Sounds good on paper, however, I think that's kinda like asking a guy who got a C- in math to teach a college calculus class.

that's the problem. we don't need more government. we just need more efficient government. i know that is an oxymoron but if we had efficient processes we wouldn't need to expand government just to have the same problems down the road.

The problem is not more or less government. I like how the responses so far place absolutely no responsibility or penalty on these companies which are in fact lying to the consumer.

What is it about today's Americans that seem not to grasp the concept of honesty, integrity and above all compassion? Why do we immediately look at a situation like this and dismiss a companies responsibility to provide exactly what they are advertising? Have we all become so cynical about our purchasing that we expect to be ripped off and our only reactions are a)We need more government oversight, or b) Carpi De um, Buyer Beware?

These companies that were found to have sold products which did not meet the standards of their own advertising should be made to return the monies they collected to the consumer. If we set this type of action as a precedent then maybe more companies will think twice before knowingly putting out a product that does not perform as advertised.

Nice article, I guess. But where is the link to the report? It would be interesting to see the results; brands that faired well and not so well.

My thoughts exactly, Meemus!

They don't have the link to the full report because Consumer Lab charges a subscription to see their full reports, just like Consumer Reports.

See for yourself--here's the link: http://www.consumerlab.com/

To SayitaintSo, WHO should make them return the monies they collected to the consumer? Should we, the public do this, acting through some collective authority? (government)

Yeah the government should "watch over" supplement makers - because they are doing such a wonderful job watching over what is in everything else we eat; genetically modified corn, aspartame, hydrogenated oils, hormone & antibiotic laden milk, etc, etc, etc.

Newsflash: govt does not care about you. It's not about making life good for the people - it's about corporate profits and political power.

Alan, thank you :)

Hey, everybody, WE are the government. Do WE want to assign someone to check whether or not our foods and drugs are poisoned or should we just hope for the best, and save some $$.

After watching my Mom go through a decade long illness before dying, I take a fist full of pills every day in hopes of significantly reducing my own period of morbidity. I've used Consumer Lab for years as a source of information on vitamins and supplements.

pfromupnorth...we are also the market. If more consumers would educate themselves about they products the buy and not buy inferior or over-priced products, the market would quickly correct itself. Human nature being the way it is though, I doubt that will happen any time soon, despite living in the information age.

@SayItAintSo

Have we all become so cynical about our purchasing that we expect to be ripped off and our only reactions are a)We need more government oversight, or b) Carpi De um, Buyer Beware?

Carpe Diem means "seize the day". I think the obscure latin phrase you are looking for is "Caveat Emptor" :-)

pfromupnorth - we are not the government. We USED TO BE the government. It is obvious that our govt has now been corrupted by corporate interests.

Watch TV for about 10 minutes and you will see an ad by lawyers trolling for people damaged by pharmaceuticals that are supposedly overseen by the govt. How many bad drugs have been allowed to damage people despite govt regulation?

All that will happen with govt regulation of this market will be a takeover of the market by pharmaceutical companies with the money to buy the politicians in charge.

Yes, it would be nice to have safe products with labels we can believe, but unfortunately our govt is not going to provide that - whether they regulate or not.

Simple economics, if the product is not high quality, consumers will not buy it and the company will suffer. Don't need government for that, we need educated consumers.

Charls the FDA does not do any testing, they require testing for approval. The company would perform the testing, and the incurred cost is passed to the consumer. This is why drugs are so expensive.

Simple economics, if the product is not high quality, consumers will not buy it and the company will suffer. Don't need government for that, we need educated consumers.

And how exactly do you propose that consumers determine the quality of these vitamins? I suppose we should all buy our own laboratories to test every product we buy to make sure it won't kill us.

We have FDA, we give all power to, there are at least 10, probably 20 other agencies who have this job, how are they doing? Yeh we need to give them more money, me need add a few more of them. How about somebody tell them what their job is and expect them to perform. When something like this is found those responsible are fired removed from government payrolls. How about performance standards for money we throw around.

I'm dubious that 2/3rds of prescription drugs really contain adequate amounts of medicines when they are the generic version, so it does not surprise me that vitamins do. When we cannot trust prescription drugs, especially ones manufactured outside this country, we sure cannot trust OTC pills.

