Another supplement company. . .

[Matchstix]

Top herbal products ‘fraudulent and potentially dangerous’

 

An investigation of herbal supplements by the New York State attorney general’s office carries a sobering message for the rest of the nation as well.

 

The New York Times reports that the investigation looked at the store brands of well-known herbal products sold by four prominent national retailers: GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. Among the popular products examined were ginkgo biloba, St. John’s wort and ginseng pills. Four out of five of the products tested did not include any of the herbs listed on their labels. Even worse, hidden ingredients and contaminants could be dangerous to people with allergies to those substances. That such well-known brands should be found to be fraudulent suggests that the problem infects the entire industry.

 

The attorney general has sent the four retailers cease-and-desist letters and demanded that they explain their procedures for verifying the ingredients in their supplements. All four stopped selling the challenged products in New York and pledged to give the investigators the information requested. Walgreens and Target pulled the products from their stores nationwide. But Walmart and GNC are continuing to sell their products in stores outside New York.

 

GNC, a vitamin and supplements chain, claimed that the testing methodology – known as DNA-bar-coding technology – is of “doubtful validity” for assessing herbal products.

 

The report says that seems unlikely given that the tests were carried out by an expert on DNA bar-coding, James Schulte II, an associate professor of biology at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York and Beckman Coulter Genomics, a Massachusetts company that is expert in DNA bar-coding. The attorney general’s office has compiled a list of more than 70 scientific papers showing that DNA bar-coding was able to identify ingredients.

 

The industry contends that the testing methods it uses are more accurate and meet the standards of the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, a non-profit scientific organisation that sets standards for ingredients used in dietary supplements, but this investigation may well prove that claim hollow.

 

The report says consumers need to be aware that herbal or other supplements that claim to improve health are not subject to the same strict standards for safety and efficacy that the US Food and Drug Administration applies to prescription drugs. The supplement industry’s backers in Congress and state capitals have long protected it from stricter regulation. New York’s investigation ought to persuade legislators that stronger oversight is needed.

 

 

 

This is the latest in a series of studies and investigations that have cast serious doubt on the safety and reliability of these products, which face laxer regulatory scrutiny compared to prescription drugs. But, reports The Washington Post, none of that has changed the fact that Americans are nuts for dietary supplements

Sales in 2013 reached $13bn, as more people turn to the supplements to boost their health and lose weight. One of their biggest boosters is syndicated TV host Mehmet Oz of “Dr. Oz” fame, even though “America’s doctor,” as he’s also known, has gotten into trouble for pushing pills with little medical grounding.

 

When researchers take a closer look at the products, the results can be alarming. Researchers from a 2012 Inspector General’s report found that 20% of the weight loss and immune system support supplements they purchased made illegal claims about their ability to treat and cure disease. A year later, Harvard researchers found that between 2004 and 2012, there were 237 recalls of dietary supplements — accounting for more than half of FDA recalls of Class 1 drugs, which mean the products contain substances that can cause death or serious health problems. And in October, a JAMA study found most of supplements that were recalled for containing dangerous banned drugs were still available to consumers at least six months later.

 

There’s a common public misperception that these products face the same rigorous oversight that pharmaceuticals receive from the FDA. They don’t, thanks to a federal law that’s been in place since 1994. Manufacturers of dietary supplements are required to attest their products are safe and accurately tested, but unlike prescription drugs, they’re not tested by the FDA before they go to market.

 

The report says federal oversight of the industry has tightened – somewhat. Since 2007, manufacturers have been required to report anytime a consumer experiences a serious medical reaction (whether it’s hospitalisation or even death) to the FDA within 15 days. The agency received more than 6,000 reports between 2008 and 2011, according to a March 2013 Government Accountability Office report, with most of those coming from industry. However, the GAO said it believes these are probably under-reported because some consumers appear to report these events to poison control centres instead of the FDA.

 

 

 

SA health and beauty retailer Clicks is, meanwhile standing by the integrity of US-based GNC supplements, for which it holds the exclusive distribution rights in SA. Business Day reports that the company said it would continue to sell GNC herbal products despite a finding by the New York attorney-general’s office that GNC was selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous products.

 

Clicks launched GNC in SA last March, and now sells its products in 165 stores. GNC GM Sean Kristafor said GNC disputed the New York attorney-general’s findings, which he said were based on inappropriate tests. “The Council for Responsible Nutrition says DNA-bar-coding technology is not the correct test, and we were not given an opportunity to review the results. GNC stands by the efficacy of its products. It has removed them in New York but not elsewhere,” Kristafor said. He said GNC tested all its products with methods approved by governing bodies such as the US Pharmacopeia and British Pharmacopeia. The methods the US attorney-general used to test its products had not been approved by these bodies, he said.

