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(ARA) - In the last decade, the dietary supplement market has exploded. According to the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, more than two-thirds of Americans now take dietary supplements. There are 50,000 supplements currently on the market and 1,000 new supplements are introduced each year. From vitamins to minerals to herbal supplements, there’s something for everyone. But with so many choices, how can you be sure that what’s on the label is what is inside the bottle? “Consumers are bombarded with options when it comes to selecting dietary supplements, and with so many choices, it can be hard to know what to look for,” says Kathy Jordan, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian and general manager of dietary supplements and functional foods certification at NSF International.
Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., NSF International is an independent, not-for-profit testing organization that developed NSF/ANSI:173, the only American National Standard for testing dietary supplements. NSF conducts rigorous testing in its accredited laboratories to ensure that what’s inside the supplement bottle matches what’s on the label, and that there are no unacceptable levels of contaminants present in the supplement.
According to Jordan, the first step consumers should take before selecting a dietary supplement is to talk with their physician or registered dietitian to determine what type of dietary supplement is best for them, whether it be a multi-vitamin, single-nutrient vitamins such as calcium or vitamin C or herbal and botanical supplements like echinacea and St. John’s Wort.
Once you and your doctor have decided which supplement is right for you, one should become familiar with the different types of claims made by dietary supplement manufacturers.
“It’s important to remember that dietary supplements cannot claim to treat, prevent, or cure a specific disease or condition,” says Jordan. By law, manufacturers may make three types of claims for dietary supplement products:
Health Claims
These claims show a link between a food or substance and a disease or health-related condition. “Calcium and a lower risk of osteoporosis” is an example of a health claim.
Structure/Function Claims
This refers to the supplement’s effect on the body’s structure or function, including its overall effect on a person’s well-being. An example of structure-function claim is “Calcium builds strong bones.” These claims are easy to spot as the product label must contain the disclaimer, “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
Nutrient Content Claims
This term describes the level of a nutrient in a food or dietary supplement. For example, a supplement containing at least 200 milligrams (mg) of calcium per serving could carry the claim “high in calcium.” A supplement with at least 12 mg per serving of vitamin C could state on its label, “Excellent source of vitamin C.”
Supplement Labels
Once you sort through the claims made on the front of the bottle, its time to read the label on the back. However, there is so much information displayed on the labels of dietary supplements today that many consumers find it confusing. Jordan offers the following guide to understanding the four key areas:
Serving Size - This is the manufacturer’s suggested serving. It is normally stated as per tablet, per capsule, per packet or per teaspoon.
International Unit - Unit of measurement for vitamins A, D and E. International Units (IU) will be different for each vitamin. One IU of vitamin A equals 0.3 micrograms, while one IU of vitamin E will equal one milligram.
MG and MCG - MG stands for milligrams, which is one-thousandth of a gram. MCH equals micrograms, which is one-millionth of a gram. These are the common units of measurement for minerals and some vitamins, such as vitamin C.
Daily Value (DV) - The daily value, or DV, is the average amount of the vitamin or mineral that is needed to meet the nutritional requirements of a person of at least age 4. The number shown will be the percent of the daily value that is provided by one serving of the supplement.
With so many different claims and confusing labels, one easy way to sort through the abundance of choices is to look for a supplement that is certified by an independent organization, such as NSF International. NSF has certified more than 700 dietary supplements and consumers can access free certified product listings to compare general retail brands from manufacturers such as Perrigo and specialty nutritional supplement retailers like General Nutrition Centers.
“Dietary supplements that have been certified by NSF International must go through rigorous testing and meet a stringent list of qualifications,” says Jordan. “Each product formulation is reviewed by a toxicologist to verify that the contents of the supplement actually match what is printed on the label and that there are no ingredients present in the supplement that are not openly disclosed on the label, including unacceptable levels of contaminants. A nutritionist also reviews the product label to ensure that it is compliant with FDA (DSHEA) regulations.”
In addition to the testing that takes place at NSF’s laboratories, NSF also conducts ongoing monitoring at the manufacturer’s facility to certify that it follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
Products that have met NSF’s stringent qualifications and are certified will bear the NSF Mark, a small blue circle with the letters “NSF.” To see a complete listing of dietary supplements certified by NSF International, visit the Web site at www.nsf.org. You may also contact NSF’s Consumer Affairs Office toll-free at (888) 99-SAFER for additional information about the safety of your dietary supplements.
Courtesy of ARA Content
