Supplements & Safety

Half of all Americans take a health supplement every day, feeding a multibillion dollar industry that churns out some 85,000 dietary supplements. This PBS-aired Frontline documentary, directed by Neil Docherty and hosted by Gillian Findlay, reviews the often unsubstantiated and contradictory claims for vitamins and supplements, a market that is dominated by powerful myths and wishful thinking. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) largely maintains a hands-off policy, intervening only when new elements are added to the pills, or in the case of blatant falsehoods (“cures cancer!”). Critics charge that the FDA is slow to act on complaints, and is unnecessarily lenient, perhaps due to a "revolving door" system for former government officials, manufacturers, and lobbyists, who shuffle between industry positions. One of the most heated issues concerns product labeling, questioning whether they are accurate about what is in the pills, and whether consumers are receiving adequate warnings about hazards? Cases have been documented in which pills have been laced with anabolic steroids (caused by careless manufacturing), resulting in breast enlargement in males, and excessive facial hair growth in females. In some instances, pills have caused permanent liver damage, requiring a liver transplant. Experts claim that too many customers trust ads that tout magic pills—a throwback to the era of snake oil salesmen—including popular products such as fish oil, which is said to be effective in preventing heart disease, but the actual contents of commercially available capsules varies considerably. Not surprisingly, many industry leaders and advocates in the media declined to be interviewed here. Offering a thought-provoking look at a widely misunderstood topic, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)