 

Kristafor said Clicks did not conduct its own tests on the products it imported from GNC’s distribution centre in Greenville, South Carolina, but paid a consultancy to review the products’ “quality certificates”. Medicines Control Council registrar Joey Gouws said she would ask local inspectors to look into the issue, and that she would comment at a later stage.

 

 

http://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/top-herbal-products-fraudulent-and-potentially-dangerous/

['Dale]

There's a big presence at the Waterfront - a GNC shop.

I've wondered about the brand's credibility.

[Bankie99]

Another 1 bites the dust

[nazmo]

Chemical > Herbal anyday , if u have an ailment.

all these things are BS 

 

Oh, to add. If you have a balanced diet, all your vitamin/iron etc.... requirements will be OK.

[LOOK695]

It is much healthier to eat real foods than to take in all these supplements. Also easier on the wallet

[venom1]

Darn! Started using GNC Energy and Metabolism a few weeks ago. 

[Danger Dassie]

Think many people also don't understand the concept and definition of 'supplement' 
 

As far as real foods go, is anyone aware of the **** that goes in there, or the processes behind getting produce to shelves? 

I know I don't and I'm wary of walking into a store where the bananas look perfect in colouring with no blemishes and are almost all identical. Telling me that's real? 

We should be questioning anything that we put in our bodies really.

[rouxtjie]

Think many people also don't understand the concept and definition of 'supplement' 

 

As far as real foods go, is anyone aware of the **** that goes in there, or the processes behind getting produce to shelves? 

 

I know I don't and I'm wary of walking into a store where the bananas look perfect in colouring with no blemishes and are almost all identical. Telling me that's real? 

 

We should be questioning anything that we put in our bodies really.

dassie, I hear you wrt gm crops and hormones....but truth is we will probably eat nothing if we want to be 100% "clean". Or move to the kalahari and live like bushmen. But if you buy foods that are as close to the raw product, it will almost always have more nutrients for its calorie value vs processed.

 

If we take woolies as an example(probably the best quality fresh produce in SA) its unfair to say that they use black magic to keep their produce pristine when it hits the shelves. The two most important factors are:

 

Their cold chain is the best out of all the retailers

Their suppliers have to jump through hoops to become one and stay one

[Danger Dassie]

dassie, I hear you wrt gm crops and hormones....but truth is we will probably eat nothing if we want to be 100% "clean". Or move to the kalahari and live like bushmen. But if you buy foods that are as close to the raw product, it will almost always have more nutrients for its calorie value vs processed.

 

If we take woolies as an example(probably the best quality fresh produce in SA) its unfair to say that they use black magic to keep their produce pristine when it hits the shelves. The two most important factors are:

 

Their cold chain is the best out of all the retailers

Their suppliers have to jump through hoops to become one and stay one

 

 

I agree, and I buy as mush raw food as possible and that's what I rely on. I do also on occasion use supplements, and even then only as that. As a supplement to my food.

 

Although I've become wary of Woolies, theres been a number of points raised about their produce and the amount of gmo etc. 

For myself, I stick to the farmstalls or places like Impala.

[Smurfy]

Darn! Started using GNC Energy and Metabolism a few weeks ago. 

Me 2, the chap in Clicks told me that GNC has been around for 80 years. Started on Saterday.  

[TheJ]

Supplements, meh.

 

Breakfast juice:

 

Juice the following:

1x Beetroot

Lots of spinach

1x Lemon

3x Apples

4x Carrots

1x Orange

Big piece of cucumber

 

That makes for about 1 liter of juice (very liquidy).

 

Wife takes 1 glass like that.

 

I take the rest, put it in the smoothy maker / Blender. Blend in another apple and an orange for a bit of roughage. Add 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder. Ends up being almost 3 big glasses full. Hmm, breakfast.

 

The nutrients in that beats supplement and/or vitamin pill hands down. And it tastes brilliant.

[nonky]

Chemical > Herbal anyday , if u have an ailment.

all these things are BS 

 

Oh, to add. If you have a balanced diet, all your vitamin/iron etc.... requirements will be OK.

there are a few endocrinologists out there that will disagree with that statement.

however, random supplements are mostly pointless / useless.

