Tests Show Many Supplements Have Quality Problems

"Antioxidants are not the magic bullets that the supplement industry would like consumers to believe," said David Schardt, a nutrition expert with the consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "They're not even necessarily benign."

Herbal sex pills containing the African tree bark extract yohimbe have landed men in hospitals with heart rhythm problems. This herb can cause high blood pressure, increased heart rate and other symptoms, the government warns.

The most serious side effects occurred with diet pills containing ephedra -- heart problems, seizures and even deaths. The FDA banned it in 2004. The battle started in 1997, when the agency wanted strong warnings on labels, and it became a test case of FDA authority that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the FDA ultimately prevailed.

Drug Interactions
Ginkgo, vitamin K, garlic, ginseng and other herbals can cause bleeding or clotting problems if taken with certain medications or before surgery. St. John's wort, promoted for depression, affects metabolism of more than half of all prescription drugs and can undermine birth control pills. Other supplements that can interfere with medicines include glucosamine, saw palmetto, soy and valerian.

Overstated Health Claims
Makers can say a supplement addresses a nutrient deficiency, supports health, or reduces the risk of developing a problem, but then must say the product "is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."

So consumers will see vague claims, such as "promotes healthy immune system function." The immune system has dozens of parts, and modifying one can be helpful or harmful, so "it's a quack concept," said Dr. Stephen Barrett, a retired physician who runs Quackwatch, a Web site on medical scams.

The Federal Trade Commission has stepped up actions against deceptive ads, said commission lawyer Rich Cleland.

"It is a little like playing Whack-A-Mole," because each time one problem is resolved, more seem to pop up, he said.

Last year, his agency reached a settlement against the makers of Airborne, a supplement aimed at people in crowded places such as airplanes, offices and schools. Company founders "made false claims that Airborne products are clinically proven to treat colds," and there is also no evidence the products can prevent colds, the FTC complaint says.

Airborne's makers agreed to add $6.5 million to the $23.5 million they had already agreed to pay to settle a related private class-action lawsuit, bringing the total settlement fund to $30 million.

Industry also has stepped up self-policing. The Council for Responsible Nutrition gave money to the Council of Better Business Bureaus so it could hire a lawyer to investigate some supplement sellers' sketchy claims.

"There were cancer cures and 'blast off 29 pounds in 39 days' -- really the Wild West of advertising. It was totally out of control," said the BBB's advertising division director, Andrea Levine.

The BBB council targets the worst claims in popular categories, such as diet, cold and flu, menopause, joint problems and sleep aids.

"We can't do them all," but want to send a broad signal about what kinds of claims are over the line for each type of product, she said.