The Idea Many health claims have been debunked over the years. Do you recall Garcenia Cambrogia (GC) that Dr. Oz pushed as a weight loss miracle? Well it wasn’t shown to be effective. Weight loss product Hydroxycut, which contained GC, was taken off the market due to causing health issues only to be later introduced without the GC. It gets scarier. Kids are also victims of false claims. Researchers used the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System for food and supplements to assess severe medical risks in kids and young adults ages 0-25. They concluded the following, “Consumption of dietary supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, and energy involved increased risks for severe medical events compared with vitamins. Proactive enforcement of regulations is needed to reduce access and consumption among children, adolescents, and young adults.” This is a multibillion-dollar industry, so there will always be people willing to lie for profit and they do not care who is harmed by their product. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) websites contain lists of companies they have gone after. Unfortunately, they can’t get them all due to legal shortcomings and lack of resources. There are similar agencies in other countries. Since I am in the US, that is the context in which I will right as it the context I know the most about. Example Regulatory Actions Image: Food and Drug Administration at FDA.gov Food and Drug Administration The FDA has a searchable database of companies who have been reprimanded for their misbehavior. Here are a few recent ones related to health.
The FTC also reprimands companies for false claims. Here are a few examples.
The findings in these cases are positive. My concern is the penalties are not sufficient to deter more bad actors from taking advantage of our system which does not require ALL health supplements be federally approved prior to sells. The Big Picture Image: Federal Trade Commission FTC.gov Government Agencies Government agencies like the FTC and FDA develop and enforce various procedures for companies to comply with relative to health-related products. These agencies are in place for our safety. Another government agency, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), houses the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). This site has information for consumers such as the supplement fact sheets and health information. The information is in English and Spanish. Some web browsers can convert texts to many other languages. Unfortunately, Congress has not made ALL supplements subject to the same standards as drugs. Thus, ODS is a good place to start when considering supplements. ODS provides information about a myriad of supplements. They recommend looking for seals of quality from one of the following independent labs: U.S. Pharmacopeia, NSF International, and ConsumerLab.com. These labs work with governments, Non-Governmental Organizations, researchers, and the academic community to complete their work. Independent Labs U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) is a standards agency that is legally recognized in more than 140 countries. USP’s procedures are designed to improve health via global standards of quality, safety, and efficacy of products using the best available science. They collaborate with academic, professional, and government agencies in various countries. NSF International (NSFI) is a standards lab that addresses safety in many areas such as automotive, building products, food safety, and yes…health products. NSFI is also active on the world stage by engaging with the World Health Organization (WHO) and having offices on every world region. They also collaborate with academic, professional, and government agencies in various countries. ConsumerLab.com (CL) is a US-based company, but the information can be useful globally. CL is a good place to visit before taking a supplement. They place product reviews and warnings front and center on their website. Another element that I like about CL is they freely publish the testing methods and quality standards (I love transparency). United Labs (UL) is a new to the supplement testing business. UL is best known for its industry testing and certification. They have begun testing supplements to ascertain if they meet US, Japanese, and European standards. They operate in countries around the world. Again, they collaborate with academic, professional, and government agencies in various countries. Safety and Efficacy Promotion Strategy Image: Office of Dietary Supplements at ODS.od.nih.gov Consumers and Health Professionals While government agencies and independent labs are important to keep us safe and healthy, consumers must drive these issues. Consumers should consult the resources I have provided before using supplements, recommending supplements, or spreading health claims. In the end, if a product does not sell it will be a waste of resources for the company. Consumers should report issues of harm and lack of health benefits claimed to the FTC and FDA. Again, this will disrupt bad actors’ sells and cost them money to respond to complaints. In sum, consumers can help control bad actors by being vigilant and reporting them to authorities, not spreading false claims, and by voicing their disapproval with their money. Also, consumers should spread the word on social media if a product harms them or does not live up to its claims. Health and fitness professionals must not add to the problem of harm caused by some supplements (physical harm, financial loss, time loss, and emotional harm) by also driving safety and efficacy issues. They should be versed in what is legitimate and what is not. When they do not know the efficacy of a supplement, they should not recommend it. Professionals should report supplements that harm or do not work to the FTC and FDA. They should also post to social media. Consumers should avoid professionals who do not demonstrate knowledge of research, seals of approval, or government-related efficacy and safety information concerning supplements. Ultimately, consumers and health professionals must beware and be vigilant. Consumers make supplement choices primarily by following the recommendation of someone they know and trust. Professionals should not take our trust lightly. If consumers and health professionals take the time to research supplements and dissect false advertisements they can be THE driving forces in reducing the harm (physical harm, financial loss, time loss, and emotional harm) caused by some supplements and unscrupulous business people. Corporations, Governments and Consumers Corporations should act as stewards of health versus vultures of our money. They should voluntarily provide quality supplements and show the research that supports their claims. They should display seals of approval that confirm their safety and health claims. Consumers should not purchase supplements when a company does not make research readily available for independent review and/or lacks a seal of approval or government agency support. US Congress, and government officials around the world, should strengthen laws by requiring government approval of all supplements and increasing the severity of sanctions for violators. Consumers should use their vote (political and money) to voice their position on public safety and efficacy expectations. How Does This Apply to the Homeostatic Lifestyle?
