Two Sides Term Paper
BENEFITS AND RISKS OF UNREGULARTED SUPPLEMENT USAGE
REINA NOGALES
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Benefits and Risks of Unregulated Dietary Supplements
Introduction
Dietary supplements are defined as “products taken by mouth that contain a ‘dietary ingredient’
intended to supplement the diet which may include vitamins and minerals” by the Dietary
Supplement Health and Education Act (NIH, 1994). Many dietary supplements are safe and offer
significant health benefits, but there are some that pose health risks, especially if overused.
Dietary supplements include but are not limited to amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, probiotics,
botanicals (herbals), sports nutrition supplements, and weight management products. Dietary
supplements are also used to treat different health related deficiencies. The use of dietary
supplements has been exceptionally controversial in whether they actually enhance health,
athleticism and life span due to the fact that most are unregulated by the FDA. Dietary
supplements are only intended to supplement a person’s diet, they are not to be used as food.
Drugs and food are both intended to affect the structure and function of the body and must
undergo FDA testing and approval. On the contrary, there are little to no regulations on the
premarket testing and premarket approval for dietary supplements.
Pro Side
For the average person, you should be able to receive all the nutrients you need through a well-
balanced diet. However, dietary supplements can be used to provide extra nutrients to those
whose diet are lacking, or if certain health conditions trigger a deficiency, such as an iron
deficiency or even diabetes (Gebel, 2012). They are generally considered to be safe because they
only contain small amounts of each nutrient. In addition, vitamin supplements have the potential
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to reduce the risk of a medical condition, such as hypertension. Lifestyle characteristics play a
huge role on how our bodies respond to supplements. If you are eating and exercising properly, it
should help you avoid negative side effects and other health complexities. Also, using a
supplement appropriately can ultimately reduce preexisting critical conditions or deficiencies. In
June 2007, the FDA imposed a new set of standards for dietary supplements which include
quality of production, ensuring that dietary supplements are free of contaminants or impurities
and ensuring the accuracy of labeling, called Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines (GMPs)
(American Cancer Society, 2015). Although some supplements are unregulated premarket, the
FDA does require ingredient and nutrition information labeling so that consumers can make
informed decisions of the products they are putting into their body. If supplements are proven
unsafe, federal authorities can take them off of market shelves. In 2015, new policies were
passed onto manufacturers and distributors that they must notify the FDA of any new dietary
supplements at least 75 days ahead of time if any contain a new dietary ingredient (Dwyer, et al.,
2018).
The supplement industry is making millions of dollars per year. There are more than 50,000
dietary supplements available in the United States market, with a global market total of nearly
$82 billion as of 2012 (Gebel, 2012). While it costs a substantial amount of money to develop
pharmaceutical products, creating and selling supplements requires no such investment. It is a
market that is growing rapidly more so now because of social media. Athletes, celebrities and
other social media influencers, such as the Kardashian and Jenner family, are endorsed for using
and posting the positive effects of dietary supplements to increase sales and profit. Of course, the
effects of supplements depend on the lifestyle habits and lengths of time taken of an individual,
but the industry is heavily encouraging others to want to live a healthier lifestyle. A prime
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example of those who lack health, coming from fruits and vegetables in their diet, are children.
Because they do so much running around, they burn energy and vitamins fast, and without a
healthy diet to support their energy loss a multivitamin could definitely be beneficial.
In addition, as people get older, they lose the ability to absorb certain vitamins and nutrients. The
main nutrient the elderly struggles with is B12 and vitamin K. Taking supplemental B12 and
vitamin K will improve their overall health as well as assist in preventing bone and joint
deficiencies and also hip problems.
The supplement industry is helping reduce current rates of obesity and unhealthy eating habits,
which is at an all-time high. A majority of people who consume dietary supplements today are
athletes, body builders and dieters. It seems that many supermarkets, health food stores and gyms
carry a variety of supplements aimed at anyone looking to lose weight, bulk up, or build stamina.
