SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Americans spent more than $155 billion on prescription drugs last year, but many people are not being told that their pills may be depleting their bodies of crucial nutrients.

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Medications May Deplete Body's Nutrients

Research shows that the pills people are turning to in record numbers could be stripping their bodies of vital nutrients that protect health, reported KCRA-TV in Sacramento, Calif.

For example, 100 million Americans suffer from high cholesterol and many turn to statin drugs. But statins also deplete the body of nutrients and the co-enzyme Q-10 -- a compound the body makes that's essential for heart energy.

Dr. Roberta Lee now urges her patients to take supplements to replace the nutrients they're losing.

"The most common medications where I've found evidence in the medical literature of nutrient depletion would be patients who are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, birth-control pills, oral hypoglycemics -- in other words, oral medications for diabetes, antacids, and anti-inflammatory medications," Lee said.

Jane Campton said she takes prescription medication every day to control her arthritis, as well as a birth control pill. She also takes calcium and a multivitamin.

"I just found out recently that taking these drugs, taking these medications on a regular basis every day, does deplete nutrients and vitamins in my body, and I was very surprised to learn that -- and very disappointed -- that I hadn't been informed about this," Campton said.

With so may drugs now available to treat so many health problems, it's critical for patients to ask their doctors about the nutritional supplement they need to support their prescriptions, experts say.

"You need to work with your pharmacist or your doctor or your nutritionist to find out -- if you take a drug every day -- what kinds of things you might be missing," Lee said.