Dietary supplements are big business. Depending on which market research you trust, the dietary supplements market is projected to be worth between $220bn and $236bn (USD) by 2022. It is, and will be, a very lucrative market. Sales of vitamins takes the largest share, followed by botanicals, amino acids and minerals. More than half of dietary supplements consumers are adults, followed by children and senior persons.
Why is the market so lucrative? The marketing machinery of the industry works to perfection, suggesting that taking dietary supplements makes you physically and mentally more agile. Vitamin B12 is specially marketed to have such benefits, including an increase of mental and physical energy, ability to concentrate, functionality of the nervous system, improvement of general well-being. Who would not buy this product? Another, very popular product in the USA is St. John’s Wort, a herbal remedy which is claimed to have anti-depressant qualities, relieves anxieties and craving (e.g. when you are giving up smoking), works as an antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent, reduces pregnancy pain and, imagine, even takes care of your skin.
What few people know is that the National Institute of Health in 2002 already debunked the claim that St. John’s Wort has anti-depressant effects. Moreover, St. John’s Wort can have severe side-effect, including reducing the effectiveness of several drugs, such as birth control pills. Approximately 23.000 people are taken to emergency rooms in the USA every year over adverse effects related to dietary supplements. Frequent reasons are cardio-vascular manifestations from weight loss or energy products.
One of the reasons why consumers take dietary supplements is to prevent or treat certain conditions, for example Alzheimer’s disease. Many of these products make unsubstantiated claims, including “Memory enhancer”, “delay onset”, among other claims. In addition, several of these supplements contained unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients, like sibutramine for weight loss, but also Tadalafil (Cialis). For the first time, US FDA has now taken action against these products. The agency sent out 12 warning letters and five advisory letters.
Maybe beyond taking action, educational campaigns should be launched to ensure consumers understand the benefits and risks of taking dietary supplements, as well as educating them about balanced diets.
