A belief prevails among popular culture and even within some health and high-performing athletic organizations that nutritional supplements are not regulated by the FDA. This understanding is simply not true. Don’t believe me? In a lecture presented by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), Dr. Chris Lockwood, an expert on sports nutrition and dietary supplement regulation, called it outright.

“True or False?” he asked. “‘The dietary supplement industry is not regulated.’ We see this a lot… we hear this a lot… If you answered ‘true’ to that, you are wrong” he said (Sports Science Dudes, 2024). Full stop.

One result of this misconception is the demonization of the entire supplement industry. Individuals and organizations, either confused or armed with misinformation, disapprove of or fear supplementation and its intended effects. To be clear, supplements encompass vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids and dietary substances used to supplement the diet by increasing the total daily intake (Akabas et al., 2016).

When you consider the impact of soil degradation and our ongoing exposure to environmental toxins, dietary supplementation is arguably necessary for most individuals, high performing athlete or not.

“A sad fact is that conventionally grown foods do not contain as high a concentration of nutrients today as they did in the past,” explain Murray and Pizzorno (2012) in The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (pp. 70-71).

“For example, one study showed that vitamin levels have decreased by as much as 37% from 1950 to 1999, and another found that trace minerals have dropped by as much as 77% from 1940 to 1991” they say (Murray & Pizzorno, 2012, 71).

A Closer Look at the Facts

To better understand Dr. Lockwood’s statement, I did some digging and learned that both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provide regulatory oversight.

The FDA’s purview includes the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which monitors labeling and requires supplement manufacturers and distributors to substantiate the safety of the dietary ingredients used in their products (Akabas et al., 2016). In addition, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements specify standards, “necessary for activities related to manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and holding of dietary supplements to ensure product quality” (Akabas et al., 2016, p. 1373).

The FTC monitors and regulates dietary supplement advertising. This covers everything from print and broadcast advertisements to the Internet to infomercials, catalogs and other direct marketing materials. “Because the FTC and FDA have shared jurisdiction for advertising claims, they often work together on enforcement activities,” explains Akabas et al. (2016, p. 1373).

Here is where it gets murky: While regulations clearly exist, the FDA does not determine standards for the contents of supplements including the amount and composition of each ingredient. Likewise, it does not mandate clinical efficacy (Akabas et al., 2016). Couple this with the sheer volume of dietary supplements on the market—all claiming ways to help you lose weight, increase longevity, or optimize health and performance—and it is no wonder the consumer is weary.

Enter the importance of third-party testing and how to supplement smart.

Best Practices for Smart Supplementation

Third-party testing is a fee-based quality certification program offered by one of three organizations: ConsumerLab.com, NSF International (NSF) and the US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP). NSF offers an additional layer of certification for supplements specifically designed for athletes called NSF Certified for Sport®.

On top of the NSF’s standard certification, the Certified for Sport® program “screens supplements for 280 substances banned by most major athletic organizations as well as undeclared ingredients including stimulants, narcotics, steroids, diuretics, beta-2-agonists, masking agents and other substances” (NSF, 2024). In other words, if you’re an athlete, particularly one who is tested in accord with the World Anti-Doping Code, supplements marked as NSF Certified for Sport® provide the highest level of safety and quality control.

Not an athlete or not in the testing pool? Supplementing with safe, high-quality products is still essential for optimal health and personal safety.

Tips for best buying practices?

1) Read labels

Be mindful of potentially harmful inactive ingredients such as gums, emulsifiers and added sugars (Minich, 2024).

2) Choose wisely

Chose organically-certified sources to reduce exposure to contamination from insecticides, pesticides and GMOs, just like with food (Minich, 2024).

3) Look for the seal

This includes seals that verify third-party testing for contaminants, as well as certified organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, etc.

4) Lean on an expert in the field

I offer this final best practice with caution because well-informed, well-researched experts can be tough to identify these days. Do your own research, ask questions and use intuition and critical-thinking combined even when working with “the best” in the field.

Author’s Note

Hello, my friends! Whew! That was a long one. And it was a little bit more informational and less simply thought-provoking than promised at the launch of this series on performance nutrition.

We started with BCAAs and EAAs because of conflicting literature that sparked personal interest—amino acids are among the nutritional supplements I’ve long used. But before looking further at specific individual supplements or strategies, it was important to me to set a foundation and offer insight into standards and regulations.

Thank you for staying with me! Cheers to making your next purchase with a well-informed mind and care!

References

Akabas, S. R., Vannice, G., Atwater, J. B., Cooperman, T., Cotter, R., & Thomas, L. (2016). Quality Certification Programs for Dietary Supplements. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(9), 1370–1379. https://www-sciencedirect-com.pacificcollege.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S2212267215016421?via%3Dihub

Minich, D. (2024, February 14). How to Choose a High-Quality Dietary Supplement. https://deannaminich.com/how-to-choose-a-high-quality-dietary-supplement/

Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. (2012). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (3rd ed.). Atria Books.

NSF. (2024). Supplement and Vitamin Certification. https://www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/articles/supplement-vitamin-certification

Sports Science Dudes. (2024, March 17). Dr. Chris Lockwood – Unveiling the Truth About Dietary Supplement Regulation and Safety Standards [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba8oa5lA67E