At the end of the day when the clothes come off, how comfortable are you with your body? In Horace Miner’s satire of American life, he recognizes that, “The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly…” (Miner); and with all the billboards, television ads, and magazines that project unrealistic photo-shopped standards of beauty, it is understandable why many members of society are obsessed with modifying their appearance. Society spends countless dollars on clothes, make-up, and numerous other beauty regimens, but what happens when all of our temporary tricks and tools no longer satisfy our desires to alter our appearance? From ritualistic to purely cosmetic, the act of body modification has transformed
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While rules surrounding supplements exist, they are not very effective at protecting the consumer. According to the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, “Unlike drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. That means supplements should not make claims, such as "reduces arthritic pain" or "treats heart disease." Claims like these can only legitimately be made for drugs, not dietary supplements” (“Dietary Supplements…”). Because supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration they do not have to adhere to the same standards as drugs. This lower level of classification allows the supplements to make claims about its projected results even though these claims have not been properly verified. For example, one supplement on the market called Thermovex claims it is designed to promote fat-loss, enhance energy levels, and improve muscle definition; however, denoted in fine print with the typographical dagger symbol, the product explains that the statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Thermovex example demonstrates how supplement companies manipulate the already minimal regulations placed on them through the use of a disclaimer just pitch their product. Since supplement companies …show more content…
While claims have been made regarding the benefits of vitamins and dietary supplement as a means of providing vital nutrients, research has found that supplements may not really produce the perceived benefits. In an edition of the Harvard Heart Letter it states “recommendations for calcium intake have long been driven by its importance for building bones and keeping them strong. But a new report linking calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart attack now has researchers eyeing too much calcium as a possible contributor to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions. (“Calcium Supplements…”). Since the employees have not spent years studying the effects of the supplements, they most likely are not aware of the proper intake dosage of supplements. I propose the government require a pharmacist or certified specialist to work in supplement stores because it would alleviate many of the remaining issues surrounding the distribution of supplements. The addition of a pharmacist or specialist would already be necessary, should supplements be classified as drugs, but their presence would pose numerous other benefits to helping supplement stores function more effectively.
While rules surrounding supplements exist, they are not very effective at protecting the consumer. According to the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, “Unlike drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. That means supplements should not make claims, such as "reduces arthritic pain" or "treats heart disease." Claims like these can only legitimately be made for drugs, not dietary supplements” (“Dietary Supplements…”). Because supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration they do not have to adhere to the same standards as drugs. This lower level of classification allows the supplements to make claims about its projected results even though these claims have not been properly verified. For example, one supplement on the market called Thermovex claims it is designed to promote fat-loss, enhance energy levels, and improve muscle definition; however, denoted in fine print with the typographical dagger symbol, the product explains that the statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Thermovex example demonstrates how supplement companies manipulate the already minimal regulations placed on them through the use of a disclaimer just pitch their product. Since supplement companies …show more content…
While claims have been made regarding the benefits of vitamins and dietary supplement as a means of providing vital nutrients, research has found that supplements may not really produce the perceived benefits. In an edition of the Harvard Heart Letter it states “recommendations for calcium intake have long been driven by its importance for building bones and keeping them strong. But a new report linking calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart attack now has researchers eyeing too much calcium as a possible contributor to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions. (“Calcium Supplements…”). Since the employees have not spent years studying the effects of the supplements, they most likely are not aware of the proper intake dosage of supplements. I propose the government require a pharmacist or certified specialist to work in supplement stores because it would alleviate many of the remaining issues surrounding the distribution of supplements. The addition of a pharmacist or specialist would already be necessary, should supplements be classified as drugs, but their presence would pose numerous other benefits to helping supplement stores function more effectively.