Guest guest Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 You can ask the dietician at the hospital to order them for you, or you might be able to order them online. nutritional supplements Where does one purchase these types of nutritional supplements? What are Novartis and Impact and where could I get this (I live in a very rural mountainous area)? I don't want caloric supplements, but only nutritional supplements for pre-revision preparation. I am using the blood bank this time. Thanks for help! Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any advertised products. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Suzy, I did a little hunting around on the internet and found this site to be the most reasonable, partly cause you don't have to buy a whole case....but I think it is possible to get a pharmacy to order them for you in packs of 5.They ain't cheap! Here is who I ordered from: http://www.tadenterprises.com/catalog/product_info.php? cPath=70 & products_id=174 & osCsid=d2e010aff7cd67e7ba59a31a8994107b Cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 In a message dated 1/24/2006 12:35:02 PM Eastern Standard Time, rockhill648@... writes: Has anyone tried the products listed in the " Epilepsy Self-management Program " on the web-site www.healingwithnutrition.com? The ingredients are just what I'm looking for. However, I don't know anything about the quality of the product itself. Many thanks! _http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html_ (http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html) I think what is written here is right on target. However, looking at the $104.00 EKit, I find it deficient in that critical nutrient, Magnesium. Also, many people cannot convert flaxseed oil into those ciritical brain fats, EPA and HPA. You could probably put together a similar program for yourself at less cost. I like the Twinlabs vitamin E product of mixed tocopherols and it is right priced. mjh " The Basil Book " http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 In a message dated 1/24/2006 3:35:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, dvance@... writes: Can anyone expound on the glutamic acid in their supplement? Is that something that causes seizure activity, or makes it worse? If so, how much does it take to cause seizures, or is it not a problem at all? Don Everyone has different levels of sensitivity. The book, Excitotoxins by Blaylock can provide you with a more indepth view of this amino acid issue. mjh " The Basil Book " http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Many thanks for your response! You always seem to have the most sensible information. Thank you. --- foxhillers@... wrote: > > > In a message dated 1/24/2006 12:35:02 PM Eastern > Standard Time, > rockhill648@... writes: > > Has anyone tried the products listed in the > " Epilepsy Self-management > Program " on the web-site > www.healingwithnutrition.com? The > ingredients are just what I'm looking for. > However, I don't know > anything about the quality of the product itself. > Many thanks! > > _http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html_ > > (http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html) > > > I think what is written here is right on target. > > However, looking at the $104.00 EKit, I find it > deficient in that critical > nutrient, Magnesium. Also, many people cannot > convert flaxseed oil into those > ciritical brain fats, EPA and HPA. > > You could probably put together a similar program > for yourself at less cost. > > I like the Twinlabs vitamin E product of mixed > tocopherols and it is right > priced. > > > mjh > " The Basil Book " > http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/ > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 The amino acids are woefully low and I agree the magnesium is way too low as well. Re: [ ] Nutritional Supplements In a message dated 1/24/2006 12:35:02 PM Eastern Standard Time, rockhill648@... writes: Has anyone tried the products listed in the " Epilepsy Self-management Program " on the web-site www.healingwithnutrition.com? The ingredients are just what I'm looking for. However, I don't know anything about the quality of the product itself. Many thanks! _http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html_ (http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html) I think what is written here is right on target. However, looking at the $104.00 EKit, I find it deficient in that critical nutrient, Magnesium. Also, many people cannot convert flaxseed oil into those ciritical brain fats, EPA and HPA. You could probably put together a similar program for yourself at less cost. I like the Twinlabs vitamin E product of mixed tocopherols and it is right priced. mjh " The Basil Book " http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Can anyone expound on the glutamic acid in their supplement? Is that something that causes seizure activity, or makes it worse? If so, how much does it take to cause seizures, or is it not a problem at all? Re: [ ] Nutritional Supplements Many thanks for your response! You always seem to have the most sensible information. Thank you. --- foxhillers@... wrote: > > > In a message dated 1/24/2006 12:35:02 PM Eastern > Standard Time, > rockhill648@... writes: > > Has anyone tried the products listed in the > " Epilepsy Self-management > Program " on the web-site > www.healingwithnutrition.com? The > ingredients are just what I'm looking for. > However, I don't know > anything about the quality of the product itself. > Many thanks! > > _http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html_ > > (http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html) > > > I think what is written here is right on target. > > However, looking at the $104.00 EKit, I find it > deficient in that critical > nutrient, Magnesium. Also, many people cannot > convert flaxseed oil into those > ciritical brain fats, EPA and HPA. > > You could probably put together a similar program > for yourself at less cost. > > I like the Twinlabs vitamin E product of mixed > tocopherols and it is right > priced. > > > mjh > " The Basil Book " > http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/ > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Glutamic acid is known to be neuroexcitatory and in epileptics can induce seizures. Re: [ ] Nutritional Supplements Can anyone expound on the glutamic acid in their supplement? Is that something that causes seizure activity, or makes it worse? If so, how much does it take to cause seizures, or is it not a problem at all? Re: [ ] Nutritional Supplements Many thanks for your response! You always seem to have the most sensible information. Thank you. --- foxhillers@... wrote: > > > In a message dated 1/24/2006 12:35:02 PM Eastern > Standard Time, > rockhill648@... writes: > > Has anyone tried the products listed in the > " Epilepsy Self-management > Program " on the web-site > www.healingwithnutrition.com? The > ingredients are just what I'm looking for. > However, I don't know > anything about the quality of the product itself. > Many thanks! > > _http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html_ > > (http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/edisease/epilepsy/pplan.html) > > > I think what is written here is right on target. > > However, looking at the $104.00 EKit, I find it > deficient in that critical > nutrient, Magnesium. Also, many people cannot > convert flaxseed oil into those > ciritical brain fats, EPA and HPA. > > You could probably put together a similar program > for yourself at less cost. > > I like the Twinlabs vitamin E product of mixed > tocopherols and it is right > priced. > > > mjh > " The Basil Book " > http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/ > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Andy, Yes! I would definitely recommend it. Another great product that I use is Post-Workout Recovery. Here is a link. http://www.advocare.com/9807145/Store/ItemDetail.aspx? itemCode=P4301 & id=A I sent you a private email with my contact information. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. kam > > Hi Kam, > > Would you recommend this product ( " Muscle Fuel " ) for general exercise - I > mean, two years post-surgery? I get really tired after exercising. > > Thanks. > > Andy (Concord MA) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Kam, Thanks for the advice and info. I just order a product from Advocare! Andy [ ] Re: nutritional supplements Andy, Yes! I would definitely recommend it. Another great product that I use is Post-Workout Recovery. Here is a link. http://www.advocare.com/9807145/Store/ItemDetail.aspx? itemCode=P4301 & id=A I sent you a private email with my contact information. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. kam > > Hi Kam, > > Would you recommend this product ( " Muscle Fuel " ) for general exercise - I > mean, two years post-surgery? I get really tired after exercising. > > Thanks. > > Andy (Concord MA) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Andy, That's great! If you don't mind sharing, what did you buy? kam > > Kam, > > Thanks for the advice and info. I just order a product from Advocare! > > Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Kam, I’m going to start with COFFECCINO – it’s a coffee substitute. Have you ever tried it? If I have any good response, I’ll add other products. And I’ll let you know! Thanks again, Andy [ ] Re: nutritional supplements Andy, That's great! If you don't mind sharing, what did you buy? kam > > Kam, > > Thanks for the advice and info. I just order a product from Advocare! > > Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2007 Report Share Posted August 16, 2007 Hello all, From time to time, I read posts about people wanting to know the best nutritional supplements to take and what brand to buy. I would like to share my story about finding, in my opinion, the best nutritional supplement on the market today. First of all, the list owner, Robynn, gave me permission to tell my story and the products used. A friend of mine introduced me to Shaklee back in January. For those of you not familiar with Shaklee, Shaklee has been a leading provider of premium quality, natural, environmentally friendly nutrition, personal care, and household products for over 50 years. Shaklee is the #1 natural nutrition company in the U.S. Almost immediately, I started feeling the benefits of the Shaklee products. They are all food/plant based supplements, not synthetic. You know what you're