Be Careful If You Use Supplements

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A warning. If you use supplements for your health, beware. The FDA recently announced it's cracking down on the supplements industry because some products are not able to do what they claim or even contain the ingredients they say they do. You could be putting your health at risk depending on the supplements you take. It's a confusing issue because many supplements do work extremely well. I went to a local health expert who has some great advice about what to look out for.

If you go to the Food and Drug Administration's web page, you'll find all sorts of warnings about supplements. It says, "many dietary supplements contain ingredients that have strong biological effects which may conflict with a medicine you are taking or a medical condition you may have. Products containing hidden drugs are also sometimes falsely marketed as dietary supplements, putting consumers at even greater risk."

Kim DeRhodes is a pharmicist with Novant Health in Charlotte. Part of her job is educating patients about the use of dietary supplements. She says, "There's definitely science out there that shows that there are benefits to many of the supplements that's incontrovertible. But not everything that's for sale on the market has that kind of science behind it. Unfortunately we do have even dangerous products that are allowed to be sold in the United States that are banned in other countries."

DeRhodes says it’s very important to know what you’re taking when you take supplements. "They are not FDA approved. They don't have to prove safety or effacacy. Just like prescription drugs have to prove both. Over the counter drugs have to prove both, that they're safe and effective. But the dietary supplements do not have to prove that. Products can be contaminated with bacteria, heavy metals, even undeclared prescription drugs a lot of times." Some supplements don't even contain the ingredients they say they contain. This doesn't mean supplements are not beneficial. Many of them are extremely helpful and come as advertised. But how do you tell the difference? One way, check to see if the supplement has the USP seal...an independent program that certifies supplement products. Another way is through www.consumerlab.com It's an independent company that provides test results, reviews, ratings and comparisons of vitamins, supplements, herb and nutrition products. You do have to pay for the service.

DeRhodes says, "There are companies that have good reputations. But when you have the combination of a very high profit margin potential and very low regulation, it attracts bad players to the market and there's lots of them. You need to be educated about what you're using and why you're using it and what the science is behind that particular supplement. And then you also need to think about the quality of the product you're buying." DeRhodes tells me she is very hopefull that this new FDA focus on supplements is going to make a very positive difference in the market. So here's the bottom line in all this. The most important thing you should do if you are going to take supplements is to talk to your doctor or a professional expert on supplements like Kim DeRhodes. And be sure to do your research because what you don't know about can really hurt you. A warning. If you use supplements for your health, beware. The FDA recently announced it's cracking down on the supplements industry because some products are not able to do what they claim or even contain the ingredients they say they do. You could be putting your health at risk depending on the supplements you take. It's a confusing issue because many supplements do work extremely well. I went to a local health expert who has some great advice about what to look out for.

Kim DeRhodes is a pharmacist with Novant Health in Charlotte. Part of her job is educating patients about the use of dietary supplements. She says, “There’s definitely science out there that shows that there are benefits to many of the supplements that’s incontrovertible. But not everything that’s for sale on the market has that kind of science behind it. Unfortunately we do have even dangerous products that are allowed to be sold in the United States that are banned in other countries.”

Some supplements don’t even contain the ingredients they say they contain. This doesn’t mean supplements are not beneficial. Many of them are extremely helpful and come as advertised. But how do you tell the difference? One way, check to see if the supplement has the USP seal. That’s an independent program that certifies supplement products. Another way is through www.consumerlab.com It’s an independent company that provides test results, reviews, ratings and comparisons of vitamins, supplements, herb and nutrition products. You do have to pay for the service.

DeRhodes says, “There are companies that have good reputations. But when you have the combination of a very high profit margin potential and very low regulation, it attracts bad players to the market and there’s lots of them. You need to be educated about what you’re using and why you’re using it and what the science is behind that particular supplement. And then you also need to think about the quality of the product you’re buying.” DeRhodes tells me she is very hopefull that this new FDA focus on supplements is going to make a very positive difference in the market. So here’s the bottom line in all this. The most important thing you should do if you are going to take supplements is to talk to your doctor or a professional expert on supplements like Kim DeRhodes. And be sure to do your research because what you don’t know about can really hurt you.