Are Herbal Dietary Supplements Safe?

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Herbal Dietary Supplements

In 2010, America’s top federal regulatory watchdog, the GAO (United States Government Accountability Office), took on the topic of herbal dietary supplements. Specifically, they collected data to measure the expected safety and efficacy of these products, along with isolating obvious cases of deceptive marketing practices. According to the GAO’s report, herbal dietary supplements manufacturers often go after those who may be the easiest to influence, like the elderly. This has led to serious misinformation in the marketplace.

In today’s world, herbal dietary supplements are virtually everywhere, from commercials on television and inserts in magazines to banner ads on webpages and unsolicited spam in your inbox. The advertising barrage is working, but what facts are they leaving out? Are these supplements safe? What products should you avoid? Here is what you need to understand:

Herbal Supplement Safety

Are herbal dietary supplements safe? According to the GAO study, there are definitely concerns. Of course, very, very few of these supplements have been proven effective in clinical trials. That’s not all, though. The study indicated that over 90% of supplements tested included hidden compounds such as pesticides, mercury, lead, and arsenic. These items are never show up on ingredient labels, but enter into the manufacturing process through contaminated raw materials. Even when these toxins are present in trace levels, it is important to understand whether the benefits are worth the risks, especially in products that are consumed regularly and/or in large quantities.

Herbal Supplement Efficacy

First, it is important to note that none of these products have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This allows supplement manufacturers to get away with making bold, unsubstantiated claims on bottles and advertisements as long as they can hide an asterisk and a “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA…” disclaimer in the fine print.

Supplement efficacy must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by experienced scientific experts with access to advanced analytical chemistry instrumentation. LabDoor tests hundreds of dietary supplements each month, reverse-engineering products to find out what is really inside the bottles, and comparing the data to existing NIH, FDA, and international regulatory data sources.

Deceptive Herbal Supplement Advertising

According to the GAO, “FDA statutes and regulations do not permit sellers to make claims that their products can treat, prevent, or cure specific diseases.” Regardless of this fact, herbal products from teas to vitamins advertise significant health benefits associated with their products. Energy, focus, memory, weight loss, joint support, diabetes support, and even cholesterol reduction claims have illegally graced the packaging of common herbal dietary supplements. Buyer beware.