Say it ain't so - Micheal is right on the Latin but that is besides the point. I agree though that we do need more efficient government and if we did a better job at holding these companies more responsible for what they claim that would help end alot of this. Does that mean we need some more laws, maybe but at the same time we need to do a better job enforcing what we have already and reforming or amending existing laws so they actually work and make sense. To me these are the areas that the government should be stepping in and helping to look out for us. Unfortunately these are also the corp domains and that is why our government does little and instead of watching this more they just focus on little meaningless things and the laws they do pass either do nothing or further strip away more basic liberties and inconvenience the average American citizen.

James - that is right on. And that is what the government is there for and supposed to being doing but isn't. Just like others have said though, look at all the failures we have seen recently, does make you wonder if they would be affective at all no matter what. But I do think if congress would follow the laws and not hamstring inspectors or allow for "multiple warnings" the system could probably work like intended.

It is time to stop the crap and demand a change. These are the things are government is supposed to do and has failed. Screw the party lines, no to the corps, think for yourself, and vote for those who really care about America and want to do the job they are supposed to.

It was a private company that came out with the news - the FDA is no where to be seen.

One of the problems is that our current government is asking for LESS oversight on these types of companies instead of MORE. The GOP wants to cut down this oversight (mainly because they are in the pockets of most of these companies). I think that, overall, we need MORE oversight with companies that manufacture items that we put into our bodies!!! This goes with food, medications, water, etc. The more oversight, the better it is for the health of everyone. And, with better oversight, people are less apt to have to depend on insurance, Medicare, etc. They cut off their noses to spite their faces!!

The FDA is in bed with the pharmaceuticals! We need a new Federal agency (you heard me) having oversight only in the supplement and health food industry. An agency pro health but serious about making this industry one that has the highest standards!

@ TruthIsDead - the FDC doesn't oversee the vitamin industry. From the article - "While medications are closely overseen by the federal Food and Drug Administration, supplements like vitamins don’t get regular testing by any government agency. So there’s no way of knowing — outside of independent testing — whether a bottle of supplements contains what it’s supposed to."

What does government have to do with this report? "ConsumerLab is a Westchester, N.Y., company that independently evaluates hundreds of health and nutrition products and periodically publishes reviews."

That's a private company, and not a government agency. If anything, this shows that government is a failure. There are multiple agencies discussed above which could have, and should have, earned the billions of taxpayer dollars they have received by testing those consumer products, and they failed dismally. They should be fired, but, being government, they are immune from accountability.

It is amazing how so many posters see government as the solution to every challenge. Here, a private company did what government failed to do.

Jose Villa Lopez - How has the government failed in this instance? The FDA does not oversee vitamins and dietary supplements. The FDA does not analyze dietary supplements before they are sold to consumers. The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the "Supplement Facts" label and ingredient list are accurate, that the dietary ingredients are safe, and that the content matches the amount declared on the label. This has nothing to do with the government, yet you are calling the govt. a failure.

Expand FDA oversight to supplements in addition to prescription drugs. It's that simple.

@kaff - The proposal to expand FDA oversight to suppliments has been consistantly opposed by the natural foods, herbal and "neutraceutical" industries every time it has come up in Congress.

You're kidding me!?! The snakeoil salesmen were lying to the public?!

Many years ago during a neighborhoon party in our home, we girls were talking about taking a vitamin supplement. One's husband (a doctor) overheard and told us to save our money by not buying vitamin supplements, but instead to buy prenatal vitamins. These vitamins are made for women and since they are made for pregnant women are of a better quality. We gave it a try and I have continue to this day. Sure improved on CBC blood and other tests.

Shaklee I believe has been compared to a pyramid scheme has it not?

My mother swears by Shaklee. She's 76 years old and TAKES NO MEDICATIONS. She takes vitamins. People card her when she asks for a senior discount. It happens all the time.

The ONLY thing listed on my vitamin labels ARE THE VITAMINS themselves.

Why should "nutrients" be listed on a "vitamin" bottle label?

I think it's ridiculous.

The sale of multivitamins, tonics, elixirs, and many diet supplements remain mostly unregulated. Thats a free ticket for business to cheat, over/under dose, make unfounded claims and rip off their customers. Too much vitamin A, for example, can cause osteoporosis.

