Hi everybody this is Monica Reinagal welcome to the nutrition divas quick and dirty

tips for eating well and feeling fabulous. To- He writes, every year when I go for my vision checkup, my eye doctor recommends a special

vitamin supplement that's supposed to protect my eyes, specifically one that she sells in her

office.

And every year, he says, I decline, indicating that I eat the recommended

servings of fruits and vegetables, which is you confirmed in a recent podcast, should be sufficient. This year, she challenged me on this, citing new research

showing that even a healthy diet cannot provide enough ziazanthan and mesozia zanthin

to protect eye health. And the supplement she sells of course and the

supplement she sells of course provides the solution.

Would you comment, Gary asks on whether we really need these nutrients,

which foods provide them as well as the apparent conflict of interest

involved in a health care professional selling supplements.

Ooh boy, well let's start with the question of whether it's a conflict of interest for doctors to

sell vitamin supplements to their patients.

Although it is a subject of great controversy within the profession, it's not illegal for

health care professionals to sell products to their

patients.

Most doctors who sell vitamins or other products insist that patient care is their primary

motive. They argue that making these products available in their offices

just makes it easier for patients to follow through on their recommendations and that it also

ensures that their patients end up with high quality supplements.

However, there's no denying that such product sales can be a significant source of revenue

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