Doctors decry health claims in ads for dietary supplements
June 22, 1999 -
CHICAGO (AP) -- A delegation of doctors Monday asked the American Medical Association to seek a stronger federal law on dietary supplements that promise everything from banishing cellulite to boosting brain power.
"You're seeing doctors continuing to be frustrated by this," said Dr. Ronald M. Davis, a member of the AMA's Council on Scientific Affairs, after speaking at the organization's annual policymaking convention.
"Patients are asking about these products," he said. "Patients are using these products and not telling the doctor about them. They have unclear, unproven efficacy; no government regulation; and now big pharmaceutical companies are getting into the act, and there's massive advertising."
The AMA enacted such a policy six months ago at its winter meeting, but doctors on Monday said the AMA needs to put teeth into the policy. A vote on the issue could come this week.
Under the current law, dietary supplements -- often used for medicinal purposes such as garlic for heart benefits and St. John's wort to relieve depression -- are allowed to be marketed without the prior approval required of drugs. But they are prohibited from making health claims.
"We're putting out a lot of medications out there that have no standards," said Dr. Richard A. Beach of Pensacola, Florida, a board member of the American Society of Addictions Medicine. He was referring to dietary supplements.
"St. John's wort has been shown to be very effective for depression," he said in an interview after addressing the group. But he recalled a study in Florida of 13 large pharmacies showing that their brand names of St. John's wort contained anywhere from 5 percent to 250 percent of the amount of active ingredient claimed on the label.
Dr. Judy Linger, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Lexington, Kentucky, testified about a woman she saw who had a seizure as a result of taking St. John's wort along with a prescription antidepressant. The woman was taking three prescription drugs and about 25 over-the-counter dietary supplements, mostly to lose weight, Linger said.
"I would like to see the AMA work with the federal government to create accountability in the companies that are producing these products, and with the FDA, to have them regulate them as real drugs, because so many of them do contain active ingredients," Linger said.
Davis singled out Cellasene, which is marketed for reducing cellulite. He displayed a full-page newspaper ad that touted the product as "the safe, clinically studied dietary supplement with natural herbal extracts that helps reduce cellulite."
Then, he pointed to a footnote on the ad that said the statements had not been evaluated by the FDA and the product is not meant to treat, cure or prevent disease.
"To make a health claim in the headline, and then to say we're not really making a health claim is disingenuous, at best, and outrageous and needful of immediate remedy by the federal government and the FDA," he said.
The day after the ad ran, the Italian manufacturer of Cellasene, Medestea Internazional, released studies it said backed the assertions about the supplement's effectiveness. It claimed Italian studies, using several dozen women, demonstrated that women could reduce their hip and thigh circumference within eight weeks of treatment.
Executives at Rexall Sundown Inc., the U.S. distributor of Cellasene, were not available for comment, said company spokeswoman Lisa Givens.
Commentary
Although there have been many times that I have not agreed with the AMA, this is a point on which I do have some agreement. I agree that manufacturers of dietary supplements should be held to the same standards in making claims and in the quality of their product as any other drug.
If a health claim is made, then there sould be proof through scientific studies. There are too many companies jumping on the bandwagon, promoting their product, without the scientific backing. They are raking in millions of dollars, but not returning any of that into research. If every company out there, put just a small portion of their profits toward research, I think we would be inundated with the scientific proof that supplements do work.
Secondly, while researching a manufacturer or product, I find outlandish claims. Product claims that their product will cure everything from cancer to baldness. It cures everthing. I do not believe that one supplement or combination supplement will be the cure-all. The are supplements and should be called that because they supplement other therapies. Many of these web sites blantantly state that medicine is the root of all illness. They cite that their supplements are used by thousands in other countries and that because these countries use supplements they are more healthy. Why then, does the United States, one of the last countries to embrace supplements, have an average life expectancy almost 10 years longer than these other countries?
And finally, many of these companies, out to make a fast buck, use inferior sources or the wrong part of the plant in their products. Worse yet, many have no standardization process, so you never know what or how much you are getting. Supplements have gotten a bad reputation with the medical community and government, not because they are a threat, but because study after study demonstrates that the supplements either don't contain what they state they do or they contain harmful additives and chemicals (many times ones that are added to boost the effect of the supplement).