Worse, cheap ingredients are purchased from China and are combined within the products. Companies are not required to list the sources for their nutrients. When is the last time you had your multivitamins checked for potency? Never, but we trust the slick label and spurious claims. Good luck.

If one eats a balanced diet, and is otherwise healthy, why would anyone supplement their diet with a pill. Because the media has brainwashed us to believe we must.

Do you trust that corporate America will put your health above their profit making? You will not live longer or better by taking vitamins. In fact, you may suffer irrecoverable consequences.

If one eats a balanced diet, and is otherwise healthy, why would anyone supplement their diet with a pill. Because the media has brainwashed us to believe we must.

Unfortunately, we can not get enough of the vitamins we need just by eating.

That is why earlier generations died at 40.

Karen (and neighbor) in LA,

Respectfully, you have just made a grossly exaggerated statement. Who told you that eating a balanced diet is not enough?

Earlier generations died prematurely from countless reasons, including infection, tuberculosis, cancer, starvation, lead poisoning, yellow fever, diphtheria, heart disease, etc., etc.

We are living longer because of improved nutrition...increased availability of abundant and inexpensive food sources, not simply because of the modern emergence of vitamins. Further, advancements in antibiotics and disease control also play a major factor.

The populations in Europe exploded with the introduction of the simple, and highly nutritious potato. This is well documented and had nothing to do with vitamins.

JM: Eating a balanced diet and exercising are the two most important things we can do for our health, however your statement is no longer correct. A study conducted by the University of Texas showed that soil depletion has reduced the amount of nutrients available in fruits and vegetables over the past 60 years, and the use of fertilizers has not reversed the trend.

Source:

There are other papers which support these findings, and in light of these facts I believe supplements are valuable additions to our diet. That being said, there is no substitute for taking the time to pay attention to how they fit in a sensible approach to how they should be used. Do some research, pay attention to your body and you'll be healthier.

Thanks for your input.

I am aware of that study. Yet I do not take supplements because of those findings. I have regular check ups with my doctor and I have no mineral or vitamin deficiencies. I rarely eat out, enjoy preparing healthy balanced meals and am not afraid of the abundance of high quality foods available to us in this great country. I am not sure that I can be any healthier than I already feel. I choose not to consume supplements from an unregulated system. I do not trust these companies anymore than I trust most big business in America. I'll take my chances with the old fashioned approach and eat an apple, not some powdery concoction (likely from China).

Except then there's the article I read a few months ago that told how food grown inorganically (most of what is available these days) tends to have fewer nutrients than that grown more natuarally. Everyone has to get informed and make some choices. Living a life perfectly is pretty much impossible.

michelle....I hope your doc also told you to drink plenty of water. Because of you do that, vitamins will not become kidney stones.

You are correct, but please show example of who eats "right". Our schools don't teach proper nutrition, they don't show examples,, so what's the best way. Are our dr's today taught nutrition? Ask them, would you be surprised? Maybe one of our government super stars could at least back this up. We're paying them anyway.

Dealing with nutrition for over 30 years, this is old news....you need to find a long standing reputable manufacturer, not the cheapest source. Most of your nutrients come from veggies grow em your self or go to the farmers market. You only need supplements if you refuse to eat right...and many use supplements as drugs anyway "what vitamin is good for this or that..." and that's always second best.

I like the comment on oversight for drugs being stringent....contaminated Tylenol on several occasions for example ?....and don't forget U.S. company Baxter Pharmaceuticals (in Switzerland) contaminating flu vaccine with bird flu in '09 try to find that on the net if you can....Our government and the food and pharmaceutical industry have the first and last say always, and have even changed our language....when did ZERO mean acceptable limit as opposed to "nothing"

this report reveals little that wasn't already known.....for better or worse ........CAPITALIZM RULES!!!

"We(the U.S.) have the best system in the world..... we just have to find a way to make it work"

Thanks, all. Yes, my doc said drink tons of water and to lay off the iced tea I drank by the gallon! Also, to avoid real dark green leaves. And, it's easy to eat a balanced diet, try Weight Watchers. I live in Florida, so lots of fresh veggies and fruits are available from farmers markets and my own back yard. I'm not perfect, but if there is any way to avoid another kidney stone attack, I will try it. Very painful! Yuck!

