The most recent cover story in the September 2010 issue of Consumer Reports, entitled The 12 Most Dangerous Supplements, generated a firestorm of comments and controversy all over the MSM and the Internets, albeit at the tail end of what's usually a very slow news month in the middle of the summer.

If you're one of the growing number of folks who have subscribed to our daily health blog over the past few months, however, I wouldn't be surprised if you thought you'd already heard about some of these very same problems before. Fact is, you probably have…

A few months ago in this space, we discussed Reader's Digest's "crash-course" on vitamin safety, 5 Vitamin Truths and Lies. Unlike the aforementioned piece that clocked in at just under 1,500 words, Consumers Digest devoted eight full pages to supplements, providing guidance on a variety of topics.

Even though the Consumers Digest article was very thorough and detailed, I'm not sure how much more you'd learn about supplements that you already have, if you've been following our blog, even for a little while. Arguably, if you've been doing your homework, you may already have a pretty good understanding about what it takes to choose the right supplement for your health.

But this may be your first time reading our 14-month old health blog, or, perhaps, you're just getting around to looking. No matter… We've done the work for you. What follows are six detailed questions you should be asking every time you consider taking a supplement:

1. Has the supplement you're considering ever failed a quality test by an independent source, like ConsumerLab.com?

2. Has the company producing the supplement ever been the target of a regulatory agency like the FDA or FTC?

3. Does the product label of the supplement you're considering include testing data that guarantees its authenticity, purity and potency?

More...

A theme we emphasize on this blog a lot: Working closely with your doctor BEFORE and WHILE you're taking a supplement to ensure your health isn't being harmed by any unexpected interactions. It's one of the important tenets of our Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts, and a really smart thing for you to do. If your doctor is eager and willing to help, consider yourself among the lucky ones…

Based on observational research conducted by the FDA and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, cardiologists and specialists in training play the "don't ask, don't tell" game very effectively with patients when it comes to their use of supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. How "well" did doctors play the game? Of the 78 patient interactions with 21 cardiologists that researchers observed, physicians failed to ask about OTC drugs and supplements 98 percent of the time.

This second revealing facet of the study may or may not surprise or upset you, however, as much as it did me. As doctors were consulting with their patients, a clinical pharmacist who remained silent during the encounter was observing both parties. After doctors left the room, the pharmacist asked patients about their supplement and OTC drug use. More than two-thirds of the patients monitored (54) took 45 OTC drugs and 86 supplements. By contrast, cardiologists asked patients about their use of both just seven times.

Should you be wary of any possible interaction with a supplement and your doctor hasn't discussed it with you, I urge you to do two things. First, use our extensive Health Information & Answer database to help you determine if there could be a problem with your treatment regimen.

Lastly, spend a little time "training" your doctor to be your trusted and attentive health advocate, if he or she isn't one already. Or, go look for one who will.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 153, No. 1, pp. 65-66, July 6, 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com July 7, 2010

According to a recent report in Herbalgram (published by the American Botanical Council), domestic sales of herbal and botanical dietary supplements rose by a very healthy 4.8 percent in 2009, exceeding an estimated $5 billion for the very first time, dispelling concerns about any linkage between the "imaginary value" of supplements and the Tooth Fairy described in a recent Reader's Digest article.

The biggest increase in herbal supplement sales was seen in the mass market sector (grocery stores, drug stores, warehouse clubs and c-stores) with a jump of nearly 15 percent, nearly tripling that of natural and health food chains like Whole Foods and specialty retail outlets like GNC.

What follows are the top 10 selling herbal dietary supplements among U.S. food, drug and mass market outlets. (For expanded, more complete lists, hit the free report link below.)

1. Cranberry

2. Soy

3. Saw palmetto

4. Garlic

5. Echinacea

6. Gingko

7. Milk thistle

8. St. John's wort

9. Ginseng

10. Black cohosh

No doubt, you have many options about where to buy a healthy, good-for-you supplement. But, do you really know what you're getting -- namely quality and safety -- for the amount you're spending each month? Review CNCA’s Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts, just to be sure.

HerbalGram, No. 86, pp. 62-65, Summer 2010 Free Full Text Report

Nutraceuticals World May 7, 2010

Getting the right amount of vitamin D may be just as vital for the physical health of seniors as it is for children with growing bones, according to a new study that examined connections between the sunshine vitamin and physical functioning.