buying and putting into your body is of the highest quality. After reaping the physical benefits from the products, I decided last month to reap the financial benefits of selling the products. Shaklee has a saying, it's not only physical health and environmental health, but also financial health. I became a distributor in July and haven't looked back since. I stand by the quality and efficacy of the products and the company. As you might assume, it is a multi-level marketing product. I have become very passionate about the Shaklee products and the positive effect it has had on my health and many others. I wanted to share this information with you to introduce to Shaklee, if you are not already familiar, and to make you aware of the amazing products. With so many companies out their on the Internet selling nutritional supplements, it can very confusing and frustrating finding the a reputable product. I had that problem for awhile, so it was a lot of trial and error for. Well, I no longer have that problem for any of the natural products I purchase. If I'm able to help just one person, that would put a huge smile on my face. If anybody is interested in learning more about the products, trying some of the products, or have any questions about the company, you MUST contact me off list. At this point, I will answer any questions you might have. I believe the list owner, Robynn, is going to post my personal web site link to the Links section in the folder Titled " Member Owned Websites " . I can be reached off list at " dsevenack at gmail " .*** Thanks! -Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Dear Friends This is a very important topic, and needs to be explored and highlighted amongst health care providers, patients/consumers as well as regulatory authorities. 1. Piracetam in India is NOT a nutritional supplement. It is " Prescription Drug " . 2. In India, in most cases, Gingko biloba too is a prescription drug. 3. In India, in certain cases, Glucosamine is a drug, and in some cases it is a dietary supplement. I tried to look into the meaning/definition of nutraceuticals, nutritional supllements, dietary supplements, food supplements, in different countries, and I got lost in the maze. Different countries have different meanings and ways of classification. Going by experience over past many years, in India, 1) Many times, Dietary supplements are got/sought to be licensed as " Drug " by the industry, becasue the tax on drug is 4 %, while it is 12.5% on foods. (Glucosamine was initially a Deitary Supplemet " , today, its preparations are drugs. 2) At times, industry tries to bring a product out of being a drug to a food/protein/nutrition supplement, because it can then be sold at places other than a pharmacy (no drug license required). 3) So, today, in poducts, having similar ingrdients - Ca, vitamins, minerals, etc - some are licensed as " drug " , some as " dietary supplement " . 4) In most developed countries, " Dietary Supplements " are advertised to the public, and the public makes a choice whether they should buy or not. In India, most of these are heavily promoted to doctors, who prescribe them, and the patients are " forced " to buy it, because they believe that " what the doctor has given me, I have to take " . In India, for many of these products, the costs are phenomenal, even Rs 5, or even Rs. 20 or 30 per capsule/tab, and often taken 2 or 3 times a day. 5) What I find funny is that on the label, below " Dietary supplement " , (in India), are written the words (probably mandatory) - " Not For MEdicinal Use " . This is just a suggestion (Moderator is the final authority) : In the topic " Nutritional Supplements " , we could discuss about " Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins/Amino acids, carbohydrates, etc " , which are generally naturally present in our food. The discussion on " other ingredients " such as piracetam, gingko biloba, glucosamine, ginseng, chondroitin, anti-oxidants, bilberry extract, maritime bark extract, etc etc.(a hoard of other ingredients) would be a topic by itself. Of course, there are going to be overalapping ingredients in both the above categories. I did a little searching, and am putting it down below (it would be nice if someone could clarify the exact differences between Nutritional Supplements, Dietary SUpplements, Food supplements, Neutraceuticals, etc..?) What is a dietary supplement? (From US FDA Website) Congress defined the term " dietary supplement " in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that contains a " dietary ingredient " intended to supplement the diet. The " dietary ingredients " in these products may include: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars, and metabolites. Dietary supplements can also be extracts or concentrates, and may be found in many forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders. They can also be in other forms, such as a bar, but if they are, information on their label must not represent the product as a conventional food or a sole item of a meal or diet. Whatever their form may be, DSHEA places dietary supplements in a special category under the general umbrella of " foods, " not drugs, and requires that every supplement be labeled a dietary supplement. DIETARY SUPPLEMENT ENFORCEMENT REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (From US FDA website) The dietary supplement industry is among the world's fastest growing economic sectors. Consumer spending for its products nearly doubled from 1994 to 2000, and it continues to grow more than 10 percent a year. Some of these products are widely recognized as beneficial. Others, however, are ineffective, potentially dangerous, or marketed using fraudulent claims, and there is an increasing risk that consumers will substitute them for effective medications, delaying proven therapy and risking injury. Against this background, in 1994 Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) to ensure consumers' access to legitimate dietary supplements while providing FDA with authority to protect the public against supplements that pose safety concerns or bear false or misleading labeling. Under DSHEA, a dietary supplement firm must ensure that its products are safe and that statements about them are not false or misleading. Permissible assertions include health claims authorized by FDA; statements about a supplement's use to prevent classic nutrient deficiency diseases (e.g., scurvy); and substantiated claims about the supplement's effects on the structure or function of the body. FDA is committed to enforcing DSHEA. In fiscal year 2002, FDA took numerous actions to protect the health of consumers and to help ensure a level field for legitimate dietary supplement manufacturers and marketers. Following are highlights of the measures FDA took last year: FDA filed its first seizure actions against dietary supplements on the grounds that they were making unsubstantiated claims about their effect on the structure or function of the body; FDA inspected more than 80 dietary supplement firms, several of which voluntarily corrected identified violations; FDA pursued successful criminal cases including prosecutions of a woman promoting colloidal minerals as treatments for cancer, arthritis, and heart disease, and two men who manufactured and marketed a counterfeit muscle-growth supplement; and FDA issued warning letters for marketers making disease and unsubstantiated structure/function claims, with special emphasis on products containing synthetic ephedrine. FDA coordinated many of its efforts with other state and federal law enforcement agencies. FDA also used its Web site to provide truthful and reliable dietary supplement information for consumers and to provide industry with guidance on permissible practices under DSHEA. Looking ahead, FDA will intensify its work to meet the goal set by its January 2000 dietary supplement enforcement program: to have a " regulatory program that fully implements [DSHEA], thereby providing consumers with a high level of confidence in . . . dietary supplements. " A key part of this program will be enforcement action ranging from seizures and injunctions to, where appropriate, criminal prosecutions. Based on its experience in this area, FDA has targeted certain " problem " products for close attention, including treatments for life-threatening diseases, treatments for diseases that afflict children (e.g., autism and behavioral disorders), weight loss products, and supplements marketed to smokers and drinkers. FDA will not tolerate fraudulent schemes that deceive or endanger the public. Technology will play a critical role in FDA's future efforts. A newly modeled adverse event reporting system called " CAERS " will provide a single system to track and analyze all adverse event reports involving dietary supplements. CAERS will increase efficiency, speed processing time, and provide medical review for all serious adverse event reports. FDA will also continue to use its Web site and other means to provide industry guidance and critical information for consumers. Finally, FDA will strengthen its ties to domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies. FDA has a long history of working with the Federal Trade Commission against health care fraud. This partnership has been an unqualified success. FDA will build similar relationships with other law enforcement entities. This is especially important because of the challenges posed by the Internet. Bad actors can now run scams from virtually anywhere, including outside the United States. In fighting these scams, FDA must work with other federal, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies. Whatever challenges the future brings, FDA remains committed to ensuring consumer access to dietary supplements, while protecting consumers from harmful products and false or misleading claims. Distinguishing between functional foods and nutraceuticals (From a website, whose reliability I am not sure of (R.V)) : It is not surprising that the terminology to define and promote these products is escalating (Table 1). For practical purposes however, two terms (functional food and nutraceutical) can be used to distinguish among nutritional products that make health claims beyond basic nutrition. Table 1. Categories of healthful foods and dietary supplements Category / example Description Dietary supplements Products containing one of more of the following: · Vitamin, mineral, herb or other botanical · An amino acid or metabolite · An extract · Any combination of the above · Products (other than tobacco) intended to supplement the diet · May be marketed in a food form if not " represented " as a conventional food and labeled as a dietary supplement · Specific health or structure/function claims* can be made if the FDA deems adequate scientific substantiation exists Fortified foods · Breakfast cereal · Vitamin B added to baked goods · Foods enriched with vitamins and minerals, usually up to 100% of the DRI · Often mandated by law to replace nutrients lost during processing Functional foods · Soy · Salad dressing with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids · Carrots with 170% of daily requirement of vitamin A · A food or ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the " traditional nutrients " it contains†· Specific health or structure/function claims can be made if the FDA deems adequate scientific substantiation exists · Super fortified foods have more than 100% of the DRI and/or foods with added botanicals or other supplements Medicinal foods · Food to treat diabetes, obesity, or heart disease, sold through physicians, not by conventional retailers · Food formulated to be consumed or administered internally while under the supervision of a physician · Intended for specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements are established Nutraceuticals · Orange juice with calcium · Dietary/herbal substances in pharmaceutical dosage forms · Dietary supplements and fortified foods enriched with nutrients not natural to the food Structured snacks ( " fusion products " ) · Lean On Me for weight loss · Level Best for Type 2 diabetes · Target people with potentially serious medical conditions · Cost more than some prescription medications · Recommended as snacks · Marketed mostly to physicians DRI = dietary reference intake * Structure/function claims state that a product may affect the structure or function of the body (eg, calcium builds strong bones, antioxidants maintain cell integrity, fiber maintains bowel regularity), but may not claim that a therapy can prevent or cure a disease (eg, alleviates constipation). †" Traditional nutrients " refer to vitamins and minerals considered essential to the diet and/or to correct a classical nutritional deficiency disease. For example, foods containing vitamin C to correct scurvy or vitamin D to alleviate rickets are not functional foods. However, soy, which contains soy protein and is associated with a reduced cardiovascular risk, is a functional food (Source: Modified from Mulry, 2000). Functional foods, as defined by the American Dietetic Association, are products whose nutritional value is enhanced by the addition of natural ingredients. Functional foods may provide specific health benefits beyond basic nutrition when consumed as part of a varied diet. Nutraceuticals, according to the American Nutraceutical Association, are functional foods with potentially disease-preventing and health-promoting properties. They also include naturally occurring dietary substances in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Thus, they include " dietary supplements " as defined by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). Figure 1. Options for categorizing functional foods and nutraceuticals. From the FDA regulatory perspective, all substances that influence our health can be divided into two groups: food and drugs, with food further divided into conventional food and dietary supplements (Figure 1). Despite the fact that many terms are used to describe nutritional substances that influence health, each of these terms fits into one of these categories. When viewed in this way, healthcare professionals will be less susceptible to the vague claims that tend to characterize this growing field (, 2000). Examples of functional foods All foods are functional; however, the term " functional " refers to an additional physiological benefit beyond meeting basic nutritional needs (Table 2). For example, epidemiological data tend to show that cancer risk in people consuming diets high in fruits and vegetables is about one-half that seen among people consuming few of these foods (Block et al, 1992). Certain components from animal sources make similar contributions to health, including omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, calcium in dairy products, and the anticarcinogenic fatty Table 2. Examples of functional foods, their key components, and potential health benefits Functional food Key component Potential health benefits Black and green tea Catechins Reduce risk for cancer Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables Sulforaphane Reduce risk for cancer Citrus fruits Limonoids Reduce risk for cancer Fish Omega-3 fatty acids Reduce risk for heart disease Fruits & vegetables Many different phytochemicals Reduce risk for cancer & heart disease Garlic Sulfur compounds Reduce risk for cancer & heart disease Oats & oat-containing foods Soluble fiber beta glucan Reduce cholesterol Purple grape juice & red wine Polyphenolic compounds Support normal, healthy cardiovascular function Soy foods Soy protein Reduce cholesterol Tomatoes & tomato products Lycopene Reduce risk for cancer Yogurt & fermented dairy products Probiotics Improve gastrointestinal health Once the benefits of a key component in food are