Consumer Reports, Forbes Cast Poor Light on Supplements

YONKERS, N.Y.--The cover stories of the May Consumer Reports (CR) and the April 19 Forbes reported on the darker side of supplements (i.e., ephedra, kava) and the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). In "CR Investigates Dangerous Supplements: Six Could Cause Cancer, Kidney Failure, Liver Disease or Death," the magazine identified 12 ingredients that, "according to government warnings, adverse event reports and top experts, are too dangerous to be on the market." Forbes' "Poison Pills: The Men and Money Pushing Dangerous Diet Supplements" used its pages to report on the lawsuits and regulatory proceedings against such companies as NVE Pharmaceuticals, Cytodyne and Metabolife.

CR "easily" purchased products with these 12 ingredients in February. They are: aristolochic acid, comfrey, androstenedione, chaparral, germander, kava, bitter orange, glandular extracts, lobelia, pennyroyal oil, skullcap and yohimbe. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already posted warnings about many of these products (e.g., aristolochic acid, comfrey, kava, glandular extracts) and has recently classified one (andro) as a controlled substance. CR advised readers to follow seven steps when next buying a supplement:

1. Stay away from the "Dirty Dozen."

2. Do not take daily doses of vitamins and minerals that exceed the safe upper limits.

3. Limit your intake of other supplements.

4. Tell your doctor about your supplements.

5. Stay away from supplements for weight control.

6. Do your own research.

7. Watch for adverse events

Forbes reported that although ephedra lawsuits could pile up to be "a couple billion dollars worth" against a company such as Cytodyne, the company's insurance coverage "only adds up to maybe $7 million" according to court documents. Insurance money, according to Forbes, is not the only financial issue facing the supplements industry. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), a co-author of DSHEA, is paraphrased by the magazine as saying supplements "can't be patented, [so] pillmakers can't afford to test for safety."