Researchers studied the health of nearly 2,800 seniors (with a median age of 75) for four years, first by analyzing blood samples for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (this determines if bone weakness or the metabolism of calcium is occurring due to having too little or too much vitamin D). Additionally, scientists measured how 25-hydroxyvitamin D was connected to physical functioning in an array of tests, among them measuring a patient's ability to walk 6 meters, stand up from a sitting position five times and maintain their balance.

No surprise, patients whose bodies had the most 25-hydroxyvitamin D functioned the best. What's more, even as physical functioning declined as the study continued, the most physically vital of patients were those who had the highest levels of vitamin D at the beginning.

Two caveats worth considering. For one, vitamin D consumption was very low among this generally healthy group of seniors (more than 90 percent consumed less than daily recommended amount of vitamin D). Interestingly, a majority of patients took a dietary supplement.

EurekAlert April 25, 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com April 26, 2010

Traces of lead and cadmium may not only be contaminating cosmetics and jewelry marketed for kids, but St. John’s wort, one of the most popular supplements taken by Americans, according to a recent battery of tests conducted by ConsumerLab.com.

The concern is certainly a reasonable one, since the plant responsible for producing St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) can accumulate heavy metals from our environment.

Out of the 13 supplements listed by ConsumerLabs.com, just seven met their minimum standards. Four contained excessive amounts of either cadmium (greater than 0.3 mcg per gram of whole herb) or lead (0.1 mcg per gram of extract), and three had less than the expected amount of the compounds hypericin (a key ingredient in St. John’s wort) or hyperforin, ranging from 22-36 percent.

You’ll have a better understanding of what you’re really paying for in a supplement -- quality and safety -- and harmful substances you’ll want to avoid -- namely, cadmium and lead -- after reviewing CNCA’s Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts.

ConsumerLab.com April 8, 2010 Subscription Required

Evidently, Americans are using supplements rather smartly to help them get the right amount of calcium and vitamin D they need, according to a Journal of Nutrition study that examined how people get these vital minerals in the supplements and foods they eat every day. This study is an important one, in that scientists considered all sources of vitamin D and calcium when reviewing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Babies and toddlers had the highest intakes of vitamin D and calcium overall through the foods they eat. Once those babies grew up to teenagers and adults, however, adequate daily levels of either nutrient among Americans plummeted.

That said, supplement use made a real difference. In one age group -- young adult women ages 19-30 -- supplementation nearly doubled the number of patients who got the right amount of vitamin D every day (41 percent) as compared to those who received it from their diets alone (21 percent). And, supplementation improved the healthy intake of calcium among men in the 51-70 age range by 10 percent, compared to guys who did it on diet alone.

When in doubt, it's a smarter choice to rely on the experts like Harvard University Medical School, not Reader's Digest, for the sake of your health.

Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 140, No. 4, pp. 817-822, April 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com April 1, 2010

Just as steroids have been found in a growing number of supplements, so has the presence of hexavalent chromium, the same toxic substance used in various industrial processes that captured our collective attention after the Oscar-winning film based on the life of Erin Brockovich.

In fact, three out of the eight weight-loss supplements tested by ConsumerLab.com for chromium -- a substance the human body needs for normal growth and development -- contained trace amounts of hexavalent chromium. The worst of the bunch contained more than 6 percent.

So, why are these small amounts such a big deal? No safe legal limit for hexavalent chromium currently exists, which is why California -- where Brockovich uncovered the contamination of drinking water -- has considered enacting stringent guidelines severely limiting the amount of hexavalent chromium contained in drinking water to 0.06 ppb (parts-per-billion).

And, one product tested by ConsumerLab.com contained 220 times the proposed limit of hexavalent chronimum under consideration by the Golden State.

Another, in a growing list of reasons, you must always consider the quality and purity of the supplements you take in addition to price.

Image source: Wikipedia

ConsumerLab.com March 1, 2010 Subscription Required

Los Angeles Times March 2, 2010

The unfortunate downside of using herbal medicines is the subject of a cautionary paper reminding us of the many quality problems still plaguing supplements that we've discussed far too often in this space.