In 1999 the Nation Academy of Science said that all Americans need a multivitamin, because the nutrients needed are not in the food, regarldelss of how well you think you eat. Doctors study drugs, not nutrition. If you need a drug, see a doctor. If you need nutrition, see a board-certified clinical nutritionist (not a hopsital dietician).

Michelle....get your Vitamin D level checked, and avoidance of "Tea" is primarily for "oxalate" type crystal's/stones.....mine were from over secretion of calcium....my urologist prescribed a diuretic but I still made stones.....when I checked my level of Vit D I found I was pathologically low and have worked for 3+ years to get into a normal range.....check out vitamindcouncil.org for normal values.

Relevant to our conversation, I purchased several bottles of Vit D drops from "Vitacost" online.....my level DROPPED seriously over 3months last summer with a bogus product which was plain olive oil I presume, as all were open I could not prove anything but have never experienced anything like that before OR since....my levels are rising quite nicely now.

I was taking those Centrum cheweables mentioned in the article, and I had to stop cuz they made me super nauseous, amogst other side effects I can't remember. (and I was taking them with food) I still have them, but now I'll throw them away, probably flush them...

the flinstones cheweables, however, didn't make me nauseous.

Best multivitamins I've taken are actually from eniva.com, but sometimes they're too expensive for me, and other times I forget to order them...

Waste of money. Most of your multivitamins are excreted. That's expensive pee.

First thing would be stop taking the vitamin pills and have your blood work done. Let your doctor determine if you have any deficiencies. He/She will suggest the right approach and supplements (if recommended) to consume. Most times, you can receive nutritional benefits from the right foods and you can skip the multivitamin risks.

Hey, HalfBakedLunatic, I'm a regular follower of your blog! Always good stuff. I am always skeptical of "suppliments" with crazy claims but little science to back up their products. I've seen your recomendations for Mazu Gold but I haven't tried it.

This reminded me of a news article I read many years ago. Basically what happened is a family who each faithfully took a vitamin pill every day had trouble with their septic system. The tank wasn't designed to be pumped but leach instead. A contractor came and dug up the tank and cracked open the top. There for everyone to see was every vitamin pill they had ever taken. It seems the manufacturer used a shellac that was not soluble and so the pills passed intact and never did dissolve.

How accurate are any of the nutritional labels, required, I have wondered how you measure these items, do you think we were sold a bill of goods as eye wash to appear to be needed?

Gneisenau - great story! Yuck!

Homy - you should try Mazu, you can get it from shop.MazuGlobal.com (and to be up front, I am NOT a distributor or promoter of this product, just a customer. I am always hesitant to suggest "alternative" suppliments, but Mazu has everything good going for it.)

I dont know Lunatic...I checked out that mazu site and the "Science" section is riddled with a bunch of claims that are described as "...may help..." or "...has been shown..." That sounds mighty weak. Everyone knows "has been shown" is code for we don't have evidence for or against and we might be misreading the placebo effect.

The three primary ingredients are humic acid, aloe vera, and ecklonia cava extract (ECE), which are pretty much the only three "alternative" nutritionals to have serious research behind them, and I'm a big fan of all three. The claim is that Mazu Gold has the highest ORAC score of any of the high end anti-oxidant products - which I can believe with all that I've read about ECE. Regarding the statements on the website, I think that's just to appease the FDA. All I know is that it does make me feel better and more alert, and I notice it when I skip a day.

Can you point me to the science on humic acid please?

