Despite the FDA ruling that many diet supplements had to be recalled due to the fact that they contained pharmaceutical drugs, some of these supplements are still available to customers and oftentimes with the same or similar drugs still in them.
The rule is this; diet supplements are legal for consumption as long as they are made up of vitamins, herbs and other natural ingredients. Diet supplements go against FDA regulations if they contain any sort of pharmaceutical chemical. For instance, Mince Belle was a dietary supplement aimed at helping with weight loss. It was banned when the FDA found that one if it’s ingredients (not listed on the bottle) was sibutramine, which was a habit-forming drug that was pulled from the market.
People in our society have proven that addiction can come in many forms. Some people are heroin addicts, some are gambling addicts, some are sex addicts and some get addicted to diet pills. Diet pills can be especially addictive because they oftentimes mimic the effects of stronger stimulants. They give a person an artificial boost of energy and the person does not feel compelled to eat. Their day is spent working off the “high” the diet pills provided. Sometimes in order to get some sleep at the end of the day, the person will have to consume sleeping pills. This yo-yo way of living is not only unhealthy, but it is identical to that of a drug addict. While the FDA has worked to eliminate these types of supplements from the market it is clear that some manufacturers are still able to sell them to consumers.
A recent study conducted looked into 27 dietary supplements that had been recalled by the FDA. The reason for the recall was because all of these drugs had pharmaceutical ingredients within the supplement that was not listed on the ingredient list. Researchers wanted to see if manufacturers were still selling the supplements with pharmaceutical drugs as part of the recipe, either the same drugs that got them banned in the first place, or new pharmaceutical drugs. Of the 27 drugs tested 66.7 percent still contained pharmaceutical drugs.
It is clear that some supplement manufacturers are creating drugs being masked as supplements. These drugs can be dangerous, especially if not taken without the supervision of a physician. Taking drugs without a prescription enhances a person’s chances of becoming an addict and seeking out other street drugs to illicit the same high. It is always a good idea to become an educated consumer and research any supplement or drug you ingest, including any known side effects or potential for abuse.
