Do You Believe in Magic?
Title: Do You Believe in Magic? Vitamins, Supplements, and All Things Natural: A Look Behind the Curtain
Authors: Paul Offit, MD
Year: 2014
Quick Summary:
This book is all about the natural products and supplements industry in the United States, and the name basically says it all – the author does not have much respect for the topic that he’s discussing.
Highlights:
Dr. Offit is an incredible writer in that he sounds like he is having a natural conversation with every reader. Regardless of the topic he is writing about (and no matter how controversial), he still manages to pull you in with engaging stories and convincing arguments. He simplifies complex topics so that anyone can understand them well enough to develop their own conclusions. And he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the natural products and dietary supplement industry.
Lowlights:
There are many things wrong with the dietary supplement industry in our country. If you’ve read my book, you’ll have read the entire two chapters that I dedicated to the topic. But in my book, I left room for personal choice and provided solutions to those that are interested in the safest methods of trying some natural alternatives. Dr. Offit, on the other hand, makes it clear from page one that he strongly believes the entire industry should be shut down, and leaves no room for anyone to disagree with him.
Unfortunately, this does a disservice to the readers, because it does not provide any middle ground solutions to the issues that we face with our current supplement industry (dangerous ingredients, poor quality standards, poor consistency, etc). Instead, it polarizes the topic so that the people who already agreed with him walk away cheering and those that were on the fence walk away offended and confused.
Final Word:
If you are interested in learning more about why the dietary supplement industry has been under fire in recent years (and I strongly believe that EVERYONE should become more educated on this topic), this book will lay it all out for you in clear, simple narratives. But if you are looking for a way to protect yourself while still having additional options available to you, or even for reassurance that you can take a supplement without being judged, you will not find guidance in this book.
I have yet to find a book that is able to provide an unbiased look at the state of the industry and still be empathetic to the reader and their situation. I’ll be sure to shout it from the rooftops if that ever changes!
*I should disclose here that I did work directly with Dr. Offit for a number of years in one of my previous roles, and have the utmost respect for him as a physician and as a protector of the public’s health, especially that of our children. We share many of the same concerns regarding the dietary supplement industry, we just have different approaches to handling it.*
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