You see them all over the place these days… Nutrition bars that claim to be healthy and good for weight loss or muscle building, but when you read the label, you see an endless list of chemicals, sugars, processed trans fats, and other harmful overly processed ingredients.
There are so many types of “Nutrition bars” and “protein bars” on the market today, how do you know if you are actually getting something healthy or just junk food in disguise? Read the rest of this entry »
Sometimes we get lucky: even in the deep of winter we often have brilliant sunny days. These bright days can make us feel better, but even a sunny winter day won’t help us catch up with our vitamin D needs.
It is estimated that over half the US population is deficient in vitamin D. The more we learn about it, the more we realize how important vitamin D is, and that we get less of it than we think. We call it a vitamin but it is actually a hormone. Vitamins and minerals are found in the foods we eat; our primary source of vitamin D is the sun. Only a few foods have it naturally, and even then in small amounts. Read the rest of this entry »
The Dairy Calcium Myth Milk is not as high in calcium as the dairy industry would have you believe. In Healthy Vitamins and Minerals by Jane Turner, under the section on Calcium, milk doesn’t even make the first page and sits 35th on the list with 120mg of calcium per 100g.
Some of the foods that beat it by far are sesame seeds (670mg/100g, more than 5 times!), sardines (540), Nori seaweed (470), both more than triple, almonds (240, double!), figs (230) parsley, spinach, watercress, kale (200-170, and these are green vegetables!) even hazelnuts and oysters (140).
More importantly though what little calcium milk actually has is offset by the fact that it is barely absorbable by humans since cows milk is meant for baby cows. Dr William Ellis has conducted thousands of blood tests in people who drank 4 glasses of milk a day and found that they had lower levels of calcium than the rest of the population.
Read the rest of this entry »
What are phytonutrients and why are they so important? Phytonutrients are thought to have a variety of beneficial and significant benefits to our health and exist in a kind of limbo between being vitamin and being mineral.They are found in the skins of fruits and vegetables. They are found in supplements that are the extract of pigments where nutrients are concentrated, meaning that they draw the best from antioxidant foods, leaving the calories and sugar behind. Phytonutrients are powerful and healthy substances to include in your diet.They are plant compounds with health-promoting qualities and can also be found in liquid vitamin supplements.
Fruits and vegetables that are high in carotenoids appear to protect humans against certain cancers, heart disease and age related macular degeneration. Elderly men whose intake of dark green and deep yellow vegetable put them in the highest quartile for consumption of these vegetables had about a 46% decrease in risk of heart disease relative to men who ranked in the lowest quartile.While these phytonutrients aren’t essential by traditional definitions, they apparently reduce risks of diseases of aging. This can reduce cardiovascular disease risk by interfering with the clumping of blood platelets-the first stagein clot formation. Lycopene from tomatoes can also be a preventive measure in regards to your health. Lycopene,for example,from tomatoes is in clinical trials for cardiovascular diseases and prostate cancer. A host of fresh fruits, especially berries are rich in disease-fighting phytochemicals. Serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stomach ulcers. More than 80% of all chronic disease is preventable, but only if you know how. Read the rest of this entry »
Q. How do I know if I need a dietary supplement?
A. Because many products are marketed as dietary supplements, it is important to remember that supplements include vitamins and minerals, as well as herbs, botanicals and other substances.
Some supplements may help ensure that you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients or help promote optimal health and performance if you do not consume a variety of foods, as recommended in the MyPyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
However, dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure disease. In some cases, dietary supplements may have unwanted effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other dietary supplements or medicines, or if you have certain health conditions.
Do not self diagnose any health condition. Work with your health care provider to determine how best to achieve optimal health and always check with your health care provider before taking a supplement, especially when combining or substituting them with other foods or medicine.