There are many weight-loss supplements that target female consumers, but many are designed
specifically for men. A 2007-2010 survey from National Health and Nutrition insists that half of
adult men take supplements for improving overall health, maintaining health and preventing
health problems (Geller, et.al., 2015). The most commonly used supplements by athletes are
Whey protein, Creatine, Caffeine, and Glutamine (Gold, 2015). The Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition has provided information on the benefits each supplement withholds (2017).
To begin with protein powder comes in several forms including whey, soy, and casein. Protein
powders contain all 20 amino acids necessary to form protein muscles. Additionally, the high
levels of protein have been shown to improve weight loss by increasing fat to burn. Creatine is
very popular and is used to build lean body mass and enhance high-intensity, short-duration
exercise. Caffeine is another supplement that has advantages to health when being used properly.
It is a very common ingredient in many pre-workout supplements and enhances performance and
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increases energy. Caffeine is most commonly used for long-duration exercises such as cycling,
running, and soccer. Glutamine is a great supplement to use because it improves the speed of
recovery from injuries and also hinders the breakdown of muscles. Glutamine also stimulates
muscle tissue growth, as it is one of the amino acids that our body produces naturally, which is
important for healthy immune system function and for normal brain function and digestion
(CFSAN, 2017).
Con Side
Unlike conventional medicine, dietary supplements do not have to be tested to see if they are
safe and effective. In fact, dietary supplements are not under the same regulation as prescription
medications, which increases the risk that they may contain contaminants. A simple explanation
of how the FDA views dietary supplements is that they are considered safe until proven unsafe
(Geller, et.al., 2015). Despite the popularity of supplements, they may do little to boost your
health. It is in the best interest of the consumer to be aware of the effects of supplements in their
bodies. A huge issue with the use of nutritional enhancement supplements is that there is an
impression that consuming more than the recommended dosage will turn a person into an
Olympic athlete or super-fit model overnight. This ideology is found particularly in teenagers,
who are competitive athletes.
The harmfulness of these supplements are not acknowledged until something goes medically
wrong with a person. In 2015, former Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Lamar Odom awoke
from a coma that was induced because of “herbal Viagra” pills. Although he consumed about 10
of these supplements and was said to be on other opiates while using cocaine, the lack of
knowledge on the intensity of the pills may have been the cause of his physical collapse (Kroll,
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2015). The FDA had supposedly issued warnings about this supplement because it contained a
“hidden drug ingredient” that could potentially cause severe reactions. The issue with the FDA
and the unregulated substances is that there are specific labeling requirements, yet many people
don’t pay mind to them. Several sex enhancement supplements have been recalled due to the
supplements containing undeclared drugs (Geller, et. al., 2012). According to the several medical
experts, an individual using supplements should not “assume” that a product ensures wholeness
or safety, should be aware of the ingredients, and should not “self-diagnose” any health condition
and/or replace a supplement for a prescription medicine or diet (Dwyer, et. al, 2018).
Contaminated supplements send thousands of people to the emergency room each year. An
article on the Washington Post stated “23,000 people end up in the emergency room each year
suffering from heart palpitations, chest pain, choking or other problems after ingesting dietary
supplements” (Cha, 2015). These are just a handful of issues that may occur due to improper
usage. An organ that is hugely affected by the use of some supplements is the liver, “39 patients
suffered serious liver injuries—709 from medicines, 45 from bodybuilding herbals and
supplements, and 85 from non-bodybuilding herbals and supplements” (Gold, 2015). These
numbers are just a small fraction of the number of ER visits involving pharmaceuticals.
The primary cause for concern is that the market for nutritional supplements remains largely
unregulated.
