Post by Neversatisfied on Jun 3, 2007 9:42:11 GMT -5
In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). This new federal law largely deregulated the supplement industry. While the purpose of the law was to give Americans access to alternative treatments and medicines, and to have greater control over their diets and health, it also opened the door to a host of unscrupulous operators more interested in making money (surprise!) than consumer safety and regulatory compliance.
Under DSHEA, supplement companies don't have to prove that their products are safe or that they even contain what the label says they do. The FDA has to prove that they are unsafe or mislabeled before removing them from the market.
You or I could scoop up some dirt, put it in capsules, label it as whatever we wanted and sell it. Unless someone got sick or complained, no one would ever know.
Supplement advertisements are required to state: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
But few of the supplements strength athletes purchase are marketed as cures. They are marketed as muscle builders, fat loss products or recovery aids. Marketers make incredible claims about their products, claims they do not have to prove until someone challenges them in court! By that time, they might have made millions on a product, so settling a lawsuit and pulling the product from the market is no loss to them.
The purpose of this forum is to look at the science behind a product, if any exists, so you can make informed decisions on how to spend your money. If there is a product you would like to see reviewed, speak up! Then give some input. If you've tried a product and had success, let us know. If one was a waste of money, let us know. Something that works for one person may fail in another.
Thanks for the input.
Under DSHEA, supplement companies don't have to prove that their products are safe or that they even contain what the label says they do. The FDA has to prove that they are unsafe or mislabeled before removing them from the market.
You or I could scoop up some dirt, put it in capsules, label it as whatever we wanted and sell it. Unless someone got sick or complained, no one would ever know.
Supplement advertisements are required to state: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
But few of the supplements strength athletes purchase are marketed as cures. They are marketed as muscle builders, fat loss products or recovery aids. Marketers make incredible claims about their products, claims they do not have to prove until someone challenges them in court! By that time, they might have made millions on a product, so settling a lawsuit and pulling the product from the market is no loss to them.
The purpose of this forum is to look at the science behind a product, if any exists, so you can make informed decisions on how to spend your money. If there is a product you would like to see reviewed, speak up! Then give some input. If you've tried a product and had success, let us know. If one was a waste of money, let us know. Something that works for one person may fail in another.
Thanks for the input.
