Looking closely at supplement and vitamin labels

For every well-known over the counter drug, there are generics and other companies looking to take advantage of an established brand. The labels on these items can’t always be counted upon, and unless there’s a guarantee somewhere on the product itself, the side effects could be risky, or even unknown, to the person taking them. A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine makes this point in regards to a certain subgroup of medications: male virility drugs.

These kinds of supplements are common, and according to the article, have the possibility to be completely untested. In this case, the labels attached could be extremely untrustworthy. The JAMA piece notes that the ingredients in some of these drugs could interact to result in possible fatalities. If the consumer is unprepared or ill-informed, this could happen to them, along with other damaging side effects that the report calls “profound.”

“Well-characterized prescription drugs may be detected by astute regulators using routine tests,” the article notes. “Recently, however, manufacturers of sexual enhancement supplements have increasingly turned to entirely novel pharmaceutical products that are not easily identifiable and have no regulatory status.”

This increases the importance for these drugs to come with accurate warnings and descriptions – as well as the likelihood that they might not. The report also notes that some turn to such medicines as an alternative to medical care, which could raise the risk factor even further.

Pill and vitamin labels that don’t accurately reflect their contents are health hazards that could affect millions. Fortunately, labeling options exist for those seeking the best way to list recommended dosages and other important information for supplements.