I have a ton of resources, but hard to post them here.There's a list on the Mazu website but I have NOT gone through all these myself:
http://shop.mazuglobal.com/mazu-science-reference-guide.pdf

The Lunatic: I'd like to help you. This is from Wonkey Water Weirdness and Quackery: http://www.chem1.com/CQ/wonkywater.html

Humic humbug

If drinking or bathing in swamp water is for you, then any number of nostrums based on humic acid or related substances might have some appeal. Humic substances (Wikipedia, NorthEastern U. Humic Research Group) are the products of partial decomposition of plant material in anoxic conditions such as exist in soils, peat bogs and swamps. They are complex polymeric substances of indefinite composition which are often classified as humic or fulvic acids, depending on their solubility properties. Humic substances are the principal organic fraction of soils, and they are able to bind a very large variety of inorganic ions (including heavy metals), as well as taking up non-water soluble organic substances. But leave it to the health-quackery industry to flog these substances to credulous consumers:

... they help our cells absorb vitamins and nutrients and maintain balance. Humic substances are also natural detoxifiers, antioxidants and free radical scavengers. [link]

Among their other ridiculous claims, we are told that

Ground water and even spring waters are now contaminated with pesticides, metals and industrial chemicals. Since fulvic acids enter the cells we must be sure that the pattern of the toxic molecules are not carried into the cell. Even the best filtration can not remove his negative pattern from water; even distillation cannot— this is a well established homeopathic principle.

Well, I very much doubt that any molecules as huge as fulvic acids can enter cells at all, which is probably just as well, considering the wide variety of chemically active and oxidizing groups they contain, as well as whatever metal ions and other organic gunk they might carry along with them.

Several humic/fulvic acid products masquerade as "detoxifying" supplements; one claims that consumption of these materials "by any life form" (worms?) results in

increased energy is among the first results, followed by a noticeable improvement in morale. Other effects could include decreased appetite, deeper, higher-quality sleep, and a lessening of pain and debility from arthritis or physical injuries. [link]

...and more nonsensical pseudoscience:

[Fulvic acid] is the finest electrolyte known to man. Its electrolytes are able to restore vitality in all life forms. When the electrolyte potential (the zeta potential) fades away, so does energy and health. It is indeed the main reason why we get old. It promotes an electrochemical balance as both donor and receptor of electrons. [link]

Most pitches for these dubious products mention their use in Ancient Chinese [link] and Ayurvedic medicine, and also claim "decades of extensive research and proven results" but, like most promoters of "alternative health" products, never seem able to cite any supporting evidence in the reputable clinical literature.

Good luck with your Humic acid. There is no less corruption and false claims originating from China then the USA. Scams abound!

Ok, I'm taking the "30 day challenge" and after ten days of Mazu Gold I have to say that I feel great so far. I'm sleeping better at night, I have more energy, and I have better concentration.

Why the improvements? Had you been eating a well balanced diet?

These were the only products of interest, or possible the ones that didn't pay up.

READ THIS:

The r

READ THIS:

The results of this testing are a public health concern, and ConsumerLab.com will not let you view the results without paying for a membership. ConsumerLab.com is trying to profit just to give us what should be public information. Be wary

The FDA already regulates “prescription” vitamins. Supposedly the by prescription only formulas only contain exactly what the label states – unlike the OTCs mentioned in this article. It shocks me how many doctors don’t realize that there IS a difference (I mean if you believe the FDA is actually doing anything) between prescription and OCT supplements.

Sometimes prescription vitamins are costlier than their OTC counterparts but not always. A month supply of folic acid or Vitamin D only cost me a couple bucks. Prenatal vitamins can cost upwards of $30/month but in many cities like mine, some pharmacy chains have set up programs to just give them away as long as you have a valid scrip so it’s still less expensive than buying some totally unregulated OTC formula.

Sounds like maybe we don't have all factual information, some believe FDA already doing this, some saying not their job, think it ever possible to get accurate information on what our government agencies really do?

Wayne, there are two types of ways you can get vitamin pills. One way is to take Centrum or whatever over the counter, and another is to get a prescription by your doctor for certain other vitamins, which will show up on your medical record and be billed as such. The latter is controlled by the FDA, and the former is not.

Why do you assume that the regulators are not doing their job? Do you even know how many regulators are assigned to oversee this branch of products? You simply assume that there are enough regulators to effectively monitor this situation and then move quickly to bash them for not doing their job.

Use your brains to thoroughly research your claim before getting on here and bashing some middle class employee who works for our government in the job of oversight and enforcement.

Geesh, you anti-government, anti-federal employee hater's really tick me off! Hell, you all are the first ones to yell for help when there is a natural disaster or some situation that is too big for you local, county or state government to handle.

