Scary Supplements

In my health and fitness writing class, we've had more than a few guest speakers and presentation. Normally, during these presentation I have a couple quick, "Huh, well that's kind of interesting," moments, but when Brittany and Adam, two of the grad students in my class, did a presentation on supplements last Thursday, I acquired a wealth of knowledge.

Did you know the FDA does not regulate or review supplements (a wide range of products that are not defined beyond not being food or drugs). In fact, no one does. Got you thinking about those vitamins you take every morning or the weight loss pills you take to shed those extra pounds? It did for me; I'm even a little creeped out by the Airborn I take when I feel sick (the merits of which were argued briefly by Adam and Brittany. Conclusion: It probably works because of the placebo effect).

Ultimately, I think that taking a multivitamin is probably a good idea, and my cranberry supplement can stay, too, but I'm going to check any supplement I put into my body on ConsumerLab.com. The presenters also suggested only taking supplements that are GMP certified and even check with the manufacturers for a Certificate of Analysis. With all the lead in lipstick and toys, who knows what in my Centrum.