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Millions of Americans take vitamin and dietary supplements every day, but few consider them harmful. However, they are not without risk.

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) defines a dietary supplement as a product that:

• supplements the food you eat;
• contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins; minerals; herbs or other botanicals; amino acids, and other substances);
• comes in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form; and
• is labeled as a dietary supplement.

The NCCHI (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) which is the government’s lead agency for scientific research on complementary and integrative health approaches and works within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a warning for parents. NCCHI wants parents to be aware that many vitamins and dietary supplements have not been tested for safety or effectiveness in children. Children’s metabolisms and their immune, digestive, and central nervous systems are still maturing; side effects can differ from those in adults.

What can the side effects include?

1. Excessive amounts of dietary supplements can actually harm the body. Too much vitamin A can cause headache, liver damage, reduced bone strength. Excess iron consumption can cause nausea and vomiting while damaging the liver and some body organs. (Source: National Children’s Hospital)

2. Dietary supplement and medication interaction - Children, in particular, could be harmed by taking both supplements and medicines. Certain dietary supplements can change absorption, metabolism, or excretion of a medication and therefore affect a medication’s potency. Some examples include:

• Vitamin K reduces the blood thinner Coumadin’s ability to prevent blood clotting.
• John’s Wort can speed the breakdown of prescriptions including drugs for heart disease, depression, treatments for organ transplants and drugs for HIV/Aids.
• Anti-oxidant supplements including vitamin C and E can reduce the effectiveness of some chemotherapy for cancer. (Source: FamilyDoctor.org) 

Are vitamins and dietary supplements regulated?

Because dietary supplements and health supplements are classified as foods rather than drugs, manufacturers do not have to seek FDA approval before putting them on the market, according to the Mayo Clinic. Companies can also claim that products address a nutrient deficiency, support health or are linked to body functions if they have supporting research, and they include a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated the claim.

Although not being required to seek FDA approval, manufacturers must still follow good manufacturing practices to ensure that supplements are processed consistently and meet quality standards. The purpose of following good manufacturing practices is to keep the wrong ingredients and contaminants, such as pesticides and lead, out of supplements, as well as make sure that the right ingredients are included in appropriate amounts.

Once on the market, the FDA is responsible for monitoring vitamin and dietary supplement safety. If the FDA finds a product to be unsafe, it can take action against the manufacturer or distributor or both, and may issue a warning or require that the product be removed from the market.

Consumer Reports says that makers of nutritional supplements have no legal obligation to put warnings about possible drug interactions on their products, and that a supplement’s label may be deceptive in a few ways:

• The product may not contain what is listed on the label (Example: a multivitamin could actually be a sugar pill).
• The product may contain different amounts of the substances than listed on the label (Example: a product that states it has 60 mg of caffeine may actually contain 120 mg).
• The product may contain (sometimes illegal) compounds that are not listed on the label (Example: a product that claims to be creatine, used to increase the body’s ability to produce energy rapidly, could be laced with steroids).

Packaging of dietary supplements is also an issue. Most dietary supplements are not required to have childproof containers. The Poison Prevention Packaging Act does require manufacturers to package certain substances in childproof containers. These include OTC medication such as acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, lidocaine, mouthwash, naproxen and iron-containing dietary supplements.

“If you think you or a loved one has suffered a serious harmful effect or illness from a vitamin or dietary supplement, contact the personal injury attorneys at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.,” said Fort Myers Child Injury Attorney, Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Child Injury Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.