you have. You’ll still need to get these via the Healthnotes website.
- An excellent site for researching either a disease or symptoms you have and determining possible causes that doctors sometimes miss can be found at Wrongdiagnosis.com.
- Another good vitamin-drug interaction checker is online at the American Nutraceutical Association’s website.
The Vitamin Testing site is very attractive. Above all, it is LOADED WITH INFORMATION that you have centralized, thus making it easier for people to begin to understand drug-vitamin interactions. Kudos to Craig for this wonderful innovative, informative, first-in-its-field website.
June 25th, 2007 at 11:04 am