Dietary Supplement

US ranked high in adoption of alternative therapies

06-Jul-2022 By Hank Schultz

American consumers ranked high in their use of alternative health strategies according a recently published analysis of population cohort studies

AHPA urges stakeholders to oppose MPL provisions in FDA fees bill

30-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

The American Herbal Products Association is urging members and stakeholders to contact lawmakers to oppose the mandatory product listing language that has been attached to a ‘must pass’ fee reauthorization bill.

Majority of CBD products tested in study found to have at least some THC

29-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

A new study that sampled dozens of commercially available CBD products found detectable THC levels in 64% of them. Some levels were high enough to approach therapeutic thresholds or to potentially trigger drug test failures.

NOW reveals new trick spotted on Amazon to deceive consumers about product quality

28-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

In an ongoing market surveillance program, supplement manufacturer NOW has revealed a new trick spotted on Amazon to deceive consumers about what a product’s testing results actually mean.

Part 1

FDA’s Cara Welch on RRAs & third-party audits: 'We’re staring at a backlog of inspections'

27-Jun-2022 By Stephen Daniells

The head of the FDA’s Office of Dietary Supplement Programs suspects that remote regulatory assessments (RRAs) will continue even as regular facility inspections resume post-COVID, as the agency seeks to get a good picture of the compliance status of...

CHPA adds Larisa Pavlick as new Sr Director of QA and Technical Affairs

22-Jun-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Pavlick joins the Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s regulatory and scientific affairs team after almost six years at the United Natural Product Alliance (UNPA).

Taiyo's new certifications align with Amazon, Canadian requirements

15-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

Branded ingredient supplier Taiyo has announced new certifications on its products that will better align them both with new Amazon and Canadian governmental requirements.

Romney's amendments to Murray/Burr bill called ‘negotiating tactic’

14-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

Amendments offered by Sen. Mitt Romney, R-UT, could soften some of the hardest edges in an FDA fee reauthorization bill that includes language meant to tighten the regulation of dietary supplements. But the bill still sets a very troubling precedent,...

FDA releases consumer resource for supplements

06-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has released a consumer-aimed education resource for dietary supplements.

Alkemist Labs launches quality program featuring easy to read test results, verification seal for labels

24-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Alkemist Labs has announced a new quality and transparency program featuring validated, simplified test documents that can be shared with clients and customers. It’s the culmination of a seven year development process, the company said.

Mandatory product listing as proposed by Durbin bill is a mirage, Cohen asserts

20-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

A mandatory product listing of the sort proposed in a recent bill sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, would give an illusion of control of the dietary supplement marketplace without better protecting consumers, a prominent industry critic alleges.

FDA reiterates that ‘FDA approved’ is a bogus phrase in most cases

11-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a document reminding consumers that in only a few cases is ‘FDA approved’ a factual statement.

Paper highlights safety of some weight management ingredients

10-May-2022 By Danielle Masterson

With weight loss supplements under attack in several states, researchers rebut with science. The authors of a new paper examine the safety of six ingredients, a move they hope will encourage since-based decisions.

FDA cites 10 firms for use of ingredients flagged as illegal

10-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

In a coordinated enforcement action, FDA has sent warning letters to 10 dietary supplement companies using ingredients that have been added to its Ingredients Advisory List.

Low potency products still the norm on Amazon, NOW finds in CoQ10, quercetin tests

09-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Supplement manufacturer NOW found in a new set of tests of CoQ10 and quercetin supplements sold on Amazon that quality problems persist for products sold on the site and in some ways may have gotten worse.

Nature’s Sunshine joins Usana among firms relying on sales in Asia

06-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Multilevel marketing organization Nature’s Sunshine managed to post a significant revenue increase in its first quarter earnings statement, despite supply chain challenges that caused out of stock situations and an overall net loss.

FDA slams Delta-8 THC sellers over claims

04-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA came down hard on purveyors of Delta-8 THC and CBD products that were making disease claims on the substances. The Agency also reiterated the reasons it believes Delta-8 is not a suitable ingredient for products marketed as supplements.

