Health supplements may offer many advantages. Vitamin and mineral supplements, for instance, help maintain nerve and blood cell health; joint pain remedies like glucosamine can reduce discomfort; but some supplements can be dangerous when taken in large doses over an extended period.
Some vitamins and minerals work better as tablets or capsules while others can be more easily absorbed when taken as a liquid solution. Before beginning to take them, it is essential that you understand their individual capabilities so as not to accidentally take too much.
They don’t have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Dietary supplements are subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, though they don’t need approval prior to sale. Instead, this agency only requires evidence supporting claims made for each supplement before being sold in stores; additionally it monitors marketplace for potentially harmful or fraudulent products while working closely with the Federal Trade Commission to regulate product advertising.
Consumers should look for products labeled with third-party seals from US Pharmacopeia or NSF to indicate they meet stringent purity and potency standards. Consumers can also look for packaging with black-and-yellow “USP Verified” logo.
Reputable companies should disclose all ingredients and their amounts on their label, while also avoiding words like “proprietary blend,” “formula,” or “complex,” which could indicate they are concealing ingredients or suggesting their product may be more effective than it really is.
They don’t have to be regulated
Supplements are a billion-dollar business, yet don’t need to be subject to the same stringent regulation as drugs. That’s because the Food and Drug Administration classifies them as foods rather than drugs, meaning they don’t undergo extensive safety testing or undergo extensive recall measures; their only action could come when reports that a supplement caused harm are received; then they would remove it from shelves immediately.
If you want to purchase supplements, read their labels carefully and avoid products with overly optimistic claims that are too good to be true. In particular, consider products which have been third-party tested and carry seals of approval as these will tend to be of higher quality and more likely free from contaminants, saving money over time. Also consider investing in ones registered with FDA as this will enable prosecution against manufacturers with histories of misrepresenting their products more easily.
They don’t have to be tested for safety
Dietary supplements generally don’t need to be tested for safety before being sold on store shelves, thanks to the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act which categorised them as food rather than drugs, meaning they do not undergo the same stringent approval processes as pharmaceutical medicines do.
After supplements hit store shelves, the FDA usually only becomes aware of issues after receiving reports from consumers and health care professionals about adverse event reports. At that point, appropriate action may be taken based on reports.
When searching for safe and effective supplements, look for products with either the USP or NSF seal, which indicates they have passed quality tests. Also look for ones which list individual ingredients with amounts rather than proprietary blends; such products could potentially fail to deliver on advertised benefits or may even prove harmful to health. Lastly, ensure the supplement adheres to good manufacturing practices.
They don’t have to be labeled
Though FDA regulation of supplements exists, they should not be considered drugs. According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), “dietary supplements” are defined as substances taken orally to improve body structure or function but do not meet definition of drug. Labeling requirements are mandated by law and include providing a Supplement Facts panel; labels cannot claim they treat diseases directly; instead they can specify which nutrients might help promote overall wellbeing.
Consider choosing a supplement tested by the Food and Drug Administration, who maintains a database of recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts. Also look for one with either USP or NSF International seal – two indicators of quality – and DNA tests conducted by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman revealed that many dietary supplements sold at popular retailers do not contain what their labels indicate; rather they contain fillers such as rice, radish seeds mustard seed DNA as well as houseplant DNA!
