The FDA Says Be Careful Which Supplements You Choose

It is Important to Know What is in Your Supplements

Federal regulators recently warned consumers about various body-building products that are sold as nutritional supplements. Some of these supplements may contain steroids or steroid-like substances, citing reports of acute liver injury and kidney failure.

The Food and Drug Administration said it issued the warning because of increased reports of medical problems in men who had used such products.

But except for naming eight specific supplements sold by a single company, the Food and Drug Administration did not provide much clear guidance to consumers on what other products to avoid. The F.D.A. acknowledged that it did not know how many products its warning affects.

Generally, the F.D.A. said, buyers should beware of body-building products that claim to enhance or diminish the effects of hormones like testosterone, estrogen or progestin. In particular, the agency said consumers should not buy products labeled with code words like “anabolic” and “tren,” or phrases like “blocks estrogen,” and “minimizes gyno.” The references to estrogen and “gyno” are meant to indicate the products do not have a feminizing effect on the body, like swelling breasts or shrinking testicles, which can be unwanted side effects of steroid use in men.

“We think that there may be a number of firms that are marketing similar products, if not products that are exactly the same,” Michael Levy, director of the Division of New Drugs and Labeling at the agency’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. The agency, he said, is considering taking action against those firms as well.

The warning is part of a larger investigation into body-building products that contain hidden steroids, according to court documents in the American Cellular Labs case. A spokesman for Joseph P. Russoniello, the United States attorney for the Northern District of California, said he could not comment on open investigations.

Unlike drug makers, which must demonstrate that a drug is safe and effective before the agency approves it for sale to the public, dietary supplements are a largely self-regulating industry. Manufacturers of such products are themselves responsible for the safety and effectiveness and marketing claims of their products, and for voluntarily recalling them if problems arise. The F.D.A. has authority to act only after it has received reports of serious health problems associated with products already on sale and it is able to prove a serious health hazard. If a company refuses to voluntarily recall problem products, the agency can then file an injunction and seize the products.

Over the last two years, the F.D.A. has received 15 reports of serious health problems — including stroke, liver problems and pulmonary embolism — associated with body-building products from various makers, the agency said. One of the five reports connected to American Cellular products concerned a 38-year-old man who had severe liver and kidney problems that needed to be treated with dialysis after he used the company’s products, according to warrants issued in the case.

Under the law, dietary supplements are defined as products that contain natural foodstuffs like minerals or herbs and do not claim to prevent, mitigate or cure specific illnesses. But it is illegal for dietary supplements to contain ingredients like synthetic steroids, said Mr. Levy of the F.D.A.

The overwhelming majority of dietary supplements are made by reputable manufacturers that ensure the products are safe, said Andrew Shao, the vice president for science and regulation at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, an industry trade group representing manufacturers and distributors.

Americans spent nearly $24 billion on dietary supplements in 2007, according to Nutrition Business Journal, a market research firm.

If you or someone you know is using nutritional supplementation, is it extremely important to know exactly what is in the product, as well as, the history and history of the manufacturer. Very few companies go above and beyond the call of duty as it relates to product testing as there is limited oversight within the industry.

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With over 15+ years of incidnet free history, AdvoCare has the blessing of the NCAA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, NBA and even the Olympic committee. Used by pro and amateur atheletes alike and found in almost every professional sports locker room, AdvoCare understands the products not only need work, but MUST be safe!

AdvoCare has a line of 70+ products, covering everything from weight management, energy, performance and even skincare. Choose who you use wisely! Your overall health and wellness are far more important than some short-term results.

By now, everyone should know the importance of physical fitness and fitness training programs, but not very many of us recognize the true value of healthy meal plans as well. Irrelevant of the types of fitness training you use, be sure you have a balanced healthy diet to go with it.

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