Supplements have been in the news lately, but not in a good way. A recent study published in a JAMA research letter found that 22 of 25 melatonin gummy products—a whopping 88%—inaccurately represented the content of their products (1). In some cases, the products contained nearly 350% of the amount of melatonin that was listed on the label. Other products contained CBD, an active ingredient in cannabis.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a supplement that helps with sleep if you are experiencing jet lag or are a shift worker. Increasingly, it has become popular as a general sleep aid, although there is little scientific evidence to support this.
Shouldn’t the FDA Regulate This?
We may think that the FDA regulates supplements in the same way as food and drugs, but this is not the case. Supplements are a $39.8 billion industry. Yet the FDA does not regulate that the contents on the bottle match the ingredients in the supplement, or that the supplement actually works as advertised. The most powerful tool that the FDA has is to issue a warning letter for faulty marketing claims. For example, in 2019, the FDA issued a warning letter to the supplement company Bounty of Nature, which provides "whole foods and vegetables in a capsule," because its marketing materials made unsubstantiated health claims (2).
Not All Supplements are Evil!
I don’t want to brand all supplements as “evil,” because many of them play an important role (in concert with a healthy diet.) For example, it’s difficult for many people to get sufficient Vitamin D depending on where they live and how often they are outdoors. Vitamin B12 is important for vegans because this key vitamin is only in animal-based dietary sources. Calcium supplements may be needed to provide sufficient calcium for women and men over age 50, in addition to calcium-rich foods (not only dairy but white beans, sardines, Bok choy, and kale).
Top Takeaway
The general rule of thumb is to take supplements because your physician recommends them. Minimally, always check with your doctor when you start or stop taking supplements because they can interfere with other medications. To verify that what’s listed in the ingredient list is what’s in the bottle, check for the USP verified mark which certifies supplement brands and retail providers
