Warnings About Buying Discount Supplements

Discount Supplements: A Billion-Dollar Industry

According to a study paper published by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), supplement sales in this country reached nearly $24 billion in 2007, a number that at that time had been expected to continue to climb. The ADA's explanation of those sales numbers was the aging of the population as well as the general desire to remain healthy and to prevent disease. Supplements that are sold in the largest quantities include calcium, B vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin A beta/carotene, magnesium and iron as well as protein supplements. These supplements have all grown in sales. Vitamin E supplements on the other hand have declined slightly, potentially because of information about the harmful effects of this supplement. However, the ADA warns that consumers of the majority of these supplements are not making educated choices about those that they are buying. For instance, people may not be able to decipher the safety or effectiveness of the supplements that they are buying because of confusing labeling. (Science News ADA Releases Updated Position Paper on Nutrient Supplementation, Science Daily December 8, 2009)

In addition, confusing and conflicting reports that are released by both legitimate and less than trustworthy news sources can leave people trying one supplement one week and then abandoning it the following week because the first has been proven to be unsafe. For instance, Vitamin E was once a favored supplement for skin, hair and nail health as well as for a number of other conditions like heart disease, cancer, and to boost the immune system. The drawback to Vitamin E supplementation is the interference of the vitamin to absorb Vitamin K and should also be avoided in those who are taking medications such as blood thinners and anti-coagulants.

But these concerns are just in relation to supplements in general, not discount supplements, which may have a whole new set of concerns to consider.

Discount Supplements: Are You Getting What You Hope You Are Getting?

The news has been filled with stories about recalls on drugs, dog food and even toothpaste imported from other countries as well as those items that are made in the United States. Ingredients prove to be unsafe or products that were formerly thought of as safe prove to be harmful in the long run. Depending on where you buy your discount supplements, the possibility of unsafe or recalled items getting through and sold to the public can be a serious issue. Stores that specialize in closeouts of other store's inventories can be especially susceptible to getting items that are outdated or expired and while they may pull most of them from their shelves, there is always a chance that a few things will get through.

In addition, discount supplements coming from other countries may not have the full ingredients listed or may be lacking other types of information. Each country has different labeling laws and while those that are specifically imported for sale in the US may have to comply with the standards that are set forth for them, there are many cases of these items being brought into the country through less than legal means. Thanks to the internet, there are dozens of sources for discount supplements and not all of them are safe or anything near what they are advertised to be.