Do we know enough about dietary supplement dangers?
A recent study suggests not. Hundreds of dietary supplements reportedly contain potentially dangerous ingredients.
In an age where many are keen to look and feel good, dietary supplements are a common part of modern life. Many people use them specifically to avoid using drugs, but research has indicated some of them contain the very drugs people may be trying to avoid.
There are risks to using such ingredients, particularly when use of them isn’t being monitored. In cases of dietary supplement dangers that stem from a lack of monitoring, it can come down to people simply not knowing.
Dietary supplement dangers identified in hundreds of products
According to the recent research, dietary supplement dangers have been identified in hundreds of products. The dangers stem from the ingredients that have been found in some of thee products.
In particular, there are worries over certain ingredients that are not supposed to be being used. Some have even been subject to bans, and others are only supposed to be used as part of a prescription.
Other ingredients have simply not been approved by regulators. It serves to show that people must remain vigilant, especially when buying these dietary supplements online. Clearly, the current regulation isn’t enough to keep people completely safe.
What dietary supplement dangers have been identified?
A number of potential dietary supplement dangers were identified as part of the study. They included:
- Unapproved or banned ingredients in some supplements;
- Anti-depressant ingredients contained in some;
- Appetite suppressants that had previously been banned over health risks contained in others;
- Some sexual enhancement supplements contained ingredients used in erectile dysfunction medication that, when overused, can lead to damage to blood vessels;
- Several muscle-building supplements containing steroids or steroid-like substances, the use of which can be linked to mental health problems and organ damage.
When some of the ingredients in these products are used in regulated prescription medications, there are obvious risks. Regulated medication comes with warnings, and its use can be observed and monitored by professionals. When people don’t know that they’re putting such ingredients inside their bodies, there’s a real cause for concern.
What’s the legal standpoint over dietary supplement dangers?
The legal view on dietary supplement dangers in terms of compensation for injury and loss can be complex.
This can be a product liability claim but buying these products online can lead to serious complications over recovery. When the vendors are perhaps based abroad and buying stock in a different country, and perhaps not even insured, how can you feasibly pursue them?
The best advice is to stick to real medical advice when it comes to using dietary supplements.
