How to recognize harmful dietary supplements: expert advice

How to recognize harmful dietary supplements: expert advice

1. Understanding the nature of dietary supplements and the regulatory framework:

Biologically active additives (dietary supplements) are concentrates of natural or identical to natural biologically active substances designed for direct intake or introduction into food products in order to enrich the ration with individual food or biologically active substances and their complexes, as well as to maintain normal or restoration of impaired body functions. It is important to understand that dietary supplements are not drugs. Their action is aimed at maintaining health, and not at the treatment of diseases.

1.1. Legal regulation:

In the Russian Federation, the turnover of BAD is regulated by the Federal Law of January 2, 2000 N 29-ФЗ “On the quality and safety of food products”, as well as the technical regulations of the Customs Union (TR TS) 021/2011 “On the safety of food products” and TR TS 022/2011 “Food products in terms of its marking”. These documents establish the requirements for production, labeling, storage, transportation and sale of dietary supplements.

1.2. State registration:

All dietary supplements, before going on sale, must go through the state registration procedure. This means that the manufacturer must provide documents to the authorized body (Rospotrebnadzor) confirming the safety and compliance of products with the established requirements. Registration does not guarantee the effectiveness of the product, but only confirms its safety, subject to the recommended doses.

1.3. DIAM DIARTHS and drugs:

The key difference between dietary supplements and drugs is the purpose of use and the procedure for confirming effectiveness. Medicines are intended for the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of diseases, and their effectiveness is confirmed by clinical studies. Bad, as already mentioned, is aimed at maintaining health and do not require evidence of clinical effectiveness.

2. Criteria for assessing safety dietary supplements:

Bad security assessment is a complex process that requires a critical approach and attention to details. Below are key criteria that should be paid to:

2.1. Composition:

Carefully study the composition of dietary supplements. Pay attention to the following points:

• The presence of ingredients with unproven efficiency: Many dietary supplements contain ingredients whose effectiveness is not confirmed by scientific research. Be especially careful with foods that promise “miraculous” healing or quick getting rid of excess weight. Look for scientific reviews and research for each ingredient in the composition. Authoritative sources of information include Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science.
• The presence of dangerous or prohibited substances: Some unscrupulous manufacturers can add hazardous substances, such as stimulants, hormones or prohibited drugs. Check the composition for the presence of such ingredients. Lists of prohibited substances are regularly updated and published by Rospotrebnadzor.
• The content of the ingredients exceeding the permissible norms: Even safe ingredients can be harmful in large quantities. Make sure that the content of each ingredient in the daily dose of the database does not exceed the established consumption standards specified in the technical regulations.
• The presence of allergens: Bad may contain allergens, such as gluten, lactose, soy, nuts, seafood, etc. If you have an allergy, carefully study the composition and make sure that the product does not contain potential allergens.
• Incomprehensible or classified ingredients: Avoid dietary supplements that include incomprehensible ingredients or ingredients whose names are classified. The transparency of the composition is one of the signs of a bona fide manufacturer.

2.2. Marking:

The marking of dietary supplements should contain the following information:

• Name Product: It must be clearly indicated that this is a biologically active food supplement.
• Composition: A complete list of ingredients in decreasing their mass fraction.
• Food value information: Information on the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and energy value.
• Recommendations for use: Method of application, dosage and duration of admission.
• Contraindications: The list of states in which dietary supplements are not recommended.
• Warning: Warnings about possible side effects or interaction with drugs.
• Best before date: A date to which the product can be consumed.
• Storage conditions: Product storage recommendations.
• Name and location of the manufacturer: Full information about the manufacturer, including the legal address and contact details.
• State registration number: The number of the certificate of state registration of dietary supplements.
• Correspondence sign: A sign confirming the compliance of the products with the requirements of technical regulations.

Pay attention to the following points:

• Spelling and grammatical errors: Poor -quality marking with errors may indicate a fake or an unscrupulous manufacturer.
• Incomplete or inaccurate information: The absence of any information mandatory for marking dietary supplements should arouse suspicion.
• The discrepancy between the information on the packaging and in the liner: Carefully compare the information on the packaging and in the insert. Any discrepancies can indicate a fake.
• Aggressive marketing statements: Be careful with dietary supplements that contain aggressive marketing statements that promise quick and guaranteed healing from various diseases.

