The term supplement describes a variety of products such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, protein powders, amino acid blends or a blend of any of the above listed. It is sold as a supplement if the nutrient label title reads “Supplement Facts” instead of “Nutrition Facts”.

According to Fortune Business Insights, in 2021 the supplement industry conducted $71.8 billion of sales that fed off consumer’s perceived need to increase the number of pills they take to meet nutrient needs. This astronomical number is only predicted to grow!

A 2022 Consumer Report Survey reported that ~75% of people take 1 or more supplements regularly. This statistic makes supplement safety more important now than ever!

Let’s go over some information you might not know about the supplement industry!

What are The Supplement Labeling Requirements?

The Food and Drug Administration FDA requires:

• The title of the product: vitamin, mineral, protein, etc…

• Quantity of the supplement inside (servings and weight).

• A nutrient label- that does not have to be checked for verification of actual supplement nutrients!

• Ingredient list — that does not have to be checked for verification of actual contents!

• Name and location of manufacture, packer and distributor.

• Expiration dates are not required to be listed on the label! — This one is interesting since most ingredients can degrade overtime or become less potent or functional.

  
  

Tell Me More About Contamination and Supplement Testing!

Dietary supplements hit the shelves of your local food and supplement stores before being tested for safety! Unlike medications, which have to be approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) prior to sitting on the store shelf or being prescribed, supplements hit the shelves prior to being tested for safety, effectiveness, potency and contamination.

What if I told you that lax regulation standards can allow harmful substances to make their way into your daily supplements?

Substances found in supplements include:

• Heavy Metals (lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic)

• Harmful Bacteria, Fungi and Mold

• Banned Substances — over the counter drugs, hormones, steroids, banned stimulants and other harmful substances.

It is also important to keep in mind that while some brands may contain small amounts of contaminants, if multiple supplements are taken daily the contaminants have the potential to bioaccumulate (build up in concentration in the body).

Trust me, you want to know that the ingredients on your supplement label match the ingredients actually in the bottle, the product has been tested for potency, purity and contamination, and that sanitary practices were used during manufacturing.

There are several companies that choose to pay for third party testing for their products and will have certification seals on their products to signify that they do so. To learn more about the certification seals, download your FREE Supplement Safety Handout!

Another great resource to use is the Operation Supplement Safety website to browse up to date information and check supplement safety via their OPSS Supplement Scorecard.

Where Does Regulation Come In?

The FDA will step in to monitor a supplement IF there are adverse event reports submitted from consumers or health professions! If you or someone you know has had an adverse reaction from taking a supplement, it is important that it gets reported! Click here to learn the reporting process!

It’s Time to Ask Yourself…

1. Can I add foods into my diet to replace these supplements? (To explore vitamin needs by age range and whole food options of each see downloadable vitamin handout here!)

2. If “no” to question 1, can I replace my current supplement or supplements with 3rd party tested brands?

3. Do the potential risks of taking this supplement outweigh the benefit?

   
   

Additional Warning

It is always important to talk with your health care provider before starting any supplements as some can interfere with medications or have adverse effects when combined with other supplements!

Sources

• Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements | FDA

• Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide: Chapter I. General Dietary Supplement Labeling | FDA

• Dietary Supplements Market Size, Growth, Analysis, 2032 (fortunebusinessinsights.com)

• Background Information: Dietary Supplements — Consumer (nih.gov)

• Operation Supplement Safety | OPSS

• CRN Reveals Survey Data from 2022 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements | Council for Responsible Nutrition (crnusa.org)

• Is There Heavy Metal Hiding in Your Dietary Supplement? | NSF