The Pill Solution
According today’s nutritional experts and dietitians most of the foods that we’re consuming today are deficient in vital nutrients and minerals. This could be the reason why consumers are always hunting for the perfect supplement to maintain their health and overall well being.
Up to half of Americans are taking a supplement everyday, yet it’s still nearly impossible to obtain proof of what’s in them when you’re purchasing these products. Oftentimes people are using these supplements to overcome their unhealthy relationships with food (see Top 10 Signs You May Be A Food Addict).
The majority of the supplements on the market target consumers that have issues concerning their self-image, including weight loss, muscle building, and sexual performance supplements. Without proof that these products are safe and effective, consumers may be wasting thousands of dollars and even causing long-term damage to their bodies unnecessarily.
Why Most Over The Counter Supplements Are Bad For You
It shouldn’t come to any surprise to anyone that most industries that service the public are usually backed by large corporations and lobbyist groups in 2024. The supplement industry is a monolith that’s worth $193 billion, with the vitamin sector worth $56 billion alone.
This industry is composed of a wide range of private label manufacturers that have lots of sway in Washington because they don’t have the regulation standards that pharmaceutical companies are forced into by the FDA. Drug makers have to prove their products are safe and effective, however supplement companies don’t have to unless they’re introducing a new ingredient that hasn’t been marketed before.
Much of the regulation for the supplement industry are from former lobbyists that are currently holding top positions at the FDA supplement division and maintaining a small number of employees that oversee everything in this multi-billion dollar industry (<25 employees).
The mismanagement of this industry started 30 years ago, when lobbyist groups first took hold and pushed for legislation that stated that you can’t regulate supplement products. This is formally known as the Dietary Health and Education Act, which stated that supplement companies can’t make claims for curing ailments but they can label that the products support health.
Ephedra was one of the first supplement ingredients that was lobbied in Congress, which initially resulted in 150 deaths and was later taken off the market. There’s essentially no effective system to detect harm from any of these supplements currently on the market.
As protection for private manufacturer companies, most of these supplements being sold and distributed criticize studies that challenge their products without producing peer-reviewed studies of their own. In addition, most companies fail to produce clinical trials that test against placebos.
Supplements also claim to solve deep rooted problems, however they often fail to state all of the hidden ingredients that could be potentially harmful for consumers. This is better known as adulteration, as manufacturers deliberately include illegal ingredients such as anabolic steroids and pharmaceuticals within their capsules. Pill casings are often encapsulated with toxins and questionable chemicals that could also cause long term health damage.
This adulteration has resulted in statistics of 23,000 people being sent to emergency rooms annually due to these supplements, half of which are often from weight loss supplements. Dosage amounts are often mislabeled and these supplements are consumed without supervision of a doctor or a medical professional.
Some supplements are able to fly under the radar for regulation because they have similar composition to amphetamines with a different carbon methyl group, which allows controlled substances to continue to be sold as supplements.
Alternatives to Supplements
Having a sound background in nutritional knowledge can truly be beneficial, as learning about a well-balanced diet can be advantageous. Most of the supplements found on the market can be replaced by including healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables within your diet.
The main problem with today’s produce found in grocery stores is the amount of pesticides and chemicals being sprayed and the low quality soil that agriculture farmers are cultivating with their crops.
Try the best that you can, but growing produce of your own variety in a greenhouse or garden is the ultimate goal to maintain nutritional balance within your body. Vitamin deficiencies can be restored by getting plenty of sunlight exposure for at least 15 minutes each day when the seasonal weather is optimal and avoiding sugary foods that leech the body’s vitamins from the gut.
If using a supplement, make sure to do your proper research and opt for a blood work test from a doctor that can determine which vitamins you may have deficient in your body.
The Wrap Up
The supplements that are available over the counter are in high demand due to the desires of consumers, however these products are controversial due to poor regulation standards and corruption within the industry. Taking these products come can with grave consequences as government oversight is faulty at best and consumers are left to take supplements at their own risk. Rather than investing time and money on these supplements it’s best advised to be precautious and invest into diet and exercise as the best option for your health.
What else do you want to know?
Top 10 Signs You May Be A Food Addict
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