Beware Supplement Maker's Claims

The FDA recently issued a warning letter to Exclusive Supplements, Inc. for, among other things, failure to label all ingredients, including new dietary ingredients whose safety had not been tested,  making unapproved therapeutic claims, violating Good Manufacturing Practices, and failure to report adverse events.

This might not be an issue for most people, except that this particular supplier's products - including BIORythm products Olio (intended to reduce cholesterol and aid in weight loss) and ReGenerate (which claims to significantly reduce major wound healing time) and are widely distributed and sold through General Nutrition Centers (GNC).  With over 6,000 stores in the US and a solid reputation among health and fitness devotees, GNC lends the brands it carries a certain amount of credibility.  One might assume that a reputable company would sell only reputable products - so you could safely trust supplements purchased at, say, CVS, Walgreens, or GNC.  

This level of trust by association can lead to trouble.  With so many people looking for the "magic pill," or for supplements that can help lose weight, build muscle mass, combat stress, or build immunity, the market is open for false claims and sub-standard, even harmful products, to be introduced into the mainstream.

The answer to this dilemma is to be informed.  While it may be impossible for most consumers to stay up-to-date on the risks and benefits of certain supplements, your alternative health care provider (licensed acupuncturist or naturopathic physician) can help you weed through the conflicting data, determine what type of supplementation might be right for you, and provide you with brands that are known to be safe and effective.  Now, you may be thinking, "why go to the expense of an appointment with my practitioner when I can buy it myself?"  Of course, you do pay for our time and knowledge, but in return we may be able to reduce the number of supplements you take (which you might not need), introduce other therapies or things that you can do (diet, exercise, etc) to naturally build levels of certain nutrients, help you make cost-effective decisions, and manage your expectations so that you can develop a realistic action plan.

Heart Wisdom Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine's tag line is, "We take your health to heart."  That's not hyperbole; it's meant to convey the amount of effort and care we put into staying up-to-date with the latest medical knowledge, developing the most cost-effective treatments, looking out for your safety, and partnering with you to get the results you want.

Find out more at http://heartwisdom-aom.com, or email at heartwisdominfo@gmail.com.