The side effects modern medicines cause can be strange, painful and scary.

Nausea, fatigue, sleeplessness, and many other side effects can often be just as bad as the condition the drugs are supposed to be fighting.

Almost half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug, according to statistics collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Some doctors who have been researching how to treat side effects have come to the conclusion that the cause of some is pharmaceutical-induced nutrient depletion. Basically, the drugs strip the body of some vitamins and minerals, causing problems.

Doctors Don't Know

Dr. Frederic Vagnini, who co-authored "The Side Effects Bible: The Dietary Solution to Unwanted Side Effects of Common Medications," said he believes many side effects can be solved through nutritional supplements and dietary sources.

"This could be a big reason why we have what we call the walking wounded, and why so many people on drug therapy are having so many problems," said Vagnini.

The problem, said Vagnini, is that most doctors are not aware of the problem and don’t give their patients any guidance about what nutrients could be depleted by their prescription drugs.

"It's very simple. Most doctors consider vitamins and nutrients a waste of time," said Vagnini. "Second of all, there's not enough health education in the field."

Vagnini said pharmacists also by and large are unaware of the issue of nutrient depletion.

"When I did a presentation at Walgreens and Rite-Aid, they said, 'Well, our pharmacists don't have time. They're making prescriptions and counting pills,'" said Vagnini. "It's not like the old days, where they can counsel patients."

Vagnini even said he was unaware of the issue.

"I, practicing in nutrition for 20 years, didn't even know about it until the (publishing) company asked me to do the book. It's like a hidden secret," said Vagnini.

Some common prescription drugs can cause a long list of nutrient depletion. For example, according to Vagnini, common aluminum antacids such as Maalox and Mylanta can cause a depletion of vitamin A, vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.

Statin drugs, like Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor and Pravachol, are meant to treat elevated levels of cholesterol. Vagnini said that while these drugs are effective in treating cholesterol, they can lower levels of coenzyme Q10, which can be bad for the heart, brain and energy level.

"You have these millions of people on statin drugs. I don't have to tell you how many millions, they are all getting their CoQ10 depleted," said Vagnini. "And the major side effects from statin drugs are liver problems and also statin-induced myopathy, which is muscle pain and weakness. Other problems include fatigue and memory problems."

Patients Surprised

Ray Yingling, who runs a vitamin store in Madison, Wis., called Vita Source, said he uses guides like Vagnini's "The Side Effects Bible" on an almost daily basis to help customers who suffer from pharmaceutical side effects. He also said that his customers are constantly surprised to find out their drugs could be depleting vital nutrients from their body.

"The doctors and the pharmacists are not educated in drug-induced nutrient depletion. It's not talked about," said Yingling. "Why aren't people told this stuff? Why isn't your doctor or pharmacist telling you that your drug depletes zinc out of your body? It's because vitamins aren't deemed important. Unless it's very, very well known, doctors are clueless. They think drugs and surgery can solve all of the problems that we have."

Yingling said that once he puts his customers on a vitamin plan that will replenish their bodies of the nutrients their drug could be robbing them of they usually see an improvement.

"I'll show them a list of the potential depletion problems of their drug, and they'll say, 'Oh, magnesium depletion can cause muscle cramps and depression?'" said Yingling. "And they're reading all of the depletion problems and they'll say, 'Oh, that's me.'"

Vagnini said he has been able to help countless patients with their side effects by telling them to take certain vitamins and eat certain foods.

"I see it in my practice on a daily basis. 'Oh, Doc, I'm on Lipitor, or I'm on Vasotec or Wellbutrin, or Vioxx … and I don't feel well.' And we feel that it's not all drug-induced deficiencies, but in part its side effects seem to be related to nutrient deficiencies," said Vagnini.

Vagnini said he does not think the subject will receive any more attention from the medical community in the near future because "medicine is always 20 years behind the times."

He also said it is hard to say how many side effects are directly related to nutrient depletion, but that "hopefully there'll be some education. The book which I wrote did OK. It wasn't a best seller like some of my other books."