FDA’s Role in Regulating Supplements

The FDA regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients, but what exactly does that entail?

Dietary supplements are usually products in the form of pills you take orally to obtain a dietary ingredient.

Sometimes certain dietary supplements cannot be found in regular foods, so the only form is within the supplement. Many dietary supplements contain some type of mineral, vitamin lacking in your normal diet.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website, in October of 1994, Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was signed into law by President Clinton. This law determines the supplements manufactures are providing are distributed safely, have clear written labels and are not misleading.

Even though many products indicate they are "miracles" and guarantee weight loss, it's important to be able to identify the realistic truth behind these claims. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

What are some ways the FDA is regulating the dietary supplement industry?

Dr. Daniel Fabricant, the former FDA's Director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs and currently the Executive Director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA), the nation's largest and oldest trade organization representing the natural products industry, joins Dr. Mike to discuss what the FDA does and does not regulate.