Are All Supplements Created Equal?

For years, I, as most people do, went from childhoodSo, that begins to answer our question, if some
vitamins to taking none at all!don't, some must, right?
Then as I got older, and become more healthWell, after becoming even more disillusioned and
conscience, I returned to the store shelf where Momdisappointed with the way supplements are handled,
had undoubtedly purchased my vitamins when I wasmarketed, and inspected, I found there are a couple
child.of great indicators for determining whether all
I began taking supplements off the shelf and didn'tsupplements are created equal.
see any huge difference in my health.One of these things is the Natural Products
In fact in some cases I almost felt worse!Association (npainfo.org) which has always taken a
So, I stopped taking them, and for a number ofleadership role in promoting quality standards and has
years I went away from supplements altogether.developed proactive, self-regulatory programs for
Then as I grew older, developed more allergies, andthat purpose. The Association was the first
dealt with more migraine headaches, I began toorganization to offer a third-party GMP certification
develop a more serious approach to what I put intoprogram, as early as 1999, specific to the
my body and I began to research supplements moremanufacturing of dietary supplements and dietary
thoroughly.ingredients.
After years of not getting what I wanted out ofAt time, these GMP standards represented industry's
store brand supplements, what I really wanted tobest practices served as the basis of the NPA GMP
know is, "Are All Supplements Created Equal?"Certification Program as well as establishing a higher
I thought that somewhere out there the answerslevel of control than was currently required by FDA.
must exist and that there should be someway ofJune 2007, the FDA published the final GMP regulation
telling whether or not some supplements are betterspecific to dietary supplements (21 CFR 111). In order
than others.to keep the NPA GMP Certification program relevant
What I found was astonishing!and reflect the highest level of industry good
According to ConsumerLab.com, an online consumermanufacturing practices, the NPA GMP Standard has
watchdog company that has conducted qualitybeen revised to include all of the FDA GMP
testing of some popular dietary supplements. Theirrequirements of 21 CFR Part 111 and certain
findings showed roughly 25% did not containrequirements from the 2000 version of the NPA GMP
sufficient levels to provide healing powers.standard that exceed requirements of the FDA
So what this told me was, for the most part, what IGMPs, or reflect best industry practices, and/or are
was getting on the store shelf was not worth mynecessary for the evaluation of compliance to the
taking as my experience had already proved.NPA GMP standard.
However, it did not answer my question, "Are AllFor more information about the NPA third-party
Supplements Created Equal?"auditors, see Third-Party Auditors for the NPA GMP
"Surely", I thought, "There must be somethingCertification Program on the NPA Web Site.
better?"In addition to the NPA standards and testing, I've
Is there not some sort of standard set foralso found that in Canada there some supplements
supplements?that have labels containing a Drug Identification
Is there not some organization that tests andNumber.
approves these things?A Drug Identification Number (DIN) is a number
What about the Food and Drug Administration?assigned by Health Canada to a drug product prior to
What I discovered was the FDA requires supplementbeing marketed in Canada. Uniquely identifying the
manufacturers to provide label information that isproduct characteristics, including the manufacturer;
"truthful and not misleading."product name; active ingredient(s); strength(s) of
So then, if the bottle has FDA on it, it must be goodactive ingredient(s); pharmaceutical form; route of
stuff in it, right?administration.
Well,...Once a drug has been authorized, Health Canada
What the FDA doesn't require is that manufacturersissues a DIN which permits the manufacturer to
obtain FDA approval before producing dietarymarket the drug in Canada. For drugs where there is
supplements, nor does it routinely analyzeminimal market history in Canada, there is a more
supplements before they are sold to consumers.stringent review and the drug is required to have a
The FDA simply trusts manufacturers to provide safeNotice of Compliance (NOC) and a DIN in order to be
products and accurate ingredient lists!marketed in Canada.
As long as nothing goes wrong, hat's as far as itWhich means, that if a supplement is labeled with a
goes.DIN it has met Health Canada's drug identification
How many people do you know that take time tostandards and is permitted to market product as a
complain because their not getting what they thinkdrug in Canada.
they should get from their supplements!?This definitely goes a step above and beyond insuring
So, manufactures continue to product inferior, costtop quality in supplements containing the DIN.
saving, products, that may fail to meet actual qualityFor more information on the DIN you can visit the
standards if they existed!Health Canada website or write the
Mother Earth News (motherearthnews.com) hasSubmission and Information Policy Division
quoted Dr. Richard Firshein...Therapeutic Products Directorate
"There is a tremendous need for the industry toHealth Canada
standardize supplements so people at least know101 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
that they are getting a specific ingredient," says Dr.Address Locator 0201A1
Richard Firshein, author of The NutraceuticalOttawa, Ontario
Revolution and an authority on nutritional medicine. "IK1A 0K9
know that there are many, many supplements thatFor more on my findings please feel free to contact
claim to contain a specific ingredient that actuallyme directly.
don't."