Foreigners are known fitness fanatics and regularly take some Dietary supplement. Obviously their supplement industry is booming yet critics question about authenticity, safety and also talk whether the products pass through any stringent quality control tests? Are you one of them like an athlete or a bodybuilder and have similar thoughts? Well, we analyze the situation and show you insider secrets so you get the clear picture and be a confident consumer.

Who Keeps a Watchful Eye on the Supplements?

Despite critics crying foul, most of the Dietary Supplements are governed by many acts like the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Also the Good Manufacturing Practices or GMP regulations regularly check the manufacturing facilities for cleanliness and the practices followed for testing the raw ingredients.

Supplements usually neither need any approval prior to being put on the market nor there any compulsion for manufacturers to perform clinical trials on human volunteers. But most over-the-counter drugs can be sold only after they undergo studies showing substantial evidence that the drug is both safe and effective for each if its intended uses.

Supplements contain a mix of the above and hence most of the minerals, nutrients, vitamins are always sourced from certified manufacturers before adding to the product. Hence it can be said that the overall supplement is safe to consume.

Are Dietary Supplements Really Safe?

Normally dietary supplements can contain only those ingredients which are permitted by the FDA. Even if a product has proprietary formulation, the side-effects, if any, have to be reported. If FDA has any evidence about a mix posing significant health risk, the product can either be pulled off the shelves of prevent from it being manufactured.

Active users can always report a supplement problem to the manufacturer. This constitutes a field trial like result and good companies lap it up with both hands. Whenever they make further inroads, the news reaches FDA which includes it for making further guidelines and instructs other manufacturers accordingly.

Is the Claimed Benefit on Labels Verified?

Before the dietary supplement bottles are considered okay for selling, the manufacturers are supposed to get their labels scrutinized by competent authorities. The manufacturers should possess reliable and scientific evidence of the tests so that no misleading information can be printed. All tainted and misbranded products are prohibited from marketing.

The FDA keeps strict watch if any label claims that it can diagnose, treat or cure any disease and when found, can quickly misbrand it and force the manufacturer to remove it from the distribution channel.

Another agency, the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC keeps vigil on advertising at online and offline channels including labels. Both the FDA and FTC quickly coordinate and sprint into action if any anomaly is discovered and halt the manufacturer then and there.

Is Quality Control Standardized?

Many government controlled agencies, along with GMP work simultaneously ensuring quality of ingredients. Some are USP, NSF International and Informed Choice make sincere efforts in checking quantity of ingredients as mentioned on the label. They also analyze whether or not any banned substance is mixed. Technically speaking, there is no single authority screening the nutritional supplements, but many watchdogs keep close looks on everything involved and try taking informed decisions.

How Should a Consumer do its bit

Depending totally on certifying agencies is calling for trouble. The consumer should be proactive and vigilant at the same time. Blindly accepting the claims have far reaching results. The consumer should read all that is written and cross check whether it reflects the same meaning as available elsewhere? When the internet is available and has voluminous information available for all, researching a bit on the ingredients is always possible.

Instead of blindly agreeing on the specified dose, it is better to start on a lower dose and only when nothing adverse results one can progress to the stipulated dose. Remember that advertising focuses on getting something done quickly and the wordings change.

Also remember that fore warned is fore armed and it is always better to be an informed user. Any good report helps all future customers and adverse report prevents other from grievous injuries. The consumer should understand his role and act responsibly. When everyone understands this and behaves accordingly, together we make a better world with checks and cross-checks keep the spurious products at an arm’s length.

Conclusion
Critics do have a point on regulation but they are not always correct. Regulation agencies work silently in the background and their efforts cannot be questioned. Despite these stringent regulations some manufacturers manage to sneak through. But vigilant customers can always hit back with their experience and raise them at different forums. Overall, it can be said that dietary supplements are quite safe to consume.

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