FDA Takes Action Against Any Unsafe Supplement
But with all the thousands of supplements on the market, it’s more likely that the FDA will respond only to those products that have adverse health effects that occur on a large scale. You may remember when a supplement called ephedrine was pulled from the market for causing heart problems.
How To Purchase Quality Supplements
If you decide to take a supplement, there are many ways to go about evaluating its safety; here are some helpful guidelines:
- Look for supplements with the U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP), National Formulary (NF) notation, or those approved by other independent reviewers like NSF international or ConsumerLabs.com. These mean the manufacturer has undergone voluntary evaluation of product purity, strength, labeling, and weight variation.
- Ask a health care professional who is knowledgeable about nutrition and supplements.
- Do a literature search, being wary of articles or publications funded by the manufacturer of the supplement.
- Determine the reputability of the manufacturer. Have they been in business for a long time? Do they have quality control standards? Do they publish their own research? Is their research cited in peer-reviewed journals?
- Note any side effects associated with the supplement.
- Is the proposed benefit worth the cost or risk?
- Are there any illegal or banned substances contained within the supplement?
- Will the supplement interfere with or otherwise affect any medications or other supplements you may be taking?