Do supplements need to be certified?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the regulation of all food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and dietary supplements. Dietary Supplements are regulated as foods by the FDA under a 1994 law that defines them as “a product taken by mouth that contains a 'dietary ingredient' intended to supplement the diet”. The term "dietary ingredients" means any vitamin; mineral; herb or other botanical; amino acid; dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing total caloric intake or providing essential nutrients lacking in one's diet such as protein, vitamins or minerals. A manufacturer may also include substances like caffeine if they are not chemically related to an excluded category on this list.[1]    In order for these products to be sold legally in America they must comply with certain standards set forth in DSHEA which states: "A dietary supplement shall be deemed unsafe...if it presents a significant risk of illness or injury under conditions of use recommended on its labeling."[2] If there is no evidence showing harm from taking these products then manufacturers can sell their items without certification because there will not necessarily be any risks associated with using them.[3] This allows companies who manufacture these types of products more freedom than those who produce pharmaceuticals since drug manufacturers have stricter regulations imposed upon them due to their potential health hazards.[4][5][6]

Can anyone make supplements?

The answer is no. The FDA has a list of guidelines and regulations that need to be followed in order for a dietary supplement to be considered safe. Supplements are also subject to the same standards as food, which means they must contain ingredients that are "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS) by experts in the field. In addition, all manufacturing facilities must register with the FDA before producing or distributing any products containing dietary supplements. This registration includes providing detailed information about their facility and product production process; it also requires them to adhere strictly to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Any company who wishes their products certified will have an independent third party inspect their facility and provide certification if they meet GMP requirements

Are there any side effects?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not set any regulations for dietary supplements. The FDA can only regulate the safety of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and tobacco products. Dietary supplements are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission as a type of advertising that is subject to truth in labeling laws. In order to sell a supplement in the United States it must be registered with FDA or have an approved New Dietary Ingredient Notification from FDA before being sold here.[1]

In addition there may also be side effects associated with taking certain types of vitamins such as tannin which can cause nausea or diarrhea if taken at large doses.[2]

What would happen if I took supplements from an unknown source?

Supplements are not regulated by the FDA. This means that they can be sold without any testing or quality control, even though they may contain harmful ingredients like lead and arsenic. Supplements also do not have to list their ingredients on the bottle which makes it difficult for consumers to know what is in them.


How do you know what the ingredients are in a supplement?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. The FDA does not approve or review dietary supplements before they go on sale, but it can take action against them if there is evidence that they are unsafe.

What is a PDF and how can it be used for dietary supplement education purposes ?

A PDF is a document that has been formatted to be printed on paper. It can also be read by web browsers, such as Firefox or Safari. A PDF file contains one or more pages of text and images in the form of computer graphics, embedded fonts, and metadata tags that are not part of the original data stream from which it was created. The term "PDF" originally stood for "Portable Document Format" but now stands for "Adobe Acrobat File". There are many types of files with different extensions (.docx, .pdf), but they all have some similarities: text formatting (fonts) and pictures/graphics/charts etc., which may include hyperlinks to other documents or websites.[1]

The use of technology-based tools like Adobe Acrobat's Portable Document Format (PDF) provides an excellent opportunity to educate consumers about dietary supplements because it allows them access information through their preferred medium - whether print media or digital devices. Consumers who prefer reading material on a screen will find this format convenient because there is no need for printing out large amounts of documentation before being able to see what they want; instead everything can be viewed at once without scrolling back up again.[2]