Among other things, the paper, written by an Australian forensic pathologist, warns patients about the risks connected with taking herbal products made in foreign countries, yet sold in America, that can be laced with harmful substances such as lead, arsenic, mercury and, on occasion, standard prescription drugs. Sounds all too familiar to us, considering recent reports of steroid-tainted supplements.

Fact is, consulting your family physician before taking any herbal medicine or supplement often prevents unforeseen and, sometimes, dangerous interactions with a prescription drug, like the effect St. John's Wort has on the anticoagulant warfarin.

Just another reason to do your due diligence FIRST before buying any herbal product or supplement. And, reviewing CNCA's Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts is as good a place as any to start.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 89-92, January 4, 2010

ScienceDaily February 12, 2010

Just like drinking an antioxidant-rich glass of wine daily helps female breast cancer patients, consuming a diet chock full of vitamins C and E may protect your muscles as you age.

Scientists surveyed more than 2,000 patients in their 70s about their eating habits over the long haul, in addition to measuring the strength of their grip at the beginning of the study and two years later. The latter measurement was important, researchers say, because muscle strength begins to wane for folks in their 40s and dramatically declines after age 60.

Seniors who consumed higher amounts of vitamins C and E in their diets over the course of the study enjoyed improved muscle strength, despite a patient's initial strength measurements.

Interestingly, among those who participated in the study, a patient's average intake of vitamin E (11 milligrams) was lower than the average RDA, prompting experts to urge folks to include more vitamin E-rich foods in their diets.

Sutter Health November 24, 2009

Millions of American children aren't getting the minimum amount of vitamin D they desperately need every day to build healthy bones, according to a new study. In fact, these findings support growing evidence that vitamin D levels, particularly among Hispanic and black kids, have dropped to unhealthy norms.

After reviewing health data collected from 2001-06 on 5,000 children, scientists found some 20 percent of all kids had vitamin D levels below the minimums set for children by the American Academy of Pediatrics (50nmol/L).

However, more than two-thirds of the children surveyed had vitamin D levels below 75 nmol/L, the amount some adult studies have suggested as a minimum that lowers the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Using that higher measurement, vitamin D levels among Hispanic and black children dropped like a rock by 80 and 92 percent, respectively.

On the other end of age spectrum, a coalition of European doctors is considering formalizing a standard for vitamin D levels among seniors older than age 75 (albeit a conservative one) that could eventually yield better bone health among all age groups. If you are considering supplementing your diet with vitamin D be sure to chose a formula that contains natural vitamin D3, which helps to increase absorption of dietary calcium while decreasing calcium excretion from the body.

Pediatrics, Vol. 124, No. 5, pp. 1404-1410, November 2009

ScienceDaily October 27, 2009

healthfinder.gov October 26, 2009

NutraIngredients.com October 26, 2009

If you've been reading our blog from the very beginning, one of the major themes we often discuss in this space is the need for you to do your homework when considering a quality supplement. It's not rocket science by any stretch... just using some good old fashioned common sense and doing a bit of due diligence on your end.

So, you may be interested -- if not a bit confused -- to learn that even as the FDA is cracking down on the questionable quality of some supplements, the agency lists a trio of vitamin strategies in their latest video Fortify Your Knowledge About Vitamins, to help you select the best and safest supplements for your health (particularly if you're a vegetarian or vegan, pregnant or breastfeeding). No doubt, faithful readers of this space should know them by heart.

1. Don't "chase" headlines (trendy studies may not yield safe, optimal results over the long term).

2. More is not better (too much of a good thing isn't always safe or ideal).

3. Watch for false claims (too good to be true usually is).

Learn more about how CNCA protects your health in many ways by reviewing our Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts.

NutraIngredients-USA.com October 2, 2009

FDA.gov February 21, 2009

An interesting piece published by Natural Products Insider (free text link below) details the very shaky history of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) as described by Peter Barton Hutt, who served as chief counsel for the FDA in the 70s and was one of many who helped to shape the act in behalf of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).

The DSHEA was drafted in response to the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act in 1990, that gave the FDA the authority to approve all disease prevention claims for food, including dietary supplements. Using the vast powers of the act some three years later, former FDA Commissioner David Kessler, M.D., said the agency would block any attempt to approve disease prevention claims connected with supplements, even instances in which those claims were made for conventional foods, essentially banning supplements. Additionally, the act would be employed by the FDA to prevent food manufacturers from using dietary ingredients -- apart from essential minerals and vitamins -- deemed to be "illegal food additives."

