Question

The supplement industry is supported through extensive expenditures by consumers. Do supplements do what they are purported to do? Do consumers expect that supplements accomplish what they are purported to do? Is money spent unnecessarily on supplements? Should supplements be more closely regulated by the FDA? Which supplements might you use and why (note the wording - it is not necessary to disclose whether you have or do use them)? What should the average consumer know about purchasing and using supplements? Includes specific examples and support with at least one reference. Original posts should be a minimum of 3 paragraphs with 3 responses to classmates of at least 1 paragraph each furthering the discussion

course: COMPLEMENTARY-ALTERNATIVE MEDS health care

Answer 1

In United States, as per Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act:

“A dietary supplement is a product intended to supplement/reinforce the diet, usually taken by herbs or other botanics, or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract or combination of the above mentioned”.

These dietary supplements can be in the form of tablets, capsules, lozenges, chewables, powders, solutions and syrups.

Types of the dietary supplement:

Natural supplements: these are extracted from plants, animal tissues or inorganic material

Semi-synthetic supplements: these are extracted from natural sources and then are chemically changed.

Synthetic supplements: these are completely artificially formed.

The rationale behind using Mineral and vitamin supplements can help correct mineral and vitamin deficiencies. If you do not have a nutrient deficiency, you will less likely experience benefits from dietary supplements.

Regulation of dietary supplement worldwide:

According to Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, dietary supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs.

The following are the labeling requirements regarding dietary supplements:

The name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor; as well as complete list of ingredient along with the net contents of the product.

FDA does not analyze dietary supplements by consumers’ requests at the same time consumers can get thorough information about supplements from the producers or private labs.

Moreover it very true that supplement industry is supported through extensive expenditures by consumers as the products are imposing high rates of expenditure in the modern lifestyle of consumers.

The supplements provide the additional nutritional value along with fulfilling the lack of mineral/vitamins/proteins deficiency.

But in true sense the minerals and micronutrients biosynthesized by the body are having the real value, as when we get dependant on such products there is chance that body’s normal functioning of micronutrients production is hampered.

“Furthermore these products have risk of allergic reactions and other associated side effects”.

Yes it is true that consumer expect that these supplemets should fulfill the ultimate the need of consumers, but it is such filling the psychological performace criteria in true sense not the all as per my view.

Sometimes i fell that there is unnecessary expendature of mony on supplements as balanced died with nutition rich subastances are sufficient to accomplish the need.

As per regulation concers of supplements the existing guidelines need some improvemets as per FDA guidelines concerns.

While purchasing such supplements the is higher need of awareness about the products, overall description of products its pros and cons are desired.

As example:

peroteinex

enduramass

megamass

revital

all these are supplements.

At the end i would like to conclude the use of nutritional supplemets should be only if highly required as well as under proper priscription schedules.