2.3. Reputation manufacturer:

The reputation of the manufacturer is an important factor when choosing dietary supplements. Pay attention to the following points:

• The history of the company: Find out how long the company has been working in the market. Companies with many years of experience are usually more reliable.
• Availability of quality certificates: Make sure that the manufacturer has quality certificates, such as GMP (Good Manoufacturing Practice), confirming the correspondence of production by international standards.
• Consumer reviews: Read consumer reviews about manufacturer products. However, it should be remembered that reviews can be subjective and do not always reflect the real picture. Analyze reviews from different sources and pay attention to repeating topics.
• The availability of information about the manufacturer in open sources: Check if the manufacturer is mentioned in the media, scientific publications or lists of unscrupulous manufacturers.
• Manufacturer’s site: Visit the manufacturer’s website and make sure that it looks professionally and contains complete information about the company, products and contact details.

2.4. Place of acquisition:

The place of acquisition of dietary supplements also matters. It is recommended to buy dietary supplements in pharmacies or specialized stores licensed to sell such goods. Avoid buying dietary supplements in the markets, in dubious online stores or from individuals. When buying at a pharmacy, you can get a pharmacist consultation and check the availability of the necessary documents for products.

2.5. Price:

The price of dietary supplements can be an indirect sign of its quality. Too low price may indicate a fake or the use of poor -quality raw materials. Too high price does not always guarantee high quality. Compare the prices of similar products of different manufacturers and pay attention to the validity of the price.

3. Assessment of risks of dietary supplement:

The use of dietary supplements is associated with certain risks that must be taken into account:

3.1. Side effects:

Like any biologically active substances, dietary supplements can cause side effects, such as allergic reactions, digestive disorders, headaches, etc. The risk of side effects increases when the recommended doses are exceeded or with simultaneous administration of several dietary supplements.

3.2. Interaction with drugs:

Bad can interact with drugs, enhancing or weakening their effect. This can lead to undesirable consequences, especially when taking drugs for the treatment of chronic diseases. Be sure to consult a doctor before starting to take dietary supplements, if you take any drugs.

3.3. Lack of quality control:

Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not subjected to such strict quality control. This increases the risk of low -quality or falsified products market. Unscrupulous manufacturers can use cheap raw materials, not observe production technology or add dangerous substances to the dietary supplement.

3.4. Masks of the symptoms of the disease:

Reception of dietary supplements can mask the symptoms of the disease, which complicates the timely diagnosis and treatment. Do not self -medicate and replace a full -fledged medical examination by admission of dietary supplements.

3.5. Psychological dependence:

Advertising of the dietary supplement often creates a false impression of their miraculous properties, which can lead to psychological dependence on these products. It is important to understand that dietary supplements are not a panacea from all diseases and cannot replace a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition.

4. Councils of experts on the choice of dietary supplements:

• Consult a doctor: Before starting dietary supplements, be sure to consult a doctor. The doctor will help to determine whether you need dietary supplements, what products to choose and in what dosage to take them. It is especially important to consult a doctor if you have chronic diseases, you take any drugs or pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Do not believe advertising: Do not trust blindly advertising for dietary supplements, especially aggressive advertising, promising fast and guaranteed healing. Advertising often exaggerates the effectiveness of dietary supplements and is silent about possible risks.
• Study the composition: Carefully study the composition of dietary supplements and make sure that it does not contain dangerous or prohibited substances. Look for scientific reviews and research for each ingredient in the composition.
• Check the marking: Make sure that the dietary supplement marking contains all the necessary information and does not contain spelling or grammatical errors.
• Choose famous manufacturers: Give preference to well -known manufacturers with a good reputation.
• Buy in proven places: Buy dietary supplements in pharmacies or specialized stores licensed to sell such goods.
• Do not exceed the recommended doses: Strictly observe the recommended doses indicated on the packaging.
• Follow your condition: While receiving dietary supplements, carefully monitor your condition and stop taking it if you have any side effects.
• Do not replace dietary supplements: Bad are not drugs and cannot replace full medical treatment.
• Report the doctor about dietary supplement: Tell your doctor that you are taking dietary supplements to avoid possible interactions with drugs.