About The Author Dr. Gerald Martin
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The Idea Worldwide, supplement sales are expected to reach US$193 billion, with the fastest growth in Asian Pacific countries. According to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans spend billions of dollars per year on supplements, food and devices with a goal to improve their health and fitness. Unfortunately, many of these products do not work like their advertised claims. Many do not help people lose weight, fight disease, or improve their mental skills. Furthermore, food advertisers have begun making unproven claims in the past few years. We are seeing claims such as eating specific foods can improve health, reduce the risk of serious illnesses such as cancers, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, low energy, etc. The Federal Trade Commission, in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration, and other government experts fight false advertising. How Do Advertisers Pull You In? Here are some of the most common methods advertisers use to suck you in (from the FTC article, It's All About the Technique):
,How to Seek Truth in Advertisements When you see a health and fitness advertisement, you want to make sure they are telling the truth. There are two steps in uncovering false ads: Seek to understand and Identify the motives. Seek to Understand The FTC requires health and fitness claims be supported by research.
I know this seems like too much work, but your health is worth the extra effort. Identify the Motives It’s no secret that an advertisement's motive is mainly to persuade you to buy their product or service. That’s fine. Another motive in advertisements is the decision to be honest or deceive while selling you something. Both selling and intentions are active processes that can be identified using the following advice from the FTC. The FTC provides tips on how to deconstruct ads. When you see an advertisement, ask yourself:
The FTC tips article addresses each of these in greater detail (short reads). This FTC article is an example of being critical of advertisements using soccer (football to the rest of the world) and sport drinks. In short, success in soccer (football) is based on handwork, good coaching, and genetics, NOT a sport drink because it is pushed by a famous athlete. FTC Articles on Specific False Claims Issues About The Author
Dr. Gerald Martin
By Dr. Gerald Martin, ACE Certified Health Coach The Idea Good Health Equation: Homeostasis + Behavioral Homeostasis = Homeostatic Lifestyle. The body requires ACTIONS from us to help it maintain homeostasis and maintain good health. The health and fitness world offers all kinds of singular lifestyles – detox, vegetarian-types, high intensity activities, mindfulness, etc. Each of these can serve the body well when done properly…hmmm, except detox (that is another article). Very few, if any, of these “lifestyles” address the fundamental task of the human body in a comprehensive manner… maintain homeostasis for good health. The Homeostatic Lifestyle is different as it is the comprehensive approach to helping you achieve the good health that nature intended. The Homeostatic Lifestyle addresses multiple behaviors that collectively support our body in its constant quest for homeostasis (sleep, eating and hydration, activity, stress management and mental outlook, and success planning). It’s that simple. When any one area is neglected, the body is thrown out balance. Fail to get enough sleep and your body won’t be able to manage stress. Fail to eat properly and your body won’t perform as well as it could. And so on. To really understand The Homeostatic Lifestyle, we must start at the beginning by defining homeostasis and behavioral homeostasis. The Core Science-Homeostasis What is homeostasis? Homeostasis is a state of balance within the body in response to changing conditions within and outside the body. Here are some examples of homeostasis:
The Big Picture - Behavioral Homeostasis Fundamentally homeostasis is the body’s goal, because it is healthy when in a balanced state. Research shows that how we live impacts the body’s responses to achieve homeostasis. This is called Behavioral Homeostasis. Let’s take a look at how obesity represents a behavioral homeostasis issue. Self-Controlled
Environmental Influences on Our Behavior
Citizen-Government-Consumer Influences on Our Behavior
The solution offered by the author focuses on external influencers (society and government) and self-control (diet). Behavioral homeostasis recognizes the impact of decisions we make, how the environment and government influences our decisions, and how all three impact homeostasis. I will now describe how homeostasis and behavioral homeostasis relates to The Homeostatic Lifestyle. Homeostasis + Behavioral Homeostasis = The Homeostatic Lifestyle Remember, Behavioral Homeostasis is, “the tendency of an organism to apply mechanisms of behavior in order to restore stability and maintain equilibrium.” The Homeostatic Lifestyle focuses on five behaviors that promote homeostasis. These elements are:
So What? Homeostasis is a state where your body is balanced and healthy. Your behaviors greatly impact homeostasis. When your body is out of equilibrium, due to poor behavioral choices like poor eating, chronic conditions such as obesity may result. The five Homeostatic Lifestyle behaviors collectively assist your body in obtaining equilibrium and hence good health. I will expand on each behavior in my upcoming five part series The Homeostatic Lifestyle: A Research-Based Primer. About The Author
Dr. Gerald Martin
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AuthorGerald Martin is a doctor of Exercise and Sport Science, and Certified Health Coach via the American Council on Exercise. Archives
July 2019
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