In Canada, there are strict requirements on what can go into dietary supplements and how they are labelled. Sometimes called nutritional supplements these products must have a statement that indicates the content of protein, fat, linoleic acid, n-3 linolenic acid, saturated fatty acid and carbohydrate, in grams as well as the energy value in calories and kilojoules and the actual amount of vitamins and mineral nutrients.
Dietary supplements are products designed to supplement a normal diet by adding multivitamins, herbal products, amino acids, protein powders to prenatal supplements. In Canada and the United States, they are a fast-growing segment of the food supplement business that has been estimated to be worth $40 billion in the United States alone. They are fully regulated products in both countries under Health Canada and the US Food and Drug Administrations. Labelling of these products is strictly prescribed and there are stiff penalties for anyone found abusing the system.
Any dietary supplement that is brought onto the market must meet the regulatory bodies guidelines and standards for safety, effectiveness and quality.
1. Safety
Dietary supplements contain active ingredients that could have strong effects on your body. Anyone who takes them has to be cautious and aware that there could be unexpected side effects. This most often happens when someone first takes them or when they take them in combination with other supplements or instead of prescribed medicines. There are some very real and sometimes dangerous side effects. They could, for example, affect a person’s response to anesthesia or even cause bleeding after surgery,
They can also interfere with the workings and positive effects of some prescription drugs. Vitamin K can reduce the ability of the blood thinners to prevent clotting and vitamins C and E might reduce the effectiveness of some types of cancer chemotherapy. Other supplements, like St. John’s wort can speed the breakdown of antidepressants and birth control pills and reduce their effectiveness. There are some particular dangers for pregnant or nursing women and this group needs to be particularly careful about which supplements they take and in what combination with any other medicines or prescriptions.
2. Effectiveness
Dietary supplements are a great way to help people get the adequate amounts of essential nutrients that their body requires. They cannot and should not take the place of the healthy foods that make up a good diet. They have also been proven to be beneficial for overall health and helpful in managing some health conditions. Calcium and vitamin D help keep bones strong and reducing bone loss and folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects. Others like omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils are helping people with heart disease.
There are many other supplemental dietary products on the market that have not yet been fully tested and until they are, they cannot make any specific health claims on their labels or in advertising. Both the FDA in the United States and Health Canada require that a company test and prove their claims in legitimate clinical trials before they are permitted to make these claims about being an effective treatment for any disease or ailment.
3. Quality
Both regulatory bodies have established good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for dietary supplements. This ensures that these complex products maintain their identity, purity, strength, and composition. GMPs help to prevent the inclusion of the wrong ingredient in the right combination and ensure the proper packaging and labeling of a dietary supplement product. The companies’ manufacturing facilities are regularly inspected to ensure the quality of the products produced.
There are also several independent organizations that offer quality testing and allow products that pass these tests to display their seals of approval. These unofficial seals of approval provide an assurance that the dietary supplement products were manufactured in accordance with accepted practices and do not contain harmful levels of contaminants. They are not a full guarantee that any dietary supplement product is safe or effective.