Consumer Concerns Over Nutritional and Dietary Supplements

The multibillion-dollar market for nutritional and dietary supplements has been growing like never before.

There are thousands of diverse options to choose from, and yet it is next to impossible to figure out if any of these supplements are even effective.

In 2006 alone, total U.S. sales for dietary supplements are estimated at $22.1 billion. Approximately $7.2 billion of this total can be attributed to vitamin sales. The rest of this huge sum comes from minerals, herbs and botanicals, sports supplements, meal supplements, and weight loss products.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used to regulate the dietary supplements industry in the same way that it currently does foods. In 2007, the FDA began ensuring that dietary supplements are produced in a quality manner, do not contain contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled. The promise to ensure accurate labeling is intended to build confidence in consumers.

Concerns About Dietary Supplements

Consumers tend to have two major concerns about nutritional and dietary supplements. Firstly, that the products contain what they say they do and nothing else. Secondly, that the product works in the manner it claims to.

The FDA provides guidelines to supplement manufacturers so that they can effectively assess the product. When supplement manufacturers make a claim about a product, the FDA must be notified so that they can test the accuracy of that claim.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) reminds consumers that nutritional and dietary supplements are only ever supposed to function as supplements to a diet, and never take the place of a healthy diet. The ADA also recognizes that some people do require supplements because the vitamins and/or minerals they need are virtually impossible to attain in a normal diet.

People who fall under this category include pregnant women, nursing mothers, strict vegetarians, people with food allergies or intolerances, senior citizens, and those with cancer, kidney, cardiovascular, or bone disease.

The most popular dietary supplements include multivitamins, meal replacements, sports nutrition supplements, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin C, glucosamine and chondroitin, homeopathic medicines, vitamin D, and fish/animal oil.

Dietary Supplement Lawsuits

While some of these supplemental products can be helpful in certain situations, for the most part, they are unnecessary in our daily lives. Consumers have claimed that the companies that market their products in medically inaccurate ways are practicing misleading or deceitful marketing.

In some cases, extravagant claims about a product’s effectiveness can be harmful, because purchasing the product and believing it can fix a medical issue can stop someone from going to a doctor and getting real and necessary medical help.

If you or someone you know has purchased a nutritional and dietary supplement in a category mentioned above and it did not function as the packaging claimed, you may be able to file a dietary supplement lawsuit.

Join a Free Homeopathy or Dietary Supplement Fraud Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased a homeopathic or dietary supplement product that failed to perform as advertised, chances are you’ve been the victim of homeopathy or dietary supplement fraud. You may have a claim to seek compensation through a consumer protection class action lawsuit.

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