From The October 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Back Talk

What Aspect Of Dietary Supplements Do Consumers Still Find Confusing?

by Stephanie Gailing, C.N.

Many consumers remain confused about how to best choose and use supplements. This is not surprising considering the ever-increasing number of supplements on the market as well as conflicting information circulating about such products. For the supplements industry to experience its full potential, say the experts, consumers need to become more confident in their supplements usage decisions.

"Consumers still seem confused about what constitutes a quality supplement and how to determine if they can trust the company that makes it. Some of this confusion stems from generalizations made by the media. For instance, when there is a negative news story about a dietary supplement, the media rarely acknowledge that there are quality-standard differences between companies.

"Some companies invest a lot into research and validation processes while others do not. Lumping them together lends an air of disrespectability to the whole industry, causing consumers to think that all products are the same and that they should be wary of supplements in general. Companies should educate consumers about quality standards and what these standards actually mean."

Cheryl Myers
Manager of Medical Communication and Education
Enzymatic Therapy
Green Bay, Wis.

"One of the main areas that is still puzzling for consumers is how to discern product quality. To assist the public in clearing up this confusion and to help them become more educated about supplements, I encourage people who call us to also call product manufacturers and ask questions about their quality control and GMPs.

"When it comes to herbs, consumers should ask how the companies assure they are using the right plants. For instance, what are their analytical techniques for determining varieties in order to avoid adulteration? In order to assess a product's quality, it is also important that consumers ask how the herbs are processed, because that can change the outcome of the final product."

Mindy Green
Director of Education
Herb Research Foundation
Boulder, Colo.

"What may be confusing for people is not which supplements to take, but rather what questions they should be asking about a product before taking it. For example, people may no longer question whether St. John's wort has antidepressant qualities; however, they may be confused about what to expect when taking it, how long they should take it, and what its potential side effects may be. I think information that educates the consumer about these issues, which is targeted to the right level of consumer understanding—not too simple or too complex—can help to alleviate a lot of consumer confusion."

P.K. Davé
President
Nature's Formulary
Guilderland, N.Y.

"Consumers are confused about the benefits of supplements due to conflicting information, some of which comes from the news media. For example, they will hear a news story based on a single research study that says a certain supplement does not have any benefits and therefore is not worth taking. They will then reconsider using this supplement even though they may have been taking it for years, sometimes on a doctor's recommendation. One of the things that manufacturers and retailers can do is encourage consumers to better evaluate the benefits of supplements by relying on their personal experience. This may clear up some of the confusion that they have."

Dorie Holden
Health and Beauty Coordinator
PCC-Greenlake
Seattle, Wash.

"Although consumers are becoming more educated on the use of herbal products, they still do not know how to interpret a label in a meaningful way. The biggest obstacle we face today is helping them understand the meaning of marker compounds in regard to standardized herbs. Many manufacturers list the guaranteed level of a marker compound on their label in hopes of providing additional information to the consumer. However, this number can actually be confusing.

"For example, if someone wants to know the strength or potency of an herbal extract compared to a fresh, dried or powdered herb, the marker compound can often help. But unfortunately, an incomplete understanding can lead people to believe that the marker compound is the active ingredient. In other words, they are under the impression that the absolute quality of the product is dependent on the content of the marker compound, and, therefore, they ignore the importance of the remaining portion of the extract."

Megan Rooney
Technical Support
Indena USA Inc.
Seattle, Wash.