Safer Supplements

 

What do Magnum XXL 9800, Jaguar Power and Kangaroo Intense Alpha all have in common? They are all dietary supplements that supposedly enhance male sexual performance. But they have something else in common too. Despite the fact that they were all sold as supplements on various websites, such as Walmart.com, and retail stores, the FDA has issued public warnings they they illegally contained sildenafil, the active ingredient in viagra. By law, supplements cannot contain drugs, so how could this happen?

Unfortunately it happens often for two main reasons. 

First, supplement products are not strictly regulated like drugs are. The FDA regulates dietary supplements under a completely different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that the firms manufacturers are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as amended by DSHEA and FDA regulations. In other words, it is on the honor system. The FDA has the authority to take action against any adulterated or misbranded dietary supplement product but only after after it reaches the market and has caused harm. 

Second, many supplement products are manufactured in countries like China or India with even less oversight and regulation than in the USA. Since companies buy these foreign-made supplements and then "rebrand" them as their own products it can be difficult or impossible to learn where they originated.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

1. Take a look at your diet before adding supplements. As their name indicates, they are meant to “supplement” a healthy diet. If you are looking to decrease inflammation in the body that may be leading to pain while eating a diet high in fried foods and processed sugar, which both cause inflammation, you should start with your food choices. Often times food and drink changes can give the results that are expected from a supplement. 

2. Look for domestically produced products. Buy from companies that manufacture their own products in the US or buy from companies that do. These will almost never be your cheapest choice.

3. Have realistic expectations. Supplements can be a part of a healthy diet and lifestyle but don't expect miracles from them, despite what their marketing may claim. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

A number of consumer advocacy organizations are pressing Congress to update the law and allow better regulation of supplement products. Until they succeed, you are on your own.