The FDA recently announced that it plans to increase its oversight of the multi-billion dollar supplement industry. This would include everything from the calcium and multivitamins at your local drug store, to those questionable weight loss and virility supplements pitched on late night cable TV stations.
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[U]nlike drug makers, supplement manufacturers do not have to submit proof of safety or efficacy before bringing their product to market.…
As a result, there’s a greater chance that consumers will be exposed to products that have undeclared or even illegal ingredients or contaminants. There’s also a greater chance that products may include unapproved or inaccurate health claims.
In response, [FDA commissioner Scott] Gottlieb intends to step up enforcement of the regulations. Hopefully, this will result in fewer people going to the emergency room due to adverse effects from dietary supplements. (In 2015, there were 23,000 such visits).
But, to tell you the truth, even when manufacturers are strictly obeying the rules, there’s still a lot of potential for consumers to be wasting their money on supplements that simply aren’t doing anything for them.
Read full, original post: Are Nutritional Supplements a Waste of Money?
