HOW DOES THE FDA REGULATE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS?
The united states Food and drugs administration is a government body in the US responsible for monitoring and regulating foods and drugs within the country.
Nutritional supplements may be very beneficial to a person’s health but may also pose serious health risks if not used correctly.
The FDA is therefore required to regulate the nutritional supplements that are within the country.
What are nutritional supplements?
Nutritional supplements are ingredients that include but not limited to amino acids, enzymes, minerals, herbs, and vitamins. These supplements are, however, packaged in the form of capsules, tablets, liquids, gel caps, and powders.
Role of the FDA in regulating nutritional supplements
- The foods and drugs administration regulate nutritional supplements as food but not drugs. This is attributable to the fact that dietary supplements are considered safe until they are unsafe. According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act that was legislated in 1994, nutritional supplements may not contain anything that may be considered to cause significant risks such as an injury or illness.
- Since nutritional supplements are not classified as drugs, the FDA does not have the authority to review nutritional supplements for their effectiveness and safety before marketing them.
- Nutritional supplement producers and distributors should ensure that the supplements are safe before marketing them.
- However, if a new ingredient is added to the supplements, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to notify the FDA before the commence marketing the product.
- If the ingredient is not approved by the FDA, it will not be reviewed for effectiveness but rather for safety.
- In case a severe issue occurs, the problem occurs with a nutritional supplement, it is a requirement for the manufacturers of the supplement to report the issue to the FDA. The report should only be made if the event is adverse.
- The FDA may take strict actions such as taking any supplement that the authority finds not to be safe for consumption.
Final point
In case you find any nutritional supplement to be unsafe, it is necessary to report the issue to the FDA for the actions required to be taken.
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