FSMA guidance on certifying inspectors in foreign markets impacts supplement industry, observer says

03-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA has issued a draft guidance on how to accredit foreign certifying bodies. The document will help clarify a highly technical aspect of the Food Safety and Modernization Act and will remind dietary supplement firms that it’s high time to get their...

Kyowa Hakko benefiting from Kirin’s support post acquisition, CEO says

02-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Being part of the massive organization Kirin has helped Kyowa Hakko build on its legacy of innovation and quality, according to the division’s new CEO.

Enforcement discretion gives some solace to NAC space, observers say

29-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA’s recently announced enforcement discretion policy on NAC will bring some certainty to the market. But it doesn’t answer all of the questions surrounding the ingredient, which could cause other issues later, experts said.

Guest article

Mandatory Product Listing: It Won’t “Wash the Windows” Either!

29-Apr-2022 By Steve Mister, CRN President and CEO

This week, Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Braun (R-IN) introduced S. 4090, the Dietary Supplement Listing Act of 2022, on a bipartisan basis. The legislation would create a mandatory product listing for dietary supplements, similar to the voluntary Supplement...

NPA letter makes comprehensive rebuttal to need for Durbin/Braun listing bill

28-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has sent a letter to Senators Dick Durbin and Mike Braun extensively rebutting assertions made in support of their bill that requires mandatory product listing for dietary supplements.

FDA formally announces NAC enforcement discretion, but legal hangover remains

21-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration declared today that it will exercise enforcement discretion on the use of NAC. It also said that it is ‘likely’ to make a rule that would formalize the legal use of the compound in finished dietary supplements.

FDA vets claim DSHEA gives Agency plenty of authority, some of it little used

18-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

Three former FDA officials said powers granted to the Agency under DSHEA should be fully implemented before modifications of the fundamental regulation of the dietary supplement industry should be considered.

Commentary

Is the supplement industry in for a reverse Dr Oz effect?

15-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Senate candidacy of Dr Mehmet Oz, MD, could pose a public relations risk for the dietary supplement industry, as the prominent media personality gets attacked for being a ‘quack’ who has promoted questionable products.

Bioiberica to launch brand new ingredients and products at Vitafoods

14-Apr-2022 By Liza Laws

Life science company Bioberica will be bringing new ingredients to this year's Vitafoods Europe held in Geneva next month (May).

Almost 80% of endurance athletes use supplements: Survey

08-Apr-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplement use is very high among endurance athletes, with older athletes using the products, says a new study that suggests opportunity to develop age-specific products for this population.

A.I. platform Canomiks partners with startup accelerator

06-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

Canomiks, a startup that filters genomics data through an A.I. platform to drive ingredient development, has entered into a partnership with KiwiTech LLC, an investment platform that provides ‘support ecosystems’ for growth stage companies.

Dr. Low Dog: Mainstream healthcare providers increasingly confused by complex supplement formulas

06-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The success of the supplement industry carries a poison pill within it. A prominent physician told attendees at a recent botanical science conference that the vast number of products and ingredients on the market swamps the ability of mainstream health...

FDA signals it won’t go after NAC, but legal issues remain unresolved

01-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

According to an FDA communique issued yesterday marketers of NAC products mostly likely can continue to business as they have without receiving warning letters or having products seized. But observers say the legal issues raised by the affair are far...

NPA pushes back against Rhode Island bill that would restrict supplement sales

23-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has testified against a proposed Rhode Island law that would restrict the sale of supplements to minors. The bill could have far ranging implications, NPA warns.

Naturopathic foundation, Standard Process team up for interventional trial

22-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

A natural medicine foundation and the supplement manufacturer Standard Process have teamed up to validate how dietary supplements in concert with lifestyle changes can improve health, with the ultimate goal to publish the results in a peer reviewed journal.

FTC adds to repeat offender’s rap sheet with disease claims consent decree

21-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Federal Trade Commission has permanently banned two Texas firms from making diabetes and pain relief claims on the dietary supplements that they market. Kramer Duhon, the firms’ principal, has a long history of fines and enforcement actions against...

Could ‘vague & draconian’ NY State supplements ban extend beyond weight loss & body building?

