ConsumerLab Surveys Bone Health Supplements

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—A large review of bone health supplements revealed a few problems with dosing and label claim, according to ConsumerLab.com. The test included calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K in single ingredient and combination, including products designed for adults or children in a variety of delivery forms such as tablets, chewables, capsules, softgels, liquids, wafers, and powders.

Of the 34 products tested, ConsumerLab selected 22 supplements, with the remaining 12 products submitted by manufacturers/distributors participating in ConsumerLab's Voluntary Certification Program.

ConsumerLab reported one of the single ingredient calcium supplements caontained just 87 percent of the calcium label claim. Also, one calcium combo supplement that claimed to be lab-tested and bore a guarantee for labeled potency contained a mere 52.5 percent of its vitamin K label claim. Of the vitamin D combination products tested, one supplement contained only 67.2 percent of its vitamin K and 89.2 percent of its calcium label claim. Another such combo supplement contained only 63.4 percent of its vitamin K label claim.

On vitamin K, ConsumerLab reported large differences in potency among vitamin K1 and the two forms of vitamin K2 now sold—menaquinone-4 and menaquinone-7. It further expressed concern over key differences among the many chemical forms of the supplements now marketed, such as vitamins D2 and D3, vitamin K1 and K2 and the many forms of calcium including calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Another issue the testing lab noted was wide variation in the suggested daily dosage across products, including a 50-fold variation in the dose of vitamin D (from 100 IU to 5,000 IU).

“The new test reports help consumers understand which supplements are accurately labeled and which are not, as well as whether or not a supplement may help them and at what dosage,” said Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of ConsumerLab.com.