Sayitaintso: I'm not an anti-government, anti-Federal employee hater, but I know enough from reading that our current administration is for LESS regulation in lieu of MORE regulation in a great many areas that concern our health. This even includes oil drilling and the fact that "fracking" affects the underground water that some people drink. And that's just one of the areas that they are attempting to "deregulate." There's little or no regulation on many of the items we put into our bodies.....it's unfortunate.

Typical lib comment. How many people die each year from prescription drugs? You cant even count em. I believe there is already a law on the books that addresses this type of situation. False advertising!!! Keep the government out of my life, and just enforce the laws already on the books...

Yes, and the FDTA is one reason for that. They make statements and then 1-2 years later correct themselves for these type errors. Who needs regulators that are worse than the cure.

And let's see.....how many years of the last 60 have the Democrats had control of White House, House and Senate?

And what did they do about it?

And the Democratic platform is for MORE DEBT- YEAH!!!

Woodin...ConsumerLab is similar to Consumer Reports and NOT part of the government. Notice that it was them and not the FDA that did the study. Private enterprise is almost always much more efficient than any gov. program.

You mean like the wonderful job the FDA does? HA! Recent case in point and they are all to easy to find... FDA has dropped the ball in not acting on the trace amounts of Melamine that was discovered in baby formula being sold in the United States, which was brought to light by the Associate Press filing a FOIA. This industrial chemical is described as being “Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.” and that “Chronic exposure may cause cancer or reproductive damage.” The FDA said on Oct 3, 2008 “Any level of melamine in baby formula, no matter how small, is a safety concern”, which contradicts the FDA spokeswoman, Judy Leon who says “We know that trace levels do not pose a risk whatsoever.” So place your trust in your government folks ...orrrrrrr maybe have an independent lab test the stuff you want to swallow daily...better yet how about just eating right and remember to washy washy your veggies and cook your meat properly, seems some have no idea how to survive without the government telling them what to do or not. Now if everyone would just put air in their tires so gas prices would come down again

Typical lib! Cant come up with facts to support your stupidity.

Ross: typical republican comment, pretending to say something while not actually saying anything.

Exactly what I was about to post. Good comment.

Cathee says: "Companies are in business to make money. Why should they care about the consumers they don't know personally."

They should care because when a company provides good products and/or services they make their customers happy and they stay customers and they attract more customers because people they develop a good reputation.

We do not need more government control and oversight, just independent customer reviews and enough people who will vote with their feet when products are of good or poor quality.

Jherek,

Man evolved and has survived, long before there were Pharmaceutical Companies. That is why the companies are getting rich and the people poorer.

The consumer has not yet realised they don't need the company. It is the company that needs them but they don't have to provide the consumers with quality. The consumer has already proved they will buy the inferior.

totally agree. Would the public be willing to pay $40- $50 for something they are paying $20 now. A small percentage may want to pay for the assurance that it contains what it claims but most will simply skip paying that amount. Example. My doctor put me on lovaza (prescription omega 3) which my cost was $100 (cost was inflated due to insurance copayments and deductible) for a months worth. I tried it 1 month and then decided just to go to GNC route.

Make each pill $1000.00. Then this BS would stop.

Companies sell supplements to make money, not make you healthy. Very few need to include powdered, liquid or pill form supplements in their diets. Eat right and exercise, it's that simple

Europeans are laughing.

Unless there was abuse,the natural supplements were not the cause!

Frank: How can you be sure? What if he overdosed on potassium because of poor quality controls from the manufacturer?

Natural things can kill. Belladonna, Arsenic, Lead, to name a few. Natural implies what?

TOR-744926:

What is your source? What studies prove that artificial sweeteners cause organ damage? What organs...your heart, lungs, kidneys, testicles?

Stevia seems to be a new sweetener. How do you know it to be safer?

Cure for diabetes? I am hearing a lot of claims, but they don't sound credible.

That is completely wrong. I used to work in the nutritional supplement industry, in Quality Control. I know for a fact that we used Stevia, it is very much allowed and legal (but more expensive than other sweetener choices).

Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, it's largely genetic, not something that develops over years of crappy food. Type II diabetes could be lessened if people ate less sugar and more fiber/whole foods that aren't sweetened.

no sugar or high fructose corn syrup!

Same thing about Cancer!