You can use the checklist at the following link to talk to your health care provider about your nutritional status and whether taking a dietary supplement(s) is right for you:
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/pubs/partnersbrochure.asp#firsttool
Q. How can I get more information about a particular dietary supplement such as whether it is safe and effective?
A. Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of some dietary supplements (e.g., vitamins and minerals) is well established for certain health conditions, but others need further study. This is partly due to the way dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Research studies in people to prove that a dietary supplement is safe are not required before the supplement is marketed, unlike for drugs. It is the responsibility of dietary supplement manufacturers/distributors to ensure that their products are safe and that their label claims are accurate and truthful. If the FDA finds a supplement to be unsafe once it is on the market, only then can it take action against the manufacturer and/or distributor, such as by issuing a warning or requiring the product to be removed from the marketplace.
The manufacturer does not have to prove that the supplement is effective, unlike for drugs. The manufacturer can say that the product addresses a nutrient deficiency, supports health, or reduces the risk of developing a health problem, if that is true. If the manufacturer does make a claim, it must be followed by the statement “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
Dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure disease. In some cases, dietary supplements may have unwanted effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other dietary supplements or medicines, or if you have certain health conditions. Whatever your choice, supplements should not replace prescribed medications or the variety of foods important to a healthful diet.
Do not self diagnose any health condition. Work with your health care provider to determine how best to achieve optimal health and always check with your health care provider before taking a supplement, especially when combining or substituting them with other foods or medicine.
In addition to talking with your health care provider about dietary supplements, you can search on-line for information about a particular dietary supplement. It is important to ensure that you obtain information from reliable sources such as:
Fact sheets on dietary supplements from the National Institutes of Health: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/ Information_About_Individual_Dietary_Supplements.aspx
Nutrient Recommendations: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA): http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/Dietary_Reference_Intakes.aspx
IBIDS database of dietary supplement literature: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/IBIDS.aspx
Dietary supplement warnings and safety information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-warn.html
Consumer information from the Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-health.htm
For tips on evaluating sources of healthcare information on the internet, please see the following document: How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet: Questions and Answers.
Q. Where can I find information about the use of dietary supplements for a particular health condition or disease?
A. Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of some dietary supplements (e.g., vitamins and minerals) is well established for certain health conditions, but others need further study. Whatever your choice, supplements should not replace prescribed medications or the variety of foods important to a healthful diet.
Dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure disease. In some cases, dietary supplements may have unwanted effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other dietary supplements or medicines, or if you have certain health conditions.
Do not self diagnose any health condition. Work with your health care provider to determine how best to achieve optimal health and always check with your health care provider before taking a supplement, especially when combining or substituting them with other foods or medicine.
In addition to talking with your health care provider about dietary supplements for a particular health condition or disease, you can search on-line for information. It is important to ensure that you obtain information from reliable sources such as:
Health Information from the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus Database: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
Fact sheets on dietary supplements from the National Institutes of Health: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/ Information_About_Individual_Dietary_Supplements.aspx
IBIDS database of dietary supplement literature: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/IBIDS.aspx
For tips on evaluating sources of healthcare information on the internet, please see the following document: How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet: Questions and Answers.
Q. Where can I report a complaint about a particular dietary supplement?
A. To report an illness or injury associated with a dietary supplement, please talk with your health care provider and contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-rept.html
To report a complaint involving misleading advertising, fraud or other consumer protection matters associated with a dietary supplement, please contact the Federal Trade Commission: https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
Q. Where can I purchase dietary supplements?
A. Dietary supplements are available without a prescription through a number of retail outlets including grocery stores, drug stores, general merchandise retailers, natural food stores and specialty health and nutrition stores. Many dietary supplements can also be purchased on-line through the Internet.
Q. Which brand(s) of dietary supplements should I purchase?
A. There are a number of factors including price, quality and availability that may influence your buying decision. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) does not test, analyze or rate dietary supplements, nor can we recommend certain brands. You may wish to ask your health care provider to make a recommendation.
If you have questions about a specific brand of dietary supplements, you can contact the manufacturer for more information. Ask to speak to someone who can address your questions, some of which may include:
What information does the firm have to substantiate the claims made for the product? Be aware that sometimes firms supply so-called “proof” of their claims by citing undocumented reports from satisfied consumers, or graphs and charts that could be mistaken for well conducted scientific research.
Does the firm have information to share about tests it has conducted on the safety or efficacy of the ingredients in the product?
Does the firm follow good manufacturing practices and have a quality control system in place to determine if the product actually contains what is stated on the label and is free of contaminants?