documented, the challenge is to increase its concentration, and presumably its benefits, while maintaining safety. For example, isoflavones in soy are phytoestrogens with a chemical structure similar to estrogen. Isoflavones may reduce cholesterol, but what is the risk of increasing the intake of a compound that may modulate estrogens? Knowledge of the toxicity of functional food components is crucial to improve their benefit:risk ratio. The efforts that go in to making these determinations are costly. As a result, companies that are successful can be expected to market products that will be branded and extensively promoted (Table 3). Table 3. Examples of products marketed or planned to be marketed as functional foods by pharmaceutical companies Novartis: Aviva product line Breakfast bars, cereals, and beverages Claims: Benefits the heart, bones, and digestion Marketed in United Kingdom and Switzerland US launch planned McNeil Consumer Health, Division of & Benecol brand margarine, salad dressing, and health bars in US Claim: Reduce LDL cholesterol up to 14%, within two weeks of product use In first few months, Benecol margarine captured ~2% of US margarine sales Mead division of Bristol-Myers Squibb EnfaGrow nutrient-enriched oatmeal and snack line for toddlers, marketed primarily to physicians Allergy alert: EnfaGrow Nutritional Oatmeal for Toddlers in Maple Brown Sugar & Cinnamon and Strawberry flavors may contain trace amounts of milk protein, not listed in the ingredients* Viactiv Soft Calcium Chews sold in US grocery and drug stores Claim: To meet women's special nutritional needs * SafetyAlerts.com, 2000. Challenges facing nutraceuticals Some of the most popular nutraceutical products marketed today are botanicals such as St. 's wort, echinacea, ginkgo biloba, saw palmetto, and ginseng. Unfortunately, manufacturers are not required to prove their safety or efficacy before marketing them. Dosages are not standardized. The quality of the raw source and the plant parts used are not regulated. And, unlike prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicines, there is no federal quality control standard to ensure that the label reflects what is in the bottle. The problem is illustrated by reports that labeled concentrations of active ingredients often significantly overestimate the content in the dosage form. In one report, nearly one-third of the brands tested did not contain what their manufacturers claimed (Hemphill, 2000). In another test of 14 samples from over-the-counter products containing ginkgo biloba, 11 did not contain all of the active ingredients associated with ginkgo biloba as specified by the World Health Organization (WHO). When levels of a possible allergen, ginkgolic acid, were tested, the levels of this compound in 13 products ranged from 16 to 733 times more than the WHO recommendation. Only one sample met the limit for the possible allergen, but this product failed in terms of its active ingredient content (Reuters, 2000). This is a serous problem that undermines the nutraceutical market, encourages skeptics who criticize the value and role of nutraceuticals, and (most importantly) is potentially harmful to the public. An organization that conducts assays of supplements and reports the results versus the labeled ingredients is http://www.consumerlab.com/. Manufacturers are charged a fee to participate in this service. Products that pass the test are permitted to include the ConsumerLab.com seal on their products. Raj VAIDYA, M.Pharm Community Pharmacist, Panaji - GoaOn 2/4/08, Vijay <drvijaythawani@...> wrote: Hi,In US and some other countries they use the terminology " nutraceutical " to derive the mileage from the alliteration to the word pharmaceutical. I distaste such rhyming as nutritional supplements basically are not medicines and do not qualify for any benefit which may be extended to medicines.In India there is absolutely no control on production of nutritional supplements.These are produced like any other food item. The companies have massive advertising budgets to ensure propping up their products. Since we are studying misuse of WHO name and logo in India here are few examples. M/s Biomiicron Pharmaceuticals, Chennai has used WHO logo and mentioned " WHO-GMP Schedule-M " below the WHO logo in the advertisement of its orange flavored combination product containing Calcium, Biotin, L-Glutamic Acid, Folic acid and Vitamin D3. " Mother's Horlicks " , a product of M/s Glaxo Kline is promoted with claim that it " complies to WHO guidelines providing 20% calories from proteins " . There is no reference provided to substantiate the claim of multinational. Half a dozen insertions of the same advertisement were found in one single issue indicating the massive budget allocation this nutritional product promotion has.I wrote to the TNC company to substantiate the claim but in spite of reminders they have not complied.The members must appreciate that such gimmickery is in poor taste.Today there is Mother's, tomorrow we will have Father's and then for other relations.I end with tongue in cheek that Bhajji could have come out of racial slur charges by quoting that he meant this!Vijay Thawani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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