Dietary Supplements

June 1, 2015

Gr 6-9-With this well-written and solidly researched title, health writer Goldsmith follows the same accessible format of many of her other works. Each chapter begins with a personal narrative on the topic, followed by a few pages of material, helpfully broken up by photos, graphics, and charts. Basic facts and background information on these substances are mixed in with suggestions on how to live a healthy lifestyle. Topics include dietary, herbal, weight loss, and sports supplements, as well as information on vitamins and minerals. The design is colorful and eye-catching, and Goldsmith makes the subject compelling. VERDICT A useful resource, ideal for health class reports.-Jane Hebert, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
With myriad dietary supplements available in the largely unregulated market, this effort explores the value vs. the potential danger of these products. For a teen eager to lose weight, to increase athletic ability, to stay alert while studying for exams, or perhaps just to improve health, this readable exploration of dietary supplements would be a useful offering. Goldsmith devotes considerable detail to such hot-button topics as: vitamin and mineral supplements; herbal products, both those proven moderately effective and those that are dangerous; and weight-loss and sports supplements, legal and banned. Some of the chapters begin with a brief cautionary tale: Maggie used a weight-loss product and became violently ill; a mother and daughter both took what they thought was a multi-B vitamin supplement that turned out to be laced with anabolic steroids, causing disastrous side effects. These tales provide graphic evidence of the issues presented by a wide-ranging group of products that are either untested or tested only infrequently. Information is straightforward and accurate, presented on eye-catching, blue-bordered pages and illustrated with a smattering of color photographs. Each chapter also includes advice on healthy substitutes for supplements, such as improving dietary and exercise habits. Excellent, detailed endmatter rounds out a balanced exploration of a timely topic. Equally apt for research projects and as a single go-to source of information. (Nonfiction. 11-18)

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