Has the firm received any adverse events reports from consumers using their products?
In addition, there are a few independent organizations that offer “seals of approval†that may be displayed on certain dietary supplement products. These indicate that the product has passed the organization’s quality tests for things such as potency and contaminants. These “seals of approval†do not mean that the product is safe or effective; they provide assurance that the product was properly manufactured, that it contains the ingredients listed on the label and that it does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.
The following is a list of several organizations offering these programs:
Consumerlab.com approved quality product seal: http://www.consumerlab.com/seal.asp
NSF International dietary supplement certification: http://www.nsf.org/business/dietary_supplements/index.asp?program=DietarySups
U.S. Pharmacopeia dietary supplement verification program: http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dietarySupplements/
Q. How do I know if the supplement that I purchased contains the ingredients that it claims on the label or if it is contaminated?
A. You should be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not analyze the content of dietary supplements. At this time, supplement manufacturers must meet the requirements of the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for foods. GMPs describe conditions under which products must be prepared, packed, and stored. Food GMPs do not always cover all issues of supplement quality. Some manufacturers voluntarily follow the FDA’s GMPs for drugs, which are stricter.
Some manufacturers use the term “standardized” to describe efforts to make their products consistent. However, U.S. law does not define standardization. Therefore, the use of this term (or similar terms such as “verified” or “certified”) does not guarantee product quality or consistency.
If you have questions about a specific brand of dietary supplements, you can contact the manufacturer for more information. Ask to speak to someone who can address your questions, some of which may include:
What information does the firm have to substantiate the claims made for the product? Be aware that sometimes firms supply so-called “proof” of their claims by citing undocumented reports from satisfied consumers, or graphs and charts that could be mistaken for well conducted scientific research.
Does the firm have information to share about tests it has conducted on the safety or efficacy of the ingredients in the product?
Does the firm follow good manufacturing practices and have a quality control system in place to determine if the product actually contains what is stated on the label and is free of contaminants?
Has the firm received any adverse events reports from consumers using their products?
In addition, there are a few independent organizations that offer “seals of approval†that may be displayed on certain dietary supplement products. These indicate that the product has passed the organization’s quality tests for things such as potency and contaminants. These “seals of approval†do not mean that the product is safe or effective; they provide assurance that the product was properly manufactured, that it contains the ingredients listed on the label and that it does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.
The following is a list of several organizations offering these programs:
Consumerlab.com approved quality product seal: http://www.consumerlab.com/seal.asp
NSF International dietary supplement certification: http://www.nsf.org/business/dietary_supplements/index.asp?program=DietarySups
U.S. Pharmacopeia dietary supplement verification program: http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dietarySupplements/
Q. Who is responsible for overseeing the regulation of dietary supplements in the United States?
A. In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulatory responsibility for dietary supplements. FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering “conventional” foods and drug products (prescription and over-the-counter). Under the Dietary supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market.
Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading. FDA’s post-marketing responsibilities include monitoring safety, e.g. voluntary dietary supplement adverse event reporting, and product information, such as labeling, claims, package inserts, and accompanying literature.
For more information, please contact the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at 1-888-723-3366 or http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates advertising of dietary supplements in national or regional newspapers and magazines; in radio and TV commercials, including infomercials; through direct mail to consumers; or on the Internet. The FTC requires that all information about supplements be truthful and not misleading.
For more information, please contact the FTC at http://www.ftc.gov/.
Q. How do I produce, market, import, distribute or sell a dietary supplement in the United States?
A. The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration handles all regulatory matters for dietary supplements. Please contact them for more information at 1-888-723-3366 or http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html.
Q. Where can I locate information or data on dietary supplement sales and usage?
A. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) does not track dietary supplement sales or usage. You can search for publications on these topics through databases of medical and scientific literature:
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi
IBIDS database of dietary supplement literature: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/IBIDS.aspx
In addition to searching for scientific publications, you may wish to contact market research companies that provide sales and marketing data for the nutrition industry. For example, the Nutrition Business Journal provides market data and analysis of the global nutrition industry, including dietary supplements: http://www.nutritionbusiness.com/
Q. Can I reproduce fact sheets and other materials found on the Office of Dietary Supplements Web site?
A. Most of the information available from the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) Web site is within the public domain and unless stated otherwise, may be freely downloaded and reproduced, provided the content has not been changed or modified. You may also link to individual pages within the ODS Web site, provided that attribution is made to the ODS and any descriptive notes accurately reflect the content of the page being linked to.
