Dietary supplements are sold in stores all over the United States without a doctor’s prescription. Half of the adult American population takes supplements every single day of their lives. The supplements include, but are not limited to, “vitamins, energy boosters, herbal preparations, and weight-loss aids…” (Weeks). People have always been told how beneficial it is to take these wonderful dietary supplements to help give their body the nutrients it needs, but they don’t know that these supplements are harming their bodies. Many of the bottles tested have proven to not include the ingredients listed on the label, therefor causing harm. Dietary supplements are taken by many adults everyday, but little do they know that those supplements are
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That is why there are so many emergency room visits every year. Many doctors and “health experts argue that problems with supplements are so widespread that regulations should be tightened to protect public health” (Weeks). Prescriptions are needed and should be placed on every drug and supplement that is available to the consumer. The public needs to be told how to take the supplement, how much is an appropriate dose, when to take it, and what possible side effects there are. Consumers just assume that if a supplement is on a shelf in a store and doesn’t need a prescription, that it is automatically safe to use and take whenever and with whatever food or drink they want, but they are very wrong. “Of 21 brands of multivitamins on the market in the United States and Canada… just 10 met the stated claims on their labels or satisfied other quality standards” (Stenson). Multivitamins for women were mainly contaminated with lead and Vitamin A, which may lead to an over dose. Vitamin A causes bone weakening and liver problems, which over time can become very dangerous to a person 's health. “Tests showed that The Vitamin Shoppe women’s product contained 15.3 micrograms of lead per daily serving of two tablets” (Stenson). 15.3 micrograms is 10 times the permitted amount allowed, not to mention that people already digest lead into their bodies when eating food (Stenson). Since there aren’t strict regulations requiring …show more content…
There needs to be more regulations, and strict ones. Those regulations would prevent people from harming themselves from using a dietary supplement that is supposed to be good for them that isn’t. Companies should not be getting away with making these harmful supplements. There needs to be a label on every dietary supplement bottle or package. People need to be informed and know what they are taking, otherwise they are putting themselves at risk for serious health issues. “There is a massive quality-control problem in the supplements industry” and people need to be aware of it
That is why there are so many emergency room visits every year. Many doctors and “health experts argue that problems with supplements are so widespread that regulations should be tightened to protect public health” (Weeks). Prescriptions are needed and should be placed on every drug and supplement that is available to the consumer. The public needs to be told how to take the supplement, how much is an appropriate dose, when to take it, and what possible side effects there are. Consumers just assume that if a supplement is on a shelf in a store and doesn’t need a prescription, that it is automatically safe to use and take whenever and with whatever food or drink they want, but they are very wrong. “Of 21 brands of multivitamins on the market in the United States and Canada… just 10 met the stated claims on their labels or satisfied other quality standards” (Stenson). Multivitamins for women were mainly contaminated with lead and Vitamin A, which may lead to an over dose. Vitamin A causes bone weakening and liver problems, which over time can become very dangerous to a person 's health. “Tests showed that The Vitamin Shoppe women’s product contained 15.3 micrograms of lead per daily serving of two tablets” (Stenson). 15.3 micrograms is 10 times the permitted amount allowed, not to mention that people already digest lead into their bodies when eating food (Stenson). Since there aren’t strict regulations requiring …show more content…
There needs to be more regulations, and strict ones. Those regulations would prevent people from harming themselves from using a dietary supplement that is supposed to be good for them that isn’t. Companies should not be getting away with making these harmful supplements. There needs to be a label on every dietary supplement bottle or package. People need to be informed and know what they are taking, otherwise they are putting themselves at risk for serious health issues. “There is a massive quality-control problem in the supplements industry” and people need to be aware of it