What’s In the Bottle?: A Look at the Dietary Supplement Industry Presented By CJ Pickering Live Your Best Life

 What are dietary supplements  Places that sell supplements  What can and cannot be done by manufacturers  Regulation of supplements  Important information to look for before you purchase a supplement  Best way to protect you and your family

 Any substance that you can eat or drink that includes: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, herbs, or other plant/animal parts (WebMD, 2009)  They can come in a pill, tablet, capsule, powder, or liquid form  Purpose of a supplement is to “add to” the diet, not a substitute for food or good nutrition

 Health food stores  Pharmacies  Fitness centers  Grocery stores  Online wholesalers/retailers  Through the mail  Some doctor’s offices  All of these places and many more are offering supplements in the United States

 Manufacturers cannot legally state on their labels or in their advertisements that a dietary supplement can diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease  Manufacturers can state that their product contributes to health maintenance and well-being

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements with the same stringent guidelines as they do for medicines  The Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) -amended by Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA)  DSHEA is the law that regulates supplements  It regulates dietary supplements as foods, not drugs

 Supplement manufacturers do not register or obtain approval with the FDA, prior to producing/selling products  Supplement manufacturers are not required to report “adverse events” to FDA, related to their products -FDA monitors through the voluntary reporting of “adverse events”, including: labeling claims, product literature, and laboratory testing

 Regulation of dietary supplement advertising: -Federal Trade Commission (FTC): regulates dietary supplement advertising for misleading claims and false information

 GMPs are a list of firm and detailed procedures to ensure that products, such as drugs, dietary supplements, and food, are manufactured with the highest quality and fit for human consumption -Systems to prevent product contamination, sanitary manufacturing, correct product labeling, and any other errors that could occur during production that may effect human health

-GMP products can be identified, tracked, and solved quickly -have a strict documentation process for all products, from production of raw ingredients to the distribution of the products

 Look for independent certification programs, which test for toxic contaminants, and that the ingredients on the label are contained in the bottle in the proper amounts  United States Pharmacopeia (USP) manages Dietary Supplementation Verification Program (DSVP)

 Products that contain USP seal indicate that it has been tested for purity, integrity, dissolution, and safe manufacturing  USP is the only certification program that conducts random off-the-shelf testing  ConsumerLab.com – another company, which independently tests dietary supplements, results are available to subscribers  Reported that 25% of supplements have some kind of problem, and about 50% of all multi- vitamins

 NSF International -National Sanitation Foundation - not for profit, non-governmental organization -provides standards, product certification, auditing, education and risk management for public health and safety

 Natural Products Association -formerly known as the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) -largest/oldest non-profit organization representing the natural products industry, with interest in the manufacturing and distribution of health food products -products include: health foods, dietary supplements, natural ingredient cosmetics, and sports nutrition products

 Dietary supplements are an integral part of an over-all health and wellness program, which includes sound nutritional practices and regular physical activity  It is important to stay up-to-date on the current policies and regulations regarding the manufacturing and distribution of dietary supplements  Before use, make sure to research and find products that adhere to strict manufacturing practices, which bear such logos as the USP  Be sure to contact/consult with your physician prior to starting any supplement regimen

 WebMD. (2009, June 30). Dietary supplements. Retrieved from       Consumer Reports. (2012 Aug 2). Consumer reports investigates vitamins and supplements: ten dangers that may surprise you. Retrieved from entry.html  Federal Trade Commission. (2010 July 14). Dietary supplement maker to pay 5.5 million to settle ftc false advertising charges. Retrieved from

 Higdon, Jane. (2007 Jan 2). An evidence-based approach to dietary phytochemicals. Thieme.  Hughes, Kerry, and Talbott, Shawn M. (2006 Sept 28). The health professional’s guide to dietary supplements. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.  Hurley, Dan. (2006). Natural causes: death, lies, and politics in America’s herbal supplement industry. Broadway Books.  Nutrition Business Journal. (2011 Sept 1). Supplement business report. Retrieved from business-report-0  NSF. (2004). The importance of certification. Retrieved from fication.asp?program=DietarySup