At times the ODS Web site may contain documents or links to documents, such as full-text journal articles that may be copyright protected. Permission to reproduce copyrighted documents may be required.
Q. Can I add a link to the Office of Dietary Supplements Web site from my Web site?
A. The ODS encourages linking to its public Web resources. If you wish to link to the ODS Web site, please direct your link to http://ods.od.nih.gov. If you intend to provide a description with your link, the ODS would prefer the wording:
“The Office of Dietary Supplements, a part of the National Institutes of Health, works to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating the public about the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements in order to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population.”
The abbreviated description “http://ods.od.nih.gov: The Web site of the Office of Dietary Supplements” is also acceptable.
You may also link to individual pages within this site, provided that attribution is made to the ODS and any descriptive notes accurately reflect the content of the page being linked to.
Q. How can I nominate my Web site for a link from the Office of Dietary Supplements Web site?
A. ODS provides links to government-sponsored or government-supported Web sites that meet the following criteria:
Relates to the mission of the ODS;
Complements and enhances the information on the ODS Web site;
Provides credible, accurate, current, science-based information;
Is subject to adequate procedures for the review and updating of material;
Primarily focuses on information or educational content, rather than the promotion of a product or service;
Adheres to adequate policies regarding external links and privacy of user data.
These criteria may change to reflect new Web policies at the ODS.
If your Web site meets the above criteria, you may nominate your Web site for a link from the ODS Web site by completing and submitting our on-line link request form.
All submissions will be reviewed by ODS staff or external reviewers with expertise in the topic. Currently linked sites undergo periodic re-review. You will receive a decision via email in approximately 1 month.
To provide information from non-government-sponsored or -supported Web sites to our Web site visitors, ODS links to the National Library of Medicine Web site MedlinePlus. MedlinePlus provides good health information for health professionals and consumers from the National Institutes of Health and other trusted sources on over 700 diseases and conditions. If your Web site provides reliable, science-based information on dietary supplements, we suggest that you contact MedlinePlus to inquire about establishing a link from their Web site.
Q. I am with the media and would like to talk with someone from the Office of Dietary Supplements about my dietary supplement questions. How should I proceed?
A.Our Media Resources and Contacts Web page has information about our office and staff, and provides links to dietary supplement fact sheets, databases and other resources. If you need information you haven’t found on our Web site, or if you wish to request an interview, please send an e-mail to ODSMedia@mail.nih.gov (for media inquires only). In the body of the e-mail, include your questions, affiliation and deadline. This allows us to research your questions and have the appropriate staff member contact you. We will make every effort to meet your deadline.
Daily Danger of Nutritional Supplementation
Did you know that nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals, amino acids) can hurt you 4 ways:
1) Taking the wrong dosage can throw your body out of balance nutritionally
2) Interactions with medications can cause life-threatening risks
3) Many nutrients are found to be balanced naturally in nature, but when isolated can cause problems
4) Too much supplementation can cause
Nutrient Hype
Having worked as a Nutritionist and in nutrition marketing we know that most vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients (including herbs) are impulse buys. Maybe you’ve even done one of the following: Read the rest of this entry »
Many health experts believe that if you are going to take a vitamin supplement it should be an all natural vitamin supplement. Unfortunately, there is no clear cut definition of what exactly an all natural vitamin is. Most experts would agree that a vitamin supplement derived from a whole food source, using very gentle processing techniques would qualify as an all natural vitamin.
These is the very reason most experts believe that an all natural vitamin is best. The body is engineered to absorb nutrients from food sources. So if your supplement uses those same food sources and has not changed the nutrient with harsh processing, this should give the body the most favorable opportunity to absorb and utilize the nutrients in the vitamin supplement. Read the rest of this entry »