Second Opinion: Spirituality – Unproven Claims for Dietary Supplements

Unproven Claims for Dietary Supplements

We are not only bombarded with drug advertisements but we are also inundated with advertisements that promote unproven dietary supplements. These appear everywhere: Costco flyers, sports magazines, health magazines, the New York Times, and even NPR sponsors. The new kids on the block are the social influencers — personalities who are paid to leverage their popularity to push these dietary supplements. Supplements include vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, herbs, and much more. Estimates are that each year, supplement companies spend about ten billion dollars promoting their products with influencers in the US.

For example, Berberine — which influencers call “nature’s Ozempic” — claims to help lower blood glucose; Focus Factor, which claims to help improve memory, concentration, and focus; Airborne, which claims to help support your immune system; and Align probiotic, which claims to help with occasional abdominal pain, gas, and discomfort. I have no idea whether these things work, but my point is that no one else does either. As dietary supplements, they are not evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have charters that require them to protect consumers by assuring safe, effective products and accurate marketing of dietary supplements. The FDA is supposed to oversee food and drug safety and accurate labeling, while the FTC is supposed to regulate advertising and promotion. But, in this regard, neither does its job well.

Where are studies showing Berberine lowering blood glucose or Airborne supporting the immune system? I couldn’t find any and I looked. Without evidence, the public is unprotected. This allows manufacturers to dupe people into spending a lot of money on unproven therapies. The FDA claims it can only act if it can prove the supplement is a health hazard. But, proving it's a hazard takes time and money and the FDA is short-staffed.

While print and radio ads are difficult to oversee, monitoring influencers for false or misleading claims is even more difficult. In addition, there is an enormous power that influencers wield — far more than print promotions. People want to believe those they trust and they’re willing to rely on them for health tips. The FTC requires that manufacturers clearly disclose a monetary relationship with the influencer. But this rarely happens, and when it does, the disclosure can be sneaky and hidden. Not only that but once a consumer is on an influencer’s page, they can directly click on a link to purchase the product. This is a very effective sales tactic.

A report in the Journal of Ethics suggests that short of new legislation, the most effective way to stop influencers from selling unproven supplements is through lawsuits. There are already class action lawsuits. This may change influencers’ behavior far more quickly than any legislation. In the meantime, all you can do is keep your guard up and don’t trust an influencer who is pushing a product just to make a buck.

– Dr. Michael Wilkes with a Second Opinion

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