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The dietary supplement market has exploded in recent years. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a multi-billion dollar industry that currently includes over 50,000 products including vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, metabolites, etc., with 1,000 new supplements being introduced each year. Therefore with such market saturation, it really is not too surprising to learn that more than two-thirds of Americans take some type of dietary supplement, according to the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Dietary supplements have continued to come under fire for several reasons. One of the main concerns expressed by many experts is the lack of government regulation in this particular industry. Since dietary supplements are classified as a food product and not a drug, the federal government does little to regulate what goes into these products and the claims they make.
With a wide range of testimonials and claims regarding supplements that they can do everything from prevent illness to enhance performance, and with more and more people searching for a “quick fix” to their health problems, the ability of some less-than-reputable manufacturers to sway the general public (and even the savvy professional athlete) is becoming easier.
In recent years, the FDA has begun to crack down on over-the-board claims that are often made by some manufacturers of dietary supplements. A handful have been slapped with multi-million dollar fines and others have quietly pulled their products and slithered back into the night when faced with class action lawsuits.
The lack of federal oversight has also meant that the industry and the manufacturers retain the responsibility for ensuring that the dietary supplements they produce are safe for the consumer. Unfortunately, their ability to “police” themselves is not always as stringently enforced as it should be. This is definitely evident in yet another study that points out glaring problems within this industry.
The non-profit coalition of dietary supplements, Informed-Choice, and HFL recently tested 52 dietary supplements available for purchase in the U.S. Of those tested, 13 contained traces of steroids. Additionally, 11.5 percent contained banned stimulants with 6 having measurable amounts of ephedrine, which was thought to play a major factor in the deaths of Minnesota Vikings Korey Stringer and Baltimore Orioles Steve Bechler.
Do not waste your time searching the internet for the names of those products containing the banned substances. Regrettably, Informed-Choice is not releasing those names. So, we will remain in the dark regarding that particular piece of information. We also can't fact check this source.
We appear to remain in the dark regarding whether this is something being deliberately perpetrated by manufacturers or if it is a manufacturing snafu. After all, we would much rather believe, but obviously not condone, that a manufacturer is not taking the time to clean their equipment well and their products are inadvertently being contaminated by these banned substances. This is much easier to swallow (and fix) than the idea that they are deliberately loading their products with steroids and banned stimulants in the hopes of selling more products. It would be rather underhanded to stick these substances into a product, just to get people hooked on amazing results, have the word spread like wildfire and watch the product fly off the shelf. Nope, they wouldn’t do something like that…or would they? Whatever their motivations or issues, manufacturers aren’t doing a good job of ensuring their products are safe for consumers. Nor do they appear to be doing very well in improving their standards since just five years ago the International Olympic Committee which conducted a similar study found that 18.8 percent of 240 supplements tested contained steroids. By no means, can they crow from the rooftops regarding their ability to improve the safety of their manufacturing processes or products.
There is currently a scandalous black mark on the supplement industry, one that is growing in part from what are evidently poor manufacturing practices by some and by the lack of solid information funneled through the media to the general public. The fact is that there is very little scientific, non-biased evidence to the real dangers associated with steroids and stimulants.
Is ephedrine the possible cause of death as claimed by the FDA, or is it more about irresponsible marketing practices geared to those trying to lose weight or get into shape? Or, is it a situation of product misuse by those who blatantly disregard package labels and warnings and use the products irresponsibly. Many of these products clearly say "Don't take if you have a history of heart attack or stroke, nursing or pregnant, under the age of 18” and so on.
In my opinion, the answer is not to pass stringent or restrictive laws against the supplement industry, but to take measures to protect ethical practices by reputable companies and to provide effective policing for all companies in order to restore consumer confidence and win back those who are being scared away from an industry that might possibly hold the best answers for their health and wellness.
The question is can tainted products and companies with unethical practice be snuffed out without damage to the industry as whole?
We can't go wrong with information, but we clearly can't paint a black and white, positive or negative picture of the supplement industry at this time.
As consumers, as professionals in the industry we have a responsibility to lobby for better business practices... Otherwise, I fear we will scare away the more less-informed who believe that DHEA is an ergogenic aid, and that we can make monsters out of our aging male population. These are perhaps the same misinformed, uneducated who are currently petitioning to ban creatine in the U.S. Senate.
The bottom line here is that we must all practice personal responsibility by not assuming that any dietary supplement is safe. Take the time to educate yourself people! Consider talk to your physician, a sports nutritionist or a dietitian before you use any supplement and always do your own homework. Read the labels carefully and if you really want to err on the side of caution consider using only supplements that have been certified by non-biased, non-profit organizations such as NSF International. The NSF is one such organization that has created a comprehensive testing and certification program for dietary supplements. For consumers and athletes alike, it can provide peace of mind that they are not taking a product that can ultimately prove detrimental to their health or professional career. A list of products that have been checked for banned substances and are certified as being free of banned substances can be found at NSF International's website.
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