DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS SAFE OR NOT?

Christian Asher

Dietary Supplements

 there are more than 50,000 Dietary supplements available on the market today.

Dietary supplements are more popular than they’ve ever been

Dietary supplement market is growing.

four years after the DSHEA(1994) was passed the Dietary supplement industry grew in  sales from 8 billion  to over 12 billion

Dietary Supplements

Dietary Supplement-"a product intended for ingestion that contains a 'dietary ingredient' intended to add further nutritional value to (supplement) the diet"(FDA.gov). A 'dietary ingredient' (according to the FDA) may be "one, or any combination, of the following substances: a vitamin, a mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid, a dietary substance for use by people to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake, a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, or extract.“

Too broad a definition

Dietary Supplements

(http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/ODS_Frequently_Asked_Questions.aspx)

The DSHEA Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act

Main purpose of act-"supplement can be removed from the market if the FDA shows that it presents 'a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury' or that it contains 'a poisonous or deleterious substance' which may render it injurious to health.“

The basic guidelines, in short, for labeling (according to the FDA) includes a statement that defines the product as a supplement, quantity of contents, nutrition information, part of plant used, name of manufacturer, complete list of ingredients, safety information,  and "the disclaimer 'This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration . This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.‘ [or] if the supplement bears a claim to affect the structure or function of the body (structure/function claim), a claim of general well-being, or a claim of a benefit related to a classical nutrient deficiency disease"

FDA

congress requires the FDA to assume all Dietary supplements are "safe until proven otherwise“

 A "new ingredient" is defined as an ingredient that is first marketed after October 15, 1994.

Any ingredient sold before October 15, 1994 does not need to be FDA approved

Conclusion

The FDA is simply not efficient enough to monitor such a broad industry as Dietary supplements.

The FDA’s definition of Dietary Supplements makes it so Dietary Supplements are nearly impossible to regulate.

It is irresponsible of the FDA to assume all Dietary Supplements are safe until proven otherwise.