For several years I've subscribed to and received daily/weekly/monthly advisories from the official FDA sites. [see link below] I'm continually shocked by what I read coming across my virtual desk and the contents of the supposedly harmless pills sold to the general public. I'm delighted to see this kind of investigative report and hope many more will follow throughout the U.S. People are slowly poisoning themselves to, if not to death,to worsening health, under the impression that they're bettering their health. It's criminal!

Kudos, Snidely. A very informative contribution to the table.

Anne

Here is a link that might be useful: FDA official website

The world is a dangerous place. Illness can strike from out of the blue! Paying attention to diet and exercies and adequate rest is *hard*.

I can take control of my health fears by just buying these nostrums...

If they do have what they say they do in the bottle then they are drugs and have the same side effects drugs do. I had surgery yesterday and you would be amazed the supplements they ask if I took, most are blood thinners and can cause serious problems if you are in surgery or have an accident of some kind. My sister takes Shakley supplements and she hallucinates. She talks personally to God, he answers vocally and she had a round or two with the devil and was kicked out of her church for telling her class about them.

I've been told that I'm supposed to talk to God every day ... in our part of the game, we've been told that we can talk directly, no intermediaries needed, though sometimes they may be helpful ... to keep us from suggesting/asking regarding stupid things, perhaps?

Haven't had many answers - none in the vocal style ... though sometimes some may appear in the form of a message or an action on the part of another god-fearing ... no, "God-reverencing", thank you ... person ...

... or, frequently, just an ordinary hooman bean (who, last I heard, haven't been forbidden from handing out God-given messages).

ole joyfuelled

Supplements are not regulated like regular medications (the rules for dietary supplements are different) even though they can be as strong as medications and do have effects. For the life of me, I cannot understand why people want to get rid of the FDA. When stuff like this happens, think how much worse it could be. There should be a watchdog when it comes to health. It's time to regulate supplements the exact same way as medications.

Here is a link that might be useful: what Mayo has to say about supplements

It helps to know exactly what the investigators were talking about:

The supplements tested were store brands from Walgreen's Walmart, Target, and GNC. The garlic was okay, apparently, but four herbs (echinacea, St. John's Wort, Ginseng, and Gingko Biloba) were most definitely not, with no trace of the herb present. A fifth herb, Saw Palmetto, had a qualified negative rating.

My brand choices today are based on my reading from decades ago, so I hope their quality has not gone downhill over the years. My health food store still sells them, and that's reassuring to me because I have some confidence in the owner's judgment. We've been friends since the 1970s. Plus I continue to do my reading.

I trust my supplements more than I trust all the money-makers Big Pharma is trying to stuff us full of.

I check out the supplements I take, and found out I cannot take many if any. Gingko Biolia (sp) is a blood thinner and I almost ended up in the hospital with a really bad nose bleed twice because of my blood pressure meds. They claim it helps the brain cells, but my question is how can the cells get better, if you are bleeding to death!!!! Have had people said to try it again, but NO WAY.
Thanks for letting us know.

I just saw a TV ad for some product that is supposed to improve your thinking. The ad says it 'helps nourish brain function'. How nice. Without nourishment, we'd be *dead*! Think I'll stick to what's called 'food'. (And water.)

Saw this on the news.Thanks for posting it.

The Mayo Clinic pages rob333 linked to are interesting. Including these suggestions for safe use of supplements:

"-Ask your doctor or pharmacist......., and

-Look for scientific research findings." (these mostly don't exist)

On they second page, they say:

"Who shouldn't use herbal supplements?

(Not a good idea to take any if) You're younger than 18 or older than 65"

For those over 65, hopefully you recognize that advice from the Mayo Clinic is more informed and authoritative than that received from the owner of a health food store. And also more informed than what you read on a website belonging to a TV personality or some other random (and equally unqualified) person

Maybe they can simply relabel them as Homeopathic Herbal supplements. It seems perfectly OK to sell "homeopathic remedies" and state right on the label that the substance doesn't contain even a single molecule of the supposed active ingredient.

Exactly,

Many of the tested supplements had lots of flotsam and jetsam in them, not just nothing. Nothing takes up no space in a jar or capsule, customers might have gotten suspicious. ;-)

Having to list what's actually inside would be a change of practice for the supplement makers.

The significant finding wasn't that these fraudulent items were being sold by large chains, but rather, that they were being sold at all. Supplements sold by smaller chains and independent operators come from many of the same sources. I suspect the NY Attorney General looked for large targets to be used as examples, to make the biggest possible noise from the announcement.

I'm a mutli supplement taker for many years and will continue. 75 and healthy

Big Pharma raking in the money? Maybe. But you can't tell me Big Supplementa isn't raking in as much, if not more, greedy hand-over-fist profits on the hopeful consumer.

Flooding every supermarket aisle, drug store, magazine ad, and TV infomercial - selling to millions of readily available and eager OTC consumers.

Sorry, I don't see any difference between the money grubbing Pharma and the money grubbing Supplementa. Except one is at least subject to regulation and distribution limitations. The other sets its sights, full bore, on an open season with an easily available and hopeful market, and without any buffer.

This post was edited by tally on Wed, Feb 4, 15 at 2:52

The NIH has findings for supplements. I'd trust them. It's an overview, not hugely specific, but it's a place to start.

Here is a link that might be useful: NIH's website on supplements

Due to having osteoporosis, and no thyroid (had surgery last year) I take vitamin D and calcium on doctor's orders. I try to buy only big-name brands.

Thank you Rob! Finally a list where I can actually find the supplements that I take!

This was just on my newsfeeds today.
http://on.ny.gov/1BSm53a

I doubt that Target, Walgreen's and Walmart have their own supplement manufacturing plants. They are likely buying these products from another vendor, and selling under their own private label.

I wonder who makes these products and what other names they might be sold under?

Are supplemental vitamins and minerals included in this story, or just herbs? Are we talking apples and oranges?

It is my understanding, sjerin, that it is herbal supplements only.

I don't take any herbal supplements except turmeric, only fish oil for my cholesterol/triglycerides and glucosamine/chondroitin for knee pain.

Honestly, I would rather suffer the consequences of taking the turmeric and glucosamine/chondroitin (flatulence) than taking strong pain medication that puts me to sleep and could become habit forming. My doctor is on board.

In fact, my hypertension and triglyceride count has improved with fish oil to the point that I am discontinuing my beta blocker and statin meds, again on my doc's advice.

pkponder: how much fish oil do you take?

Momrox, it's 1200 mg caplets, 360 mg Omega-3, I use Nature Made.

Thanks, Shea.