Athletes Should Be Aware of Dangers of Unregulated Supplements Health Claims

February 23, 2011
Abrams Landau Injury Law
Doug Landau, like many of the athletes competing at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden, supplements his diet with sports supplements, protein, vitamins and minerals. But the FDA does not supervise these health products like prescription medications. Perhaps the FDA should...

Doug Landau, like many of the athletes competing at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden, supplements his diet with sports supplements, protein, vitamins and minerals. But the FDA does not supervise these health products like prescription medications. Perhaps the FDA should…

Having just purchased several items at the local health food and vitamin shop, I note that some labels state that the claims “have not been approved by the FDA.” The FDA recently warned the dietary supplement industry not to spike its products with steroids, prescription drugs or other prohibited substances. According to news reports since 2007 nearly 300 products marketed as supplements have been found to contain potentially dangerous or illegal ingredients. Many of these consumer health products were sold as diet, bodybuilding or sexual enhancement supplements. Unlike drugs, dietary supplements do not have to be proven safe by scientific or medical testing before being sold to consumers. Manufacturers can make general claims about health benefits.

Consumers should be wary of supplements sold as substitutes for prescriptions drugs or legal alternatives to steroids. Dietary supplement purchasers should be vigilant when buying products on the Internet, and those marketed primarily in a foreign language. Consulting a physician is always a good idea, as these non-prescription formulations may interact with prescription and over the counter (“OTC”) medications in a way that causes adverse health reactions. Tainted supplements have been linked to reports of adverse events including: strokes, liver and kidney damage and death. The FDA has a link for its office of criminal investigations which looks into tainted health products such ads dietary and weightlifting supplements. Because there are strict time limits for claims involving defective, dangerous or tainted drug products and supplements, if you or someone you know has been injured by a diet or other non-prescription supplement or health aid, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once.

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