Eight Considerations When Selecting Supplements

Choosing the right supplements for you may be overwhelming. Below are some answers to common questions and other considerations to make regarding what to look for in a dietary supplement. 

Physicians, especially those who trained many years ago, may be cautious in recommending supplements because they remember when supplement products were available on store shelves that were not of good quality. However, the market has changed, with the quality of products increasing and good manufacturers coming into the marketplace as well.

It is important to discuss the pros and cons of taking certain supplements with your provider, as they can help figure out if the supplement is right for each individual. While not every provider may have all the answers, increasingly, most medical centers have a physician, pharmacist or someone trained to answer questions on supplements.

There are risks for certain herbs and drugs to interact adversely with one another, which highlights the importance of discussing taking supplements with your treating provider prior to consuming them.

There may be a perception that the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, does not have much oversight in terms of supplements or that supplements are not well regulated. In turn, this perception may lead some to believe that supplements can cause harm. However, there are a lot of rules and regulations for supplements. In fact, the rules and regulations for supplements are similar to what is expected with drugs. If a drug causes an adverse reaction, it is labeled as either serious or minor. Serious adverse reactions need to be reported to the FDA immediately, and minor adverse reactions are collected, and much is learned about the safety of drugs from these minor adverse reactions.

If a serious adverse reaction occurs from a dietary supplement, this also needs to be reported to the FDA within 15 days. This quick response time allows the FDA to step in to analyze if there is a problematic product in the marketplace.

If a more minor adverse reaction occurs from dietary supplements, the manufacturer has more margin in reporting it; however, the information must be collected and tracked over time. Having this record is a way supplement products can stay safe.

The manufacturer is required to collect the information if there is an adverse event. Most companies have an internal service so they can collect the data themselves and report it. One way to determine if a manufacturer is superior could be if they also have an independent, third-party to collect data. Some of the third-party companies may have toxicologist physicians or experts to look at the data to find out if anything with the product is changing or if unexpected adverse events are occurring.