Your Guide To: Practitioner-Only Products (POPs)
Supplements are so easily accessible in our society, from online, to health food stores, to chemists and even supermarkets - so how do you know what is right for you? And what does it mean if a practitioner prescribes you a POP?
What is supplementing?
Supplementing with compounded or isolated nutrients is a common practice in complimentary medicine approaches, targeted at those who have nutrient requirements which are not fulfilled through their diet. Food is always the purest and most whole form of nutrients that exists, which are required by the human body. Many people struggle, especially with a Westernised diet to achieve all essential nutrients, and can often have symptoms which reflect a deficiency. Supplements are nutrients isolated from their food form, often chemically synthesised which provide an accessible and convenient way to meet nutrient requirements outside of food. These are most often available in powders, drinks, tablets or capsules.
What are practitioner only products (POPs)?
Practitioner only products are products that most often fall in the supplement category, which are listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods through the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), making them unavailable over-the-counter or off the shelf. To access these products, a person must undergo a consultation with a qualified health professional (ie. clinical nutritionist, naturopath, pharmacist) before purchasing.
So what makes these different to over-the-counter products?
POP’s undergo rigorous testing through clinical trials in order to be approved by the TGA, which often results in the product being of much higher quality, and much higher dosage, called a’therapeutic dose’.These products undergo the testing to ensure they are safe for consumption and effective in doing what it intends to do. These products have been formulated with almost entirely active ingredients, with the ability to maximise absorption, meaning your body soaks up and uses more of the product.
Can I continue using my over-the-counter supplements?
A practitioner can only suggest products for you, you are never obliged to take, the same as you are not obliged to cease your over-the-counter supplements. The downside of these over-the-counter supplements, however, is that they only contain a very small amount of the active ingredient, and contain numerous other unecessary ingredients in order to stabilise the product and make production cheaper, which often leaves the active ingredient not being able to be absorbed correctly by the body, making the entire product less effective, and ultimately wasted as the ingredients pass through the body.
What is actually better for me?
All in all, POP’s guarantee that you are taking a safe, and effective product which contains a high dose of active ingredients, specifically formulated to enhance absorption, and is supported by clinical trials (scientific evidence) that it is effective. The higher bioavailability and dosage, means that it is likely more beneficial to yourself and your health concerns, as well as more cost effective in the long run compared to over-the-counter or off the shelf products.