Supplements RYAN TARMAN

Intro  The supplement Industry makes over 20 billion dollars every year with over half the population purchasing pills, drinks, and powders.  Unfortunately regulatory agencies like the FDA and FTC have no power to regulate these products to make sure they are safe until people become sick or injured from use.  Although many Americans do take supplements to feel healthy, there needs to be regulation over these products.

DSHEA  DSHEA or the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was passed in  This Act defined what a supplement is and how it would be regulated.  It set up the supplement industry to be self regulating. Where supplements can’t be tested until people get hurt.  About 150 people died from using Ephedra before it was finally taken off the shelves.  This happened again with the use of OxyElite Pro which was linked to an outbreak of liver disease and one death.

Lobbying and Endorsments  The FDA attempted to increase regulation of supplements in the early 90s.  This prompted the industry to create a nationwide PSA saying that the government was going to take their vitamins and treat them like drugs.  The charge on Washington was led by senators Orrin Hatch and Tim Harkin which continue to be the largest receivers of funds from supplement industries.

They Help Keep Me Healthy Over half the population of the US takes supplements. They say the feel the effects and fell healthier for taking them. It is also argued in Washington that it is required by law for these companies to put the ingredients of each supplement and the ingredients potency on every label. However in a DNA test done on herbal supplements it was found that one in three bottles contained no trace of DNA of the plant advertised on the bottle.

Conclusion  Supplements can be dangerous and need to have more regulations placed upon them.  There intended uses are potentially life threatening however the agencies that normally keep food and medicine safe have no power to make sure these products are safe before consumers buy them.  The industry is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people yet millions of people continue to purchase and use these supplements.  The self regulating of the industry has led some companies to blatantly lie about what they are selling to the consumer.

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