Supplements are regulated.
More than two-thirds of Americans take dietary supplements.
Specific supplements can yield health care cost savings.
The supplement industry positively impacts the US economy.
Here you will find a series of shareable "Supplement Facts" boxes that feature short, easy-to-understand facts about various elements of dietary supplements, including science, regulation, health care cost savings, consumer usage, or the industry's economic impact. We encourage you to share these facts with your networks and help us spread the word about the great things taking place in this industry.
REGULATORY FACT:
When dietary supplement manufacturers are made aware of a serious adverse event involving one of their products, they are required to notify FDA no later than 15 business days after receiving the report.
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CONSUMER SURVEY FACT:
A majority of supplement users, 52 percent, look to a medical doctor/physician as a trusted source of reliable information about supplements.
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REGULATORY FACT:
Dietary supplement companies must create master manufacturing records (i.e., recipes) for their products and then keep batch records for each batch to document that each step in the manufacturing process was followed as well as test results demonstrating the products meet their specifications.
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HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS FACT:
Between 2013 and 2020, over 800,000 coronary heart disease-related medical events could be avoided through the use of specific levels of B vitamins by adults 55+ with coronary heart disease.
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SCIENCE FACT:
Supplementation with spirulina, an extract of seaweed, may support heart and immune health, according to an August 2016 study.
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ECONOMIC IMPACT FACT:
In the U.S., the dietary supplement industry generates over $5.75 billion in taxes each year—money that funds state and local highways, schools and other projects—and $9.2 billion in federal taxes.
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HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS FACT:
Supplements containing psyllium dietary fiber can lower cholesterol by stopping “bad” cholesterol absorption in the intestines. For just 30 cents a day, the use of psyllium dietary fiber in adults 55+ with elevated cholesterol could lead to significant health care cost savings.
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REGULATORY FACT:
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires dietary supplement manufacturers to register all their facilities with FDA and to re-register every two years.
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SCIENCE FACT:
An August 2016 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a cocoa compound now available in supplements may play a role in helping to suppress the appetite and to moderate food intake.
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ECONOMIC IMPACT FACT:
The dietary supplement industry provides more than 383,000 quality jobs in the U.S.—paying over $18 billion in wages each year.
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CONSUMER SURVEY FACT:
About one in eight supplement users take probiotics, a specialty supplement that has grown in popularity over the past few years, and helps populate helpful bacteria in the gut that improve health.
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HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS FACT:
Increased use of chromium picolinate dietary supplements in adults 55+ with diabetes-attributed coronary heart disease could create cumulative savings in health care of $7.8 billion between 2013 and 2020.
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REGULATORY FACT:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
enforces the federal laws requiring that dietary supplement claims in advertising are truthful and not misleading, and substantiated with scientific evidence.
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SCIENCE FACT:
According to a recent study published in Circulation, patients who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction experienced significant cardiac improvement from daily use of four grams of omega-3 fatty acids administered by a doctor.
HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS FACT:
Women 55+ with osteoporosis can help reduce their risk of having an osteoporosis-related medical event (e.g., falls or fractures) by taking magnesium supplements at preventive intake levels.
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REGULATORY FACT:
Companies bringing a new ingredient to market must supply FDA with adequate information to provide "reasonable assurance that the ingredient does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury."
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SCIENCE FACT:
Herbal supplements may offer women relief from symptoms of menopause according to new research.
HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS FACT:
Between 2013 and 2020, a cumulative savings of $30.95 billion health care utilization costs could be realized if all US adults 55+ diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration or cataracts were to supplement with lutein and zeaxanthin.
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REGULATORY FACT:
Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, dietary supplements are required to be accurately labeled to inform consumers about their intended use.
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SCIENCE FACT: Supplementing with omega-3s may shorten hospital stays for cardiac surgery patients according to research.
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CRN CONSUMER SURVEY FACT:
68 percent of Americans take dietary supplements.
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HEALTH CARE COST SAVINGS FACT:
If US adults aged 55+ with coronary heart disease (CHD) take phytosterol supplements, nearly 2.3 million CHD-related medical events could be avoided between 2013 and 2020.
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REGULATORY FACT:
Section 402(g)(1) of the FDCA: Supplements may be considered adulterated if prepared, packed, or held under conditions that do not meet cGMP regulations.
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SCIENCE FACT:
An April 2016 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that low vitamin B12 status can lead to poor memory function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
