In 2011 I reported on dietary supplement safety and warned that supplements are not risk-free. Today, based on the cease-and-desist letters sent to major retailers by the New York attorney general, there’s even more evidence that you should be wary of supplements on store shelves.
According to the FDA, makers of the following are not required to show their products are safe or effective before they go on the market:
- Herbs or other botanicals
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Amino acids
- Other raw ingredients
That’s because over 20 years ago, President Clinton signed the “Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994“. Under this law, supplements do NOT need FDA approval before they’re sold. This lack of oversight has caused serious illnesses and irreversible health effects.
Per a Congressional investigation in 2010, dietary supplements were found to contain the following:
- Heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic)
- Pesticides
- Filth and bacteria
- Prescription drugs
- Super/subpotent vitamins and minerals
- Toxic compounds