16-Mar-2022 By Stephen Daniells

The vague language of a controversial bill in the State of New York that aims to restrict the sale of dietary supplements for weight loss or muscle building could also encompass esports and creatine.

FDA’s final voluntary recall guidance provides easy to follow road map, experts say

04-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has finalized a guidance on issuing recalls that first issued in draft form in 2019. The document’s plain language should help ensure compliance, experts contacted by NutraIngredients-USA agree.

Inflation to hit Herbalife’s growth as it comes out of pandemic sales hangover

25-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

Multi level marketing giant Herbalife has seen sales slow coming out of the pandemic and said that inflation will restrain growth in the coming year.

Rats overwhelm Family Dollar warehouse; 404 stores closed as part of recall

24-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

Dietary supplements and other products purchased from Family Dollar stores in six states may be contaminated because of massive rodent infestation, FDA warned the public recently.

NPA submits citizen’s petition demanding resolution on CBD issue

22-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has filed a citizen’s petition calling for FDA to either rule that CBD is a legal dietary ingredient or to make a rule allowing enforcement discretion on the substance.

IFF to acquire contract manufacturer Health Wright Products

17-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

International Flavors and Fragrances has continued its strong push into the health and wellness space with the purchase of Oregon-based contract manufacturer Health Wright Products, LLC.

As many as 18% of troops reported supplement adverse events in survey questioned by expert

04-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

A large survey of supplement use among US military personnel reported as many as 18% of respondents experienced an adverse event. But methodology questions makes it difficult to take those numbers at face value, an expert says.

Supplements now a health category of its own, according to analysis of searches on health websites

07-Dec-2021 By Hank Schultz

A recent survey by a native advertising firm shows that dietary supplements as a category has broken into the top health topic searches in 2021.

Inspired by 10X world record holder, Standard Process goes direct to consumer with Possible Bar supplement

22-Mar-2021 By Stephen Daniells

Wisconsin-based Standard Process has launched a new high-performance supplement bar designed for endurance athletes and adventurers.

Novel nutritional supplement boosts cognitive performance in Air Force Airmen

19-Oct-2020 By Stephen Daniells

A novel nutritional supplement combined with high-intensity exercise may boost working memory, reaction time, and processing efficiency for Air Force Airmen more than exercise alone, says a study from the US Air Force, Abbott, and the University of Illinois.

Scent product could transform dietary supplement marketing, manufacturer says

17-Sep-2020 By Hank Schultz

A new product providing long lasting, pleasant scents that has been quietly making inroads in the industry aims to revolutionize the marketing of dietary supplements by improving customer experience.

Thorne, Onegevity partner with organic meal delivery service

15-Sep-2020 By Hank Schultz

Supplement manufacturer Thorne Research and its testing affiliate Onegevity Health have partnered with a meal delivery service to offer seamless nutritional support for consumers, the companies announced recently.

Guest article

Natural products industry must support supplement expansion

09-Sep-2020 By Jim Emme, CEO of NOW and Board Member of the Natural Products Association

The pandemic has made all Americans more health conscious. Along with social distancing and better hand hygiene, Americans are turning to nutritional supplements as a way to boost their immune systems and support their overall health.

CRN ends NAD funding, but value of claims evaluation program will go on

13-May-2020 By Hank Schultz

The Council for Responsible Nutrition has announced that a program it had supported at the National Advertising Division will end as the major funding source has been exhausted. But both CRN and NAD said the information contained in the more than 350...

Online sales will cushion coronavirus blow, Usana says

27-Apr-2020 By Hank Schultz

Network marketing company Usana Health Sciences says an accelerated move toward online selling will help it weather the current pandemic crisis.

Industry stakeholders lay out safety, regulatory challenges

23-Mar-2020 By Danielle Masterson

The Natural Products Association (NPA) recently held a webinar on political and legislative insights. At the forefront — the expansion of health savings accounts, new dietary new dietary ingredient enforcement, DSHEA, accurate labels, and Cannabidiol...

From the editor's desk

Persistent nutrition gaps at sports teams provides opportunity

07-Feb-2020 By Hank Schultz

Many pro sports leagues still have a long way to go when it comes to supporting players with proper nutrition and supplementation, which could be a big opportunity for sports nutrition companies.