Buying natural remedies can be an iffy proposition since they're subject to little federal regulation. But an independent testing group aims to make it easier to check manufacturers' claims.
ConsumerLab.com hopes to become the Internet natural remedies equivalent of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. ConsumerLab scrutinizes, rates and reviews supplements, sports products, energy foods, beverages and personal care products.
ConsumerLab's most recent testing showed that SAM-e supplements, used for depression and joint problems, often don't carry as much of the essential product as labeling claims. Other ConsumerLab reviews have found many brands of ginkgo biloba and saw palmetto also came up short.
ConsumerLab.com also has a search engine to help consumers find information from medical databases. Daily Newsbriefs provides tips and trends in the natural remedies world, and Technical Reports offer precise details on the chemical composition and performance of reviewed products.
Web sites selling natural products are turning to ConsumerLab.com for endorsements and authentication of claims and formulas. Enutrition.com, for instance, highlights each of its products that claim a ConsumerLab.com seal of approval.
