Supplement safety? My understanding is that the FDA doesn't regulate supplements,

[hedgehog]

so there is no guarantee that the label matches what's in the bottle. I use various supplements such as fish oil, vitamins, glucosomine. Does anyone have any idea how to identify a reputable brand? I thought I could trust national drug store chains, until I saw that Walgreens carries Enzyte!

[MannyGoldstein]

1. It's a little tricky

Supplement makers have to abide by the FDA's rules, but the FDA only gets involved if they have reason to believe their rules aren't being followed. Supplement makers get in trouble if the FDA finds that the rules have been broken.

There are a couple of issues here: do the supplements contain the ingredients they claim to contain, and do they help the conditions the claim to help? On the first question, the larger supplement makers are probably fine, because it's pretty easy to do the right thing and the consequences of not doing the right thing are pretty high. On the second question - don't trust 'em, do your own research.

[hedgehog]

4. I agree that you have to filter out a lot of woo.

First step - don't believe someone who is making claims for something when they just happen to be selling it!

OTOH - My doctor recommends Omega 3 oils for my dry eyes (Sjogren's). I have to trust that the capsules I take actually contain
what they say they do.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. I believe that there have been tests looking at what's in different brands of

Fish oil capsules. Might have been consumer reports. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll try to scare it up.

[hedgehog]

6. I didn't think of checking Consumer reports - they give this link -

http://www.usp.org/usp-verification-services/usp-verified-dietary-supplements

[Warpy]

2. Spot checks have found a significant level of fraud

in herb capsules. They don't contain the plant(s) they list on the label, they don't contain the plants in the concentrations listed on the label, and since the plants are different from season to season, the numbers they give are meaningless.

Oh, I think these companies try to keep it honest, it's easier and often cheaper than just putting dry parsley in everything. The spot checks have just seemed to find a lot of mislabeling out there.

The FDA exists to make sure they're not poisoning anyone or selling the opium pods, marijuana and coca leaves that actually do some good (boo, hiss). They've stepped in on a few things that do have unwanted side effects, like comfrey, licorice root, and lobelia, requiring warning labels on some and banning the sale of the dangerous ones, like lobelia.

Whether or not herbal nostrums work is another matter, entirely, which is why the FDA has classified them as foods.

[mopinko]

3. i have a likely irrational trust in costco.

that plus the great prices.........