A pharmacist has shared three things she would ‘never do,’ and one of them might surprise some people.
Pharmacists are specialists in medicine and can guide patients on the safe and effective use of various drugs. People often visit their local pharmacy seeking help for minor illnesses, such as colds, coughs, ear infections and skin rashes.
With numerous different types of medication available in supermarkets, chemists and online, consumers might be uncertain about which types are the best or where they should get common medicines from. Anum is a clinical pharmacist who produces wellness and lifestyle content on social media and provides expert advice on healthcare.
She recently posted a video on TikTok outlining three things you would “never” catch her doing.
1. Buying branded medication
The healthcare professional said she would never buy any type of branded over-the-counter medication, like painkillers or hay fever tablets. She explained: “Guys, your supermarket own brands contain the exact same active ingredient as their branded counterparts so save yourself the money and just buy the genetic version.”
The NHS confirms that the generic version of a medicine will be identical to the branded one as they contain the same active ingredient. The health service uses non-branded versions more frequently, as they are just as effective but cost less.
2. Taking ‘A to Z’ multivitamins
An A to Z multivitamin is a dietary supplement packed with a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, designed to boost overall health and wellbeing by ‘increasing’ the intake of these nutrients. These multivitamins are heavily promoted on social media and readily available in shops, making them a go-to option for those seeking a quick health boost.
However, Anum has highlighted an issuewith these vitamins. She stated: “So I feel like it’s a huge marketing ploy so generally these types of multivitamins don’t actually contain a high enough dosage of any one vitamin to give you any type of real benefit.”
Typically, these supplements include B vitamins for energy, Vitamin C and zinc for the immune system, and Vitamin A for vision. The pharmacist further added: “Also, if you’re not deficient in something why are you replacing it?
“Better still, get a blood test, see what you’re deficient in and replace that [so] that’s actually going to give you some type of benefit.”
3. Taking advice from anyone who isn’t medically trained
Anum revealed that she wouldn’t accept any kind of medical advice from someone who isn’t qualified to provide it. A person without training will likely lack the necessary qualifications and knowledge to offer reliable guidance.
Seeking advice from someone untrained could also lead to dangerous misinformation. Also, many people resort to online searches when experiencing particular symptoms and occasionally self-diagnose, but this can be potentially dangerous and result in inaccurate diagnoses.
The TikTok clip has attracted thousands of views and likes along with more than 100 comments. One user confessed: “Omg I always take multivitamins.”
Another supported Anum’s position, commenting: “Number two is totally right. Stay away from multivitamins, the dosages are very low plus most of the time they put the cheapest types of each vitamin.”
Others posted responses, including “completely agree”, “amazing advice” and “thanks, great advice.”