[deanbean]

dassie, I hear you wrt gm crops and hormones....but truth is we will probably eat nothing if we want to be 100% "clean". Or move to the kalahari and live like bushmen. But if you buy foods that are as close to the raw product, it will almost always have more nutrients for its calorie value vs processed.

 

If we take woolies as an example(probably the best quality fresh produce in SA) its unfair to say that they use black magic to keep their produce pristine when it hits the shelves. The two most important factors are:

 

Their cold chain is the best out of all the retailers

Their suppliers have to jump through hoops to become one and stay one

I agree, and I buy as mush raw food as possible and that's what I rely on. I do also on occasion use supplements, and even then only as that. As a supplement to my food.

 

Although I've become wary of Woolies, theres been a number of points raised about their produce and the amount of gmo etc.

For myself, I stick to the farmstalls or places like Impala.

I'm surprised to see how little people know about the food they put in their mouths. I don't like to eat shiken and pork, because of the foods these are fed. Think about it, next time you eat pork and chicken. They have very simple digestive systems, so the cr@p that they eat is deposited straight into the meat and fat in their bodies. Ruminants (cattle and sheep) have a very sophisticated digestive system where all that they eat is broken down by bacteria, and then rebuilt to useful nutrients. The ruminant then digests the bacteria for its own food. Kind of like a firewall. This makes their meat and fat safer to eat.

Don't get me started on the perfect woolies veg. I'd rather buy my greens from the local fruit and veg (not F&V city). Those veg must be irradiated to make them stay so fresh for so long. I don't care how perfect the cold chain is.

 

A for modern fruit, it's just not tasty, all it is, is sweet. I've got an old orchard on my farm, and the apples and pears, or at least those that the Cape Parrots leave me, are tasty. They don't just taste of sugar, they're not very sweet.

 

Sorry, this is so off topic.

[rouxtjie]

I'm surprised to see how little people know about the food they put in their mouths. I don't like to eat shiken and pork, because of the foods these are fed. Think about it, next time you eat pork and chicken. They have very simple digestive systems, so the cr@p that they eat is deposited straight into the meat and fat in their bodies. Ruminants (cattle and sheep) have a very sophisticated digestive system where all that they eat is broken down by bacteria, and then rebuilt to useful nutrients. The ruminant then digests the bacteria for its own food. Kind of like a firewall. This makes their meat and fat safer to eat.

Don't get me started on the perfect woolies veg. I'd rather buy my greens from the local fruit and veg (not F&V city). Those veg must be irradiated to make them stay so fresh for so long. I don't care how perfect the cold chain is.

 

A for modern fruit, it's just not tasty, all it is, is sweet. I've got an old orchard on my farm, and the apples and pears, or at least those that the Cape Parrots leave me, are tasty. They don't just taste of sugar, they're not very sweet.

 

Sorry, this is so off topic.

That is a pretty big claim meneer and is your opinion rather than fact. I did some work in that industry a while a go and like I said before, cold chain is ubber alles in the fresh produce game. from plant/animal to shelves they have got waxed, things dont sit in baking in the sun / storeroom before packaging. Also should this happen, they dont use it. I have seen it with my own eyes, and can guarantee you if they do start dropping the ball they won't be able to charge what they do, their customers don't mind paying if they get quality. 

 

This is also the reason you pay more for their fresh produce

[LRW]

That is a pretty big claim meneer and is your opinion rather than fact. I did some work in that industry a while a go and like I said before, cold chain is ubber alles in the fresh produce game. from plant/animal to shelves they have got waxed, things dont sit in baking in the sun / storeroom before packaging. Also should this happen, they dont use it. I have seen it with my own eyes, and can guarantee you if they do start dropping the ball they won't be able to charge what they do, their customers don't mind paying if they get quality. 

 

This is also the reason you pay more for their fresh produce

 

Its not irradiated....

 

I'm in the industry too (food technologist)....and regularly do work at the factories that supply woolworths......they are VERY VERY strict (read ...full of crap)

 

ANYTHING is south africa that is irradiated is governed by law....and HAS to be labelled as such (you'll see a little sticker/emblem on it with a design that looks like a flower....and states "radurised" on it

[rouxtjie]

Its not irradiated....

 

I'm in the industry too (food technologist)....and regularly do work at the factories that supply woolworths......they are VERY VERY strict (read ...full of crap)

 

ANYTHING is south africa that is irradiated is governed by law....and HAS to be labelled as such (you'll see a little sticker/emblem on it with a design that looks like a flower....and states "radurised" on it

Yea I know that, had first hand experience with them and saw with my own eyes what happens and also why their food cost more....