5. Alternatives to use dietary supplements:

In many cases, to maintain health and prevention of diseases, you can do without taking dietary supplements. The key alternatives are:

• Balanced nutrition: Full and diverse nutrition, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grain products and low -fat sources of protein, provides the body with all the necessary nutrients.
• Healthy lifestyle: Regular physical exercises, sufficient sleep, rejection of smoking and alcohol abuse help strengthen health and reduce the risk of diseases.
• Reducing stress: Stress management, for example, with the help of meditation, yoga or other relaxation techniques, can improve the overall state of health.
• Regular medical examinations: Regular medical examinations allow you to identify diseases in the early stages and start treatment in a timely manner.

6. Examples of harmful dietary supplements and ingredients:

Some dietary supplements and ingredients may be a health hazard. Below are examples:

• Diet for weight loss containing sibutramin or phenfluramine: These substances are stimulants of the central nervous system and can cause serious side effects, such as an increase in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, anxiety, and even heart attack or stroke.
• Diet to increase potency containing sildenafil, tadalafil or vardenafil: These substances are drugs and should only be prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication can lead to serious side effects, especially in people with cardiovascular diseases.
• Bad containing mercury, lead or other heavy metals: Heavy metals can accumulate in the body and cause serious health problems.
• Bad containing plant ingredients toxic for the liver: Some plants, such as pyrrolisidine alkaloids, can be toxic for the liver and cause damage.
• Bad containing hormones or their analogues: Hormones and their analogues can have a strong effect on the body and cause serious side effects. Hormones self -medication are unacceptable.
• Bad with unproven efficiency and aggressive advertising: Be careful with dietary supplements, promising a “miraculous” healing or quick getting rid of excess weight. The effectiveness of such products, as a rule, is not confirmed by scientific research.

7. Resources for obtaining information about dietary supplements:

• Rospootrebnadzor: The official website of Rospotrebnadzor contains information on state registration of dietary supplements, requirements for their labeling and security, as well as lists of prohibited substances.
• Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation: The official website of the Ministry of Health contains information about healthcare, including information about dietary supplements.
• PubMed: Pubmed is a free database of medical and biological publications. Here you can find scientific articles and reviews on the efficiency and safety of various dietary supplements.
• Cochrane Library: Cochrane Library is a database of systematic reviews and meta analyzes devoted to healthcare issues. Here you can find information about the effectiveness of various medical interventions, including the use of dietary supplements.
• Web of Science: Web of Science is a database of scientific publications, covering various fields of science, including medicine and biology. Here you can find scientific articles and reviews on the efficiency and safety of various dietary supplements.

8. Responsibility for violation of legislation on dietary supplements:

Violation of the legislation on dietary supplements entails administrative or criminal liability. Manufacturers and sellers of dietary supplements that violate the requirements of technical regulations can be held accountable in the form of fines, confiscation of products or suspension of activity. In cases where a violation of dietary supplements led to harm to consumer health, guilty persons may be prosecuted.

9. Conclusion:

The choice and use of dietary supplements requires a responsible approach and critical thinking. Do not trust blindly advertising and do not self -medicate. Consult a doctor, study the composition and labeling of the product, choose well -known manufacturers and buy dietary supplements in proven places. Remember that dietary supplement is not a medicine, but only an addition to a healthy lifestyle and a good nutrition.

10. Additional recommendations:

• Maintaining a dietary supplement diary: Write down which dietary supplements you accept, in what dosage and how long. This will help you track any side effects or interactions with drugs.
• Photo of packaging and marking: Take a picture of the packaging and marking of dietary supplements to be able to provide this information to the doctor or to Rospotrebnadzor if you have any questions or suspicions.
• Storage of dietary supplements in an inaccessible place for children: Keep dietary supplements in no way for children to avoid accidental poisoning.
• Dietary supplement disposal with expired expiration date: Do not use dietary supplements with an expired expiration date. Use such products in accordance with the instructions on the packaging.

By following these expert tips, you can significantly reduce the risks associated with taking dietary supplements and make informed choices that support your health. Remember that a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, is often the best approach to maintaining optimal well-being.