Many sports supplements are currently poorly labeled and largely due to poor regulation and control over pampering. Something similar happens with food supplements in general, whose safety and effectiveness is doubtful, since it depends, among other things, on the law that regulates them.

The current regulation

The regulation currently available is largely responsible for the fact that many supplements have a dubious safety and efficacy, because as claimed by the OCU each country has a different legislation and in them are prohibited substances and allowed, as well such as the categorization of complements.

This can lead to confusion as well as may raise doubts about the safety and effectiveness of supplements, since something classified as safe in one country may be prohibited in another or what is considered a food supplement in another country can be categorized as a herbal medicine.

Likewise, Regulation 432/2012 establishes a list of authorized claims for health properties of foods, adding 15% of the recommended daily amount of a nutrient. That is, if a supplement or supplement has only 15% of the recommended vitamin C can highlight its presence and mention healthy properties to the product because it contains this nutrient, when we all know that an orange only covers the daily vitamin C and that 15 % of daily need is a very low percentage.

All this leads consumers to have a lot of confusion about dietary supplements, since their effectiveness may be null regarding what a product declares on the label, as happened with the supplement that Rafa Nadal used to recover his knee.

The absence of a unified regulatory framework throughout and the flexibility in making claims of each supplement in the labeling are a big part of the current problem with the different complements available in the market.

Much to improve, little within reach

As consumers the only weapon available to buy with foundation or to know a product is the labeling of the same. However, if regulation leaves much to be desired in this issue and in labeling we can talk about safety and efficacy when they may not be solid affirmations, there is little available to us.

Therefore, we believe that there is much to improve in the current regulation and in addition to creating a global legislation that allows to speak in the same language in all the countries, it is always necessary to tighten regulatory frameworks and controls on labeling of each product.

Claiming healthy, healing or stimulating properties of collagen formation to a product that has only 15% of the recommended vitamin C is exaggerated and its effectiveness is at least dubious, therefore, any misleading claim that confuses the consumer should be reviewed if we look for nutritional supplements that not only affect our pocket.

Controlling nutritional claims, as well as pointing out possible adverse effects, recommended minimum and maximum doses and quality nutritional information is key to safer and more effective food supplements, as well as the creation of a monitoring and control system ensure compliance with existing regulations.

Rashed Ahmed regularly contributes to free online magazines and living ideas to various blogs around the web. When he’s not busy working with the work, you will find him undertaking many of her own lifestyle-related topics and living ideas! He has a lot of dreams. He works hard to fulfill his dreams. He loves to share his ideas, tricks, tips, and information by blogging. He also works at unique business ideas, a business marketing company that committed to helping businesses with online marketing.