Have you ever been told that dietary supplements are not regulated? Do you worry that what is on the label isn't what is in the bottle? Product safety is a very important thing to be concerned about. Unfortunatly, the drug companies want you to think that natural products and herbal remedies are not regulated and therefore could be harmful to your health. The truth is that dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as by government agencies in each of the 50 states. The dietary supplement manufacturing, labeling and marketing are all regulated and enforced by the FDA and FTC. The truth is that 150 million Americans alone take dietary supplements safely annually. Dietary supplements are intended to be just "supplements" and should not take the place of a healthy well balanced diet or should they be an excuse not to exercise. Manufacturing companies are required to abide by Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Responsible companies do abide by these rules and the GMP emblem can be found on the label. To find out more about Dietary Supplement Safety. Go to www.crnusa.org and read more about regulations of this industry. |
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Dietary Supplements Organic vs. Natural This labeling can be tricky. Under the guidelines of labeling "Natural" covers just about anything. So be careful and don't fall for this trick. More and more people are beginning to be informed about the dangers of pesticides, herbicides and additives that are added to our food supply and with this knowledge people are demanding safer foods. The food industry is beginning to feel the pressure. More products are coming out that are organic and many companies are trying to pass off their products as healthier with the "Natural" label. To be truly organic the fruit, vegetable, meat, chicken or any ingredients used in a food product have to be grown without pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics, or additives. The animals or fowl must be fed a diet free of these things as well. To learn more about the specifics of these definitions, go to www.ams.usda.gov or www.usda.gov
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Another regulatory agency that some companies are using is the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) which has introduced a comprehensive Dietary Supplement Verification Program (DSVP) that test the supplements to verify that the ingredients stated on the label are indeed in the product. Look for USP verified and or DSVP on the labels of the supplement. |
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