Avoiding the use of supplements for reasons that are not necessarily to enhance athleticism and
strength will ultimately keep a person’s health intact. Because these supplements are unregulated,
it is hard to tell whether or not they will be beneficial to health. The harsh reality is that the only
way to confirm whether they are harmful or not is to test them on our own and make assumptions
after that. Although there are many benefits to using dietary supplements, it is important to notify
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your health care provider about any that you are taking because some may interact negatively
with medications and preexisting conditions. For example, if a person takes St. John’s Wort to
treat their depression and they are taking blood thinning medication they should be weary
because it could be dangerous to their health being that St. John’s Wort is also a blood thinning
agent (Cha, 2015).
Reveal
Dietary supplements should remain in the market for usage. For the most part, dietary
supplements are not harmful unless they are used improperly. The amount of people who suffer
from deficiencies outnumber the amount of people who use supplements for enhanced nutrition
and strength. Many of the supplements used for deficiencies cannot be substituted with anything
else. For example, many women need lots of iron to make up for the mineral loss during
menstruation. To treat such iron deficiencies, it is recommended that a daily intake of a
multivitamin containing iron could be beneficial and is easily available over-the-counter. It
would create a huge fuss if these supplements were removed from the market because about half
of American adults regularly use supplements including vitamins, minerals, diet aids and energy
boosters. Not only are they widely available throughout supermarkets and gyms, the costs are
minimal compared to Emergency Room visits, doctors visits and prescription medicine. More
regulation should be administered to these supplements, however there are not nearly as many
deaths as there are from conventional medicine and medical malpractice.
Multi-vitamins and probiotics are supplements that are so commonly used now that many
consumers feel they have a healthy, well balanced diet. Without the intake of these vitamins,
their health may decline. For most consumers, these vitamins and minerals assist in improving
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bodily functions and mental health. Another reason why they should remain in market is for
those who struggle to eat healthy. There are supplements available to people of all ages with a
wide range of benefits. The usage of supplements is an efficient way to secure good health.
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Reference Page
American Cancer Society. (2015, March 31). FDA regulation of drugs versus dietary
supplements. Retrieved April 20, 2019, from https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-
side-effects/complementary-and-alternative-medicine/dietary-supplements/fda-regulations.html
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). (2017, November 29). Consumers -
Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know. Retrieved April 20, 2019, from
https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm109760.htm
Cha, A. E. (2015, October 15). Dietary supplements send more than 23,000 people to the ER
each year. Retrieved April 20, 2019, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-
health/wp/2015/10/14/more-than-23000-people-wind-up-in-the-er-each-year-due-to-dietary-
supplements/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.574a69c000c5
Dwyer, J. T., Coates, P. M., & Smith, M. J. (2018). Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges
and Research Resources. Nutrients, 10(1), 41. doi:10.3390/nu10010041
Gebel, E. (2012, February 23). The Pros and Cons of Dietary Supplements. American Diabetes
Association. Retrieved April 20, 2019, from http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2012/feb/the-pros-
and-cons-of-dietary-supplements.html
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Geller, A. I., Shehab, N., & Weidle, N. J. (2015, October 20). Emergency Department Visits for
Adverse Events Related to Dietary Supplements. New England Journal of Medicine. Retrieved
April 20, 2019, from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1504267
Gold, J. (2015, January 23). Prevent Medication Errors - Consumer Med Safety. Retrieved April
20, 2019, from https://www.consumermedsafety.org/medication-safety-articles/item/771-liver-
injuries-from-herbals-and-dietary-supplements-have-led-to-death-and-liver-transplants
Kroll, D. (2015, October 15). Lamar Odom Hospitalized, Possible Herbal Viagra Overdose.
Retrieved April 20, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2015/10/14/herbal-
viagra-overdose-suspected-in-lamar-odom-hospitalization/#624cfe495aa3
National Institutes of Health (NIH). (1994, October 15). Dietary Supplement Health and
Education Act of 1994 Public Law 103-417 103rd Congress. Retrieved April 20, 2019, from
https://ods.od.nih.gov/About/DSHEA_Wording.aspx
