What Do You Really Know About Your Dietary Supplements

There's a frightening and emerging trend plaguing the dietary supplement (DS) industry. Recent studies (conducted by independent labs, scientists, and/or newspapers) in which DS were randomly and independently tested have shown that DS products do not always contain the ingredients (or the purity of ingredients) stated on the product label. In fact, studies have shown that only about 20% of supplements meet label claims! This concern goes across all supplements: vitamins, minerals, herbs/botanicals, and amino acids. How can you confidently make a purchase under these circumstances?  In most cases it is best to rely on a professional, such as Dr. Bossio, with experience in selecting and assessing each product. 

To complicate matters, manufacturers of DS are not required to submit products to the scientific scrutiny of the FDA because DS are regulated as a food product, not a drug. The Federal Trade Commission regulates advertising of product claims, but that has nothing to do with the purity and quality of the pill you're taking. The FDA has the authority to spot-check supplements (and to remove products that violate certain regulations) but is not required by law to test, or require testing, on all over-the-counter supplements. With this in mind Dr. Bossio selects her products from trustworthy professional line companies and highly reputable manufactures that use third party testing for quality assurance.

Several private groups, as well as the Government Accountability Office (Natural Resources and the Environment Division) want more done to hold supplement makers accountable for the purity of their products. It's a heated debate, but as more clinicians, consumers, and retailers call for standardized practices for testing, producing, and marketing DS before they go on the market, the more confident we all can be about what we're buying.

Be an informed consumer:

1. Read labels and understand what the terms on the label actually mean. Ingredients you don't want to see include fillers, dyes, lead, dextrose, titanium dioxide, and magnesium stearate.
2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
3. Look for a Quality Assurance seal of approval: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP).
4. Purchase products from Dr. Bossio or another reputable healthcare provider.  Finding supplements at a bargain price may seem like good financial sense, but think again. For example, Amazon cannot test or guarantee products sold through third party sellers and there is no assurance that the items are not expired, relabeled or even counterfeit. While the cost of clean raw materials and optimal quality control means that high quality supplements may be more costly than those sold at vitamin warehouses, cheaper varieties may not be worth even a few pennies.
5. Research the product / company on the Internet: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Look for product recalls and scams: FDA Health Fraud Scams & Tainted Supplements.
6. Your best source of educational support is Dr. Bossio or your health care practitioner.

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Vitamin & Mineral Supplement Tips for Children

Ideally, kids acquire all the nutritional fuel they need from a healthy, balanced, organic, and GMO-free diet. But even with such a diet, there can still be nutrient deficiencies due to exposure to environmental toxins, illness, or poor health habits and lifestyle choices. Or, if your child is following a special diet or is vegan, they may be missing essential nutrients that come from a more varied diet.

Just like adults, children can benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements. However, children's metabolism and their immune, digestive, and central nervous systems are still maturing, so the effects and side effects of supplements can differ from those seen in adults. This is especially true for infants and young children. When considering nutritional supplements for youngsters, it's important to seek a trusted source to increase the likelihood that the product has been properly formulated, labeled, and has gone through quality assurance testing.

A basic supplement regimen for children includes:

Multivitamin: Look for one derived from whole foods, or if that is not available, a standard formulation. Check labels to be sure the product is free from fillers, toxins, and added sugar.
Multi-mineral: A good quality multi-mineral includes an array of trace minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and calcium.
Omega 3s: Look for omega-3 fish oil supplements that have been independently tested for heavy metals and PCB (a man-made manufacturing substance and known cancer-causing agent banned in 1979 that may still be present in some manufacturing processes).
Probiotics: Ideally contain 10 billion, multi-strand organisms.
Vitamin D: Current guidelines suggest 600 IU.

Based on individual health needs, there may be times when a specific supplement regimen or higher amounts of a supplement may be needed--a decision best made with Dr. Bossio.

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References

What Wikipedia Won't Tell You About Supplements

The wonderful world of supplements can be a bit overwhelming. Many supplements are available over-the-counter, yet this should not be taken as a license to self-prescribe or self-dose. Everyone's health needs are different and an individualized health plan is vital for reaching optimum health. You may not even need a supplement, or you may need more of one supplement than you do of another. Often, over-the-counter supplements (especially those in tablet form) contain binders, fillers, and additives. Magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, starch, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, simethicone, vegetable gum, talc, and propylene glycol (primary ingredient in antifreeze), are just a few of the most common additives you might find listed as "other ingredients" or "inactive ingredients" on the package supplement label.

The forms of vitamins, minerals and other substances used in products can be very important. For example, consider Vitamin E. Studies indicate that using the isolated form of Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) can increase risk of cardio vascular events in someone diagnosed with heart disease. However, using the full spectrum of Vitamin E as it occurs naturally, (mixed tocopherols and mixed tocotrienols) can decrease risk and even help improve heart health. Bargain brands and other OTC Vitamin E often contain the cheaper isolated form of Vitamin E. Dr. Bossio knows about things like this and can guide you to making better choices.

Dr. Bossio can guide you toward supplements that come in forms without unnecessary additives, and which are rigorously standardized for product amount and dosage. Supplements provided by Dr. Bossio will come from reputable companies that follow very strict compliance and safety standards, including the monitoring of the supplements' degradation due to expiring shelf life. Additionally, self-medicating with supplements poses the threat of drug interaction, allergic reaction, and other risks, all of which should be monitored by your Naturopathic Doctor.
Still, the most important factor remains individualization. Discuss your health concerns and appropriate supplement options with Dr. Bossio to develop a supplement regimen tailored to your specific needs. Not everybody needs the same supplements in the same amount. Dr. Bossio will be able to consider your individual needs and health and choose appropriate supplements and forms that will work best for your body.

REFERENCES

Murray, N.D., Michael, and Pizzorno, N.D., Joseph. 2012. New York, NY: Atria Paperback. The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.

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