Political pressure by consumers, however, forced Congress to relax these restrictions with the passage of the DSHEA, a law that legal experts believe provides the FDA enough legal authority to ban mislabeled and harmful supplements from the American marketplace. Unfortunately, that's where the regulatory road became very rocky.

In protest of its passage, Kessler prohibited FDA employees from enforcing the DSHEA because he was so convinced an unregulated marketplace rife with abuses would force Congress to repeal the act. The damage done to safety regulations and the health of Americans was so devastating that the DSHEA wasn't properly enforced until 2002, five years after Kessler left the agency. Even worse, it took some six more years for Congress to increase funding just so the FDA could enforce laws already on the books.

Still, these laws haven't stopped the production and sale of supplements with potency problems or those contaminated with harmful substances like lead. All the more reason for you to better understand what you're really paying for, by reviewing CNCA's Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts.

Natural Products Insider September 21, 2009

Joining lead on the list of unexpected and potentially health-harming substances found in popular over-the-counter vitamins sold in America is titanium dioxide, a naturally occurring oxide of titanium used in a wide range of consumer products, including cosmetics, paints, food coloring and sunscreens.

Although no long-term human testing has been done on titanium dioxide to date, the FDA filed a notice in late July soliciting public comments in the Federal Register on case studies involving nanoscale titanium dioxide use in sunscreens and water treatment applications. Unfortunately, the document's main intent is to create a foundation for "a long-term research strategy to provide the information needed for comprehensive environmental assessments," but not to draw any conclusions about potential environmental hazards of titanium dioxide.

That said, there's enough public information about titanium dioxide to prompt healthy concern. For one, consider this 2007 study funded by Arizona State University that found high concentrations of titanium dioxide were responsible for slowing the growth and development of one species of green algae. Additionally, the over-expression of stress genes in the presence of nanoparticles showed how titanium dioxide can be toxic to algae.

And, there was a 2006 ruling by the International Agency of Research on Cancer that classified titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen that could possibly be toxic to humans too.

Recent independent quality testing revealed that one in four supplements were either subpotent, tainted with harmful substances or both. Read which of today's most popular supplements failed quality testing here.

Federal Register July 31, 2009

A recent Danish study on animals underscores just how important vitamin C can be to the brains of newborns, especially during the first few months of their lives.

Researchers studied the need for vitamin C "brain food" by separating 30 newborn guinea pigs into groups fed diets containing low or adequate amounts of vitamin C for two months. Then, the mental acuity of each guinea pig was measured in a water maze, in addition to the number of neurons in their hippocampus (the sector of the brain that affects long-term memory and spatial navigation).

No surprise, guinea pigs in the low vitamin C group had 30 percent fewer neurons in the hippocampus and performed markedly worse on spatial tests than those fed adequate diets.

Consequently, scientists believe the vitamin C-deficient diets of pregnant women as well as those choosing to breast feed may harm the mental development of newborns. And, based on reported problems among adults, experts estimate as many as 10 percent of newborn babies may be affected by the lack of vitamin C.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 90, No. 3, pp. 540-546, September 2009

Science Daily September 2, 2009

NutraIngredients-USA September 3, 2009

In another case of fuzzy labeling, a recent report from ConsumerLabs.com identified three products with vitamin E problems.

One supplement contained the correct amount of vitamin E as noted on its label, but the tablets didn't disintegrate within a half-hour as specified by the United States Pharmacopoeia method. The problem: Because the tablets took more than two hours to break apart, the vitamin E contained in the supplement may not be properly absorbed after leaving the stomach and entering the small intestine.

Tablets that are compressed too tightly or coated improperly create these problems, even when they contain the accurate amount of vitamin E or any other ingredient.

Additionally, ConsumerLabs.com discovered two oils that contained synthetic forms of vitamin E. The entire amount of vitamin E found in one oil-based product (containing 1,000 IU) was synthetic, while the other contained some 81 percent of the vitamin E advertised on its label, yet about 95 percent of it was man-made.

Learn more about the quality problems associated with other supplements, and get a better understanding what you're really paying for, by reviewing CNCA's Nutritional Supplement Quality -- the Facts.

ConsumerLab.com August 4, 2009 Subscription Required