dietary supplements - again in the news

[chabella]

I caught this in the news today from a friends blog and I just wanted to share in case others might have missed it. I love the idea that they are being strict and cautious but sometimes I wonder if the wrong people are in charge here.

 

[Weezle]

We have too many regulations. I have to wonder if Big Pharma is behind this. You know it is going to raise the price of supplements significantly. I like the idea of supplements being tested to make sure they are pure and have the amount of supplement they are supposed to, but it really bothers me that they will be dabbling in something they have never bothered with before.

 

[Elkheart]

I'm not sure I like this either. It seems like everything is being regulated and it's never good for the common person. It always means more laws and more money in someone else's pocket.

 

[MissEm]

I might be in the minority here, but I kind of like the idea that they are going to regulate this a bit more. At one time I worked for a nutrition company, and the company I worked for was very stringent with the quality of the ingredients used and very strict on their manufacturing process, which was pharmaceutical grade. I trusted what was in the product I used because I had intimate knowledge of the product production from start to finish. I do not trust that other companies are as honest or pay as much attention to detail as the company I worked for.

 

[deb]

As badly as the FDA regulates pharmaceuticals and food, and as much influence as big drug companies have on the FDA, I trust my own research much more than I would ever trust the FDA.

 

[Aletha]

Honestly, if they start this, I feel they will pretty much ban everything we can use on our own. I really think the prices will go so high, it will be out of reach of the common people. That's one reason some of us started treating with natural substances.

 

[Hedda]

I love the idea that there will be a check and balance on what supplements peddlers are selling. Right now, there is no way to know for sure if their claims are true or not.

 

[artistry]

Well, I never heard before mayne two weeks ago, about a study showing that too much Calcium could pose a possible risk of heart attacks for women, which did not come from the FDA. So if they are going to inform people of sensible precautions, then so be it. But let's not just add stuff that is meaningless and increase cost.

 

[yellowfish]

Yes i agree with most of the above. I think that as a user of alternatives supplementary vit and minerals that i want to be sure there is sufficient regulation to ensure quality at a reasonable price. I also want to ensure that the giant pharmaceuticals do not have power over this industry. As health care becomes more and more expensive many more people will turn to alternatives if the pharmaceuticals get involved they will cause a price explosion or outlaw it all together

 

[SifuPhil]

I might be wrong but I get the impression that all that is being legislated is the quality of the supplements - not their efficiency. Theoretically you could have a dietary supplement made out of cotton candy, and as long as it's manufactured, distributed and properly tested for stated ingredients you could still sell it as a dietary supplement.

In other words, they don't care if it doesn't DO anything of value, as long as there are no rat-hairs in it.

This is doing nothing but increasing the cost of legitimate supplement manufacturers, which might be the entire plan of the FDA and their puppet-master Big Pharma after all ...

 

[Isabellas2007]

It seems odd that you always hear about how harmful the herbal medicine or supplements may be on people. However, you never really hear about the drugs whose potential side effects can fill a book. Kind of odd if you ask me.

 

[Esperahol]

It seems odd that you always hear about how harmful the herbal medicine or supplements may be on people. However, you never really hear about the drugs whose potential side effects can fill a book. Kind of odd if you ask me.

The part of the commerical where the guy talks really fast for like a whole minute is the part where you hear about the sideeffects. And on the bottle your medicine comes in will be the side-effects as well as on the slip given to you telling you how to take the medication. There are also all the commericals informing you how to sue this or that company for possible side-effects.

 

[Parker]

Part of the pressure on alternative medicine and supplements comes from the medical and pharmaceutical lobbyists. They have a vested interest in eliminating or restricting what they see as the competition.

 

[shaunche]

It is one big gravy train! The food manufacturers make huge profits making us fat and satellite industries like the dietary supplement industry make money 'remedying' our fatness. I do not trust the FDA to relegate the industry, they are in their pockets.

 

[sammilynn]

They can say that they're safe all they want, and some of them may really be safe, but can we really know if they are in the long term.. new ones come out all the time claiming to be better and safer than the last, but are they? I think taking herbal supplements and things like that can be great for your health, but these dietary supplements may not be what they claim to be. I think it's just safer to avoid them.

 

[shaunche]

They can say that they're safe all they want, and some of them may really be safe, but can we really know if they are in the long term.. new ones come out all the time claiming to be better and safer than the last, but are they? I think taking herbal supplements and things like that can be great for your health, but these dietary supplements may not be what they claim to be. I think it's just safer to avoid them.

Exactly, I don't trust them. They make their own rules and then break their own rules, you can't trust them. I recently read that much of the extra virgin olive oil on the market isn't even extra virgin, I know olive oil isn't a supplement, but it's still the issue of trust.

 

[beckyv1265]

Just because something is all natural doesn't mean its safe or hypoallergenic. Peole can react negatively to many things. anything you put in your body has a potential to harm you if taken in quantities that are not safe. Most drugs have side effects that doesn't mean that you will get them you just have the potential to cause harm. Many health aids also have harmful side effects if taken incorrectly. Too many people hear about a new thing and start taking large quantitys of it. If you are not deficient in that particular thing than it just stresses your body to eliminate it. I think people need to be smarter about what they eat and drink and what supplements they take.

 

[sammilynn]

Exactly, I don't trust them. They make their own rules and then break their own rules, you can't trust them. I recently read that much of the extra virgin olive oil on the market isn't even extra virgin, I know olive oil isn't a supplement, but it's still the issue of trust.

Exactly, all these rules that they make, doesn't mean they stick to them. People see that they have rules and regulation and think that means they follow them. The same goes for almost everything really. Not just dietary supplements, like you said. You have to really think for yourself, read labels, and be aware of what you're putting into your body. Now more than ever it seems.

 

[misumaru15]

They don't do such a good job with their existing duties. There could be much better ways to do it. I know it is big business for the pharma companies and they have very expensive and attractive lobbyists working for them. I am a bit uneasy about this.

 

[shaunche]

The supplement industry is relatively unregulated. Anyone can make a protein powder, label it and sell it on the market. The labeling laws are full of loopholes for anyone who wants to make a quick buck. Someone did this a few years ago (sold a bogus protein powder) to show how easy it can be done.