That is why, when I make a brand recommendation, I have checked out the products, their claims, and the manufacturers.
See Criteria For Selection. I encourage every person taking a supplement to make the same effort.
About The Author
My name is Dr. James W. Eitner and I am an Osteopathic Physician in the Metro Phoenix area of Arizona. I am a Board Certified Family Physician. I have trained in a number of medical institutions around the world including at the Olympic Training Center in Bei Jing, China. I have traveled around the world learning about different cultures and their approaches to health care.
Like many Americans, I am very concerned about my health. I have found that traditional medicine, as practiced in the US, does not provide for all of the needs of Americans. The use of complementary therapies is essential, but has grown quickly and, in some cases, lacks proven safety and effectiveness. I present this site as an opportunity to help identify and discuss proven therapies and treatments.
I will discuss various topics of interest. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question for me, please e-mail me.
Preventive Health Care -- A \\$11.3 billion dollar market
In recent years, Americans have turned to preventive health care, instead of relying on conventional curative approaches. Escalating costs of health care has lead to an explosive preventive health care market. Unfortunately, this has also invited unscrupulous characters preying on the fears and myths that abound in health care.
One of the biggest areas is nutrition and herbal supplements. In choosing a supplement, you must look at the quality of its claims and ingredients. Are the health benefits substantiated with documented scientific studies or testimonials and pseudo-scientific studies? What is the safety history of the product and company? Are the preparations standardized and guaranteed consistent and predictable? In investigating many companies, few have met these standards. Independent studies have shown extreme differences in quality and standardization of products commonly found in the so-called health food stores. Companies should be able to guarantee that their supplements deliver the precise, standardized, recommended dosage of each beneficial natural ingredient. Every capsule. Every bottle. Every time.
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eHealth, the most comprehensive health information site on the web. By partnering with Health Scout and Supplement Watch, you can locate unbiased health information and supplement reviews. Additionally, the only scientifically supported supplements are available. eHealth
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Want To Learn More? Search Amazon.com for books on Alternative Medicine.
Position Statement
The statements on these web pages have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products listed on these pages are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
As always, before utilizing any Alternative or Complementary Medicine therapies, individuals should be evaluated by a licensed physician (M.D. or D.O.) to obtain a proper diagnosis. Alternative or Complementary Medicine is meant to complement traditional therapy. Individual treatment should be a balance of alternative and traditional, integrating the two together, to provide the best possible care. When choosing a health care practitioner, check to make sure they are licensed to practice (whenever possible).
Retail costs listed on this page are for comparison purposes only. Discounted prices available on most products. The information presented on these pages is based on scientifically based research and current medical knowledge. Many of the supplements mentioned on these pages have been used to treat diseases for hundreds or thousands of years. The medical community is just beginning to research natural treatments. As new information develops, the information on these pages will be updated. Whenever possible, several sources for each supplement will be listed. The manufacturers mentioned within, have presented evidence that they have independent studies demonstrating standardization of potency, purity, and activity for that product.
Due to a request from one of the companies previously listed on this page, endorsements for their products and discount purchasing will only be available thought direct contact. For Information, Send Me Mail
Where To Find Products Named Above
Many of the supplements listed above can be found in a variety of places. Health food stores, like HiHealth, carry many different brands of supplements. I feel that we need to watch for unwanted additives. I also like to ensure that the company making the products substantiate their claims, have excellent safety records, and guarantee standardization of their products, so that every capsule, every bottle, delivers what it says it will, every time.
My recommendations can be found on the linked pages. The vitamins and supplements produced by Twin Labs can be purchased through local health food stores or on-line through vitacost.com, PlanetRx, eHealth,
or MotherNature.com's Home Page.
Specific product recommendation are available via e-mail.
eHealth, the most comprehensive health information site on the web. By partnering with Health Scout and Supplement Watch, you can locate unbiased health information and supplement reviews. Additionally, the only scientifically supported supplements are available. eHealth
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eHealth, the most comprehensive health information site on the web. By partnering with Health Scout and Supplement Watch, you can locate unbiased health information and supplement reviews. Additionally, the only scientifically supported supplements are available. eHealth
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