What's Up With Sups?

The whole thought of taking dietary supplements is kind of daunting to me these days. After taking 4 years worth of nutrition classes, I know that the best way to get your nutrients is in the foods you eat. Supplementation should really be considered when you have a (severe) vitamin deficiency, which is not so often in AMERICA!! In a previous course I took called 'Advanced Sport Nutrition', I learned about the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and learned some shocking and quite disturbing facts about the industry. All I really have to say is, BUYER BEWARE !!

Some Meaty Background:

• Before the 1994 DSHEA, the vitamin & supplementation industry was regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). 
• In brief, the FDA regulated vitamins & supplements took a looong time to get out on the market because the FDA required scientific evidence &  prior safety measures BEFORE approving supps to be put out on the market.
• The 90's was considered the 'Era of Deregulation' where the people demanded to 'let Americans decide things for themselves!' 
• Thus, the majority of people didn't want to wait for science... they argued, that if we can choose to buy our own food, we should also be able to choose to buy our own vitamins & supps! So they started the movement which turned into the 1994 DSHEA (guess what, even physician groups supported it!)
• The Outcome: because of industry lobbying, the FDA lost authority, and Congress DEREGULATED the vitamin & supp industry!!
• The FDA now says : "The standards for food and dietary supplements should be the SAME."

SO what did the 1994 DSHEA do for vitamins and supplements!?

• Manufacturer's do NOT need to register their products with the FDA nor get approval
• Vitamins & supps do not go through any prescreening for effectiveness/side effects
• Manufacturer's have so much freedom, they're having a hay day while pocketing OUR $$... this deregulation explains why vitamin and supp stores have sooooo many products flooding their shelves!! It's a quick and relatively easy gig!
• Companies do NOT have to report adverse effects IF they take place
• It's on YOU, the consumer, that decides whether or not to read the list of ingredients & know if you have an allergy or issue with any of them.
• You might be thinking, sooooo...what DOES the FDA do?
• Well, AFTER the product has already been out on the shelves, they go and check the ingredient's label listed on the products to make sure they are all truthful and not misleading, THEN, IF (big IF) there is a discrepancy that they happen notice, they'll take action.

CONCLUSION:
Supplements are sold before they are demonstrated safe, so DO YOUR HOMEWORK or PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE! #shrugs

Q: What sport enhancing supplement has been found to have traces of STEROIDS in it??

A: Supplement = CREATINE Athletes beware, some manufacturers are slick; they taint, contaminate and manipulate the purity of their supplements so the consumer will get jacked quicker, making them buy more and more....THEN resulting the consumer in having a positive steroid-use test!  #noBueno, especially if you are a competing athlete!


References :
1994 DSHEA http://tinyurl.com/nje6mh
https://www.thieme-connect.com/ejournals/abstract/sportsmed/doi/10.1055/s-2004-819955

Knowledge is KING