FDA Dietary Supplement Crackdown
Posted by carol in weightlosstips on 13-08-2011
The FDA has warned dietary supplement makers again. To many individuals who utilize dietary supplements this was yet another example of how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration kowtows to big pharmaceutical companies and discredits the value of dietary supplements.
However, there is some justification for legitimate concern about “bad actors” in the dietary supplement industry. These are the companies that make deceptive claims, don’t have any scientific proof or clinical studies verifying the efficacy or safety of their products, intentionally mislabel their products and don’t provide complete ingredient information.
The three main health and lifestyle issues unscrupulous manufacturers seem to be focusing on are: body building, weight loss, and sexual performance.
The basic issue is how to make sure we have continued access to legitimate and beneficial nutritional supplements while getting rid of disreputable companies that damage the reputation of all dietary supplement manufacturers, products, and representatives and may actually cause health problems.
Generalized sanctions against the entire supplement industry by the FDA are not justified or fair. Those types of actions against all dietary supplements will lead to less access to dietary supplements, higher costs for supplements, and increased health care costs because Americans will have less choice to take supplements which have proven benefits that will keep them healthier and out of the hospital.
In it’s most recent criticism of dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to dietary supplement manufacturers in December, 2010 about “escalating concerns” about undeclared or deceptively labeled ingredients in products marketed as “natural” alternatives to prescription drugs.
The letter warned about undeclared ingredients in some supplements, unsupported claims that they can cure serious and chronic medical conditions, and the use of dangerous chemical ingredients.
The organization cautioned: “Consumers should avoid products marketed as supplements that claim to have effects similar to prescription drugs”.
As explained by Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which became law in 1994, a dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) intended to supplement the diet, contains one or more dietary ingredients (vitamins, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids and other substances), and is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill,
Millions of consumers believe in the benefits of dietary supplements and take them them as a key part of their efforts to achieve and maintain optimal health. Many of these people are wary of the harmful side effects and high cost of prescription drugs and the toxic chemicals that some contain.
Are Dietary Supplements Safe and Who Uses Them?
Surveys show that, the majority of the 158 million Americans who use supplements believe that they are either reasonably or completely safe.
People who believe in the use of dietary supplements are sometimes portrayed as gullible victims of “snake oil salesmen” or as misguided advocates for some radical natural lifestyle. However, the truth is that the use of supplements has come to be seen as an intelligent decision for maintaining health and wellness.
A survey of 900 physicians and 277 nurses conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition regarding their use of dietary supplements and whether they recommended dietary supplements indicates that 72% of physicians and 89% of nurses in the sample personally used dietary supplements at least occasionally. 51% of physicians and 59% of nurses reported that they regularly use dietary supplements. The majority reported using dietary supplements for “overall health and wellness”. When asked if they ever recommend dietary supplements to their patients, 79% of physicians and 82% of nurses said they did.
Surveys have also indicated that people take supplements for reasons such as treating colds or alleviating depression, despite the fact that there are health claims restrictions on product therapeutic benefits.
What’s the solution?
Is there a way to provide broad and unfettered access to dietary supplements while winnowing out the disreputable products and manufacturers?
It seems like enforcement of existing laws might go a long ways toward a solution. But this enforcement should target unscrupulous operators and not penalize the entire dietary supplement industry.
Ultimately, consumers must take more responsibility for learning how to evaluate legitimate and beneficial dietary supplements. That way they can make intelligent choices without endangering their health or wasting their money.
These dietary supplements meet all the criteria of a valid and beneficial nutritional supplement and come with a 6 month guarantee.


