Are Your Supplements Working?
All About Supplements
Recent testing conducted by the New York attorney general has revealed four major retailers are selling herbal supplements with not only false claims but, in fact, false ingredients. The four retailers involved in the study are volume giants in herbal supplement sales: Walmart, Walgreens, Target and GNC. The DNA Bar Coding test revealed that four out of five supplements analyzed did not contain any of the herbs on their labels. The investigation showed that pills labeled medicinal herbs often contained little more than cheap fillers like powdered rice, asparagus and houseplants, and in some cases substances that could be dangerous to those with allergies.
How dangerous can unknown ingredients be in your multi-vitamin?
At Walmart, the authorities found that its Ginkgo Biloba, a Chinese plant promoted as a memory enhancer, contained little more than powdered radish, houseplants and wheat — despite a claim on the label that the product was wheat- and gluten-free. At GNC, testing found pills with unlisted ingredients used as fillers, like powdered legumes, the class of plants that includes peanuts and soybeans, a hazard for people with allergies. Consumers are not the only ones affected, hospitals have been affected, too. In December, an infant at a Connecticut hospital died when doctors gave the child a popular probiotic supplement that was later found to be contaminated with yeast.
Are there federal regulations for vitamins and supplements?
The F.D.A. requires that companies verify that every supplement they manufacture is safe and accurately labeled. But the system essentially operates on the honor code. This is where the problem lies. The onus falls upon the consumer to be their own watchdog and health advocate.
How does this affect your family’s health?
In spite of loose federal regulation, there are several high quality, medical-grade supplement manufacturers who rise above the “honor-system”. These select manufacturers demonstrate reputable ethics and testing through proven third-party testing, independent certifications for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) by world-leading arbiters and rigorous internal quality control analysis. These suppliers, however, understand the proven efficacy and strength of their products and therefor only distribute to licensed healthcare practitioners. Here at Healing River Chiropractic, we exclusively work with these high quality, strictly regulated, reputable supplement manufacturers. Healing River Chiropractic works with the top suppliers to ensure our patients the highest health care possible. If you are wondering if the supplements in your kitchen are safe and truly supporting you and your children’s health, please bring them into our office. We can easily determine if, in fact, they are beneficial or harmful to your health.
Talk to Your Practitioner
The supplements that we offer at Healing River Chiropractic can be purchased only with a recommendation from one our holistic practitioners.
Healing River Chiropractic Closed March 20th - 24th
We’ll be taking a short break from Monday, March 20th through Friday, March 24th to celebrate spring (and spend time with our families). We’ll be back March 27th feeling refreshed and ready to get back to helping our patients with their health needs!