FDA, Is This True?

Nutrition
21

[quote]PuckX wrote:
Cthulhu wrote:

It’s funny when someone complains about a supplement being dangerous because they might get cramps from using a supplement-even if it might be something else- when there are people dying from drugs that are pulled off of the market all the time (and some never get pulled). I think the FDA needs to focus on that area first.

EXACTLY! I think that’s what pisses me off so much is the hypocrisy of it all. The drugs that the FDA approves I would be has a higher mortality and/or dangerous side effect rate than any supplement on the market. But they cover that up, and then say eating protein powder is going to kill you.
[/quote]

I guess they need to start making asian food buffets classified as drugs then because as palatable as they are, that stuff is addicting.

22

The FDA lost all credibility (in my eyes) when it banned ephedra/ephedrine in fat-loss supplements. Here was a cheap substance, with hardly any side effects (despite false claims to the contrary) that helped thousands of people with their fat loss; but there was a problem:

The Pharma Co.s were not making one dollar from it. So the FDA bans it based on some deaths that were “caused” by ephedra. Right, but Advil kills about 17,000 people a year, yet it’s still on the shelves. And now we have these fat-loss medicines coming out, with terrible side effects, that cost a lot more than ephedra supplements, but make money for the Pharma Co.s.

How can we trust the FDA after it pulls crap like this on us?

23

[quote]Miserere wrote:
The FDA lost all credibility (in my eyes) when it banned ephedra/ephedrine in fat-loss supplements. Here was a cheap substance, with hardly any side effects (despite false claims to the contrary) that helped thousands of people with their fat loss; but there was a problem:

The Pharma Co.s were not making one dollar from it. So the FDA bans it based on some deaths that were “caused” by ephedra. Right, but Advil kills about 17,000 people a year, yet it’s still on the shelves. And now we have these fat-loss medicines coming out, with terrible side effects, that cost a lot more than ephedra supplements, but make money for the Pharma Co.s.

How can we trust the FDA after it pulls crap like this on us?[/quote]

Thats exactly what I said in one of my posts about ephedra. There is a huge difference between the word abuse and use. Many people where abusing ephedra; most of the people that were using ephedra actually had a history of heart problems, high blood pressure, etc. The funny thing is they have ephedrine on the market, but not ephedra.

What’s even worse is, most of the deaths have not been linked to ephedra. If you have over 100,000 people using a product, there is a good chance that 100 or more will die due to natural disasters, car wrecks, etc. Thats just life.

24

[quote]
Come one, you think I’m going to trust some poster child like the FDA for the pharmaceutical companies that only want to and have to increase profits when it comes to my health? [/quote]

In any informed debate, it’s essential to look at the claims from both sides. As much as I love my supplements, it’s only because I BELIEVE they are healthy for me. It’s fair to say everyone involved in taking supplements does so for the same reason…

how would that change if after extensive testing the very supplements we take end up either not doing what they claim, or have long term harmful effects? Would you continue taking them?

I know a lot of ppl like the Spike Shooter, with 300mg caffeine per 8oz and comes with a warning not to exceede one can per day. The fda website warns against “excessive” caffeine intake and cites studies that show loss in bone density as a result over time. So how many people adhere to the one can of Spike per day, only go move on to a few cups of coffee, maybe a Vault or RedBull later, maybe a few diet drinks.

I started the day with a scoop and a half of N.O. Xplode (love it), and followed it up during the mini-marathon with a couple PowerBar energy packs. I do a lot of things in the name of health… but I can only go by what the advertising is telling me, and the pharmaceutical companies aren’t the only ones who have a stake in making profit.

Yeah, the FDA needs some big changes… but I’m also not opposed to legally mandating the claims the supplement companies make are both true and safe.

25

They hate us for our freedoms.

26

[quote]Cthulhu wrote:
softail wrote:
Health freedom action alert: FDA attempting to regulate supplements, herbs and juices as “drugs”
http://www.newstarget.com/021789.html

I know this has been talked about before, but it is really starting to alarm me.

Sad but true. I can’t imagine living in a world where the government busts into my house and arrests me for using a juicer or taking fish oil.

They won’t stop until everyone in America is fat and unhealthy.

Fortunately, we have websites like this were healthy, smart individuals can stand up against this nonsense; and if we voice our opinion about this and write to the FDA and our politicians, then that will be more powerful than any corrupted government suppressing the truth about true health.[/quote]

I find it ironic that the post about “healthy, smart individuals” misspells ‘where’ and misuses a semicolon. Back on topic - your alarmism is somewhat overstated. I suspect this is a legitimate response by the FDA to a number of simply untrue and overexaggerated herbal claims by various manufacturers.

It seems unlikely to me that the FDA thought “Hey, we should really penalize those people using protein powder.” Perhaps a voice of moderation and an understanding of where this drive comes from is in order.

27

hopefully the supp companies will quit providing the FDA and big pharma companies fuel by producing shady supplements.

28

[quote]LoneLobo wrote:
Cthulhu wrote:
softail wrote:
Health freedom action alert: FDA attempting to regulate supplements, herbs and juices as “drugs”
http://www.newstarget.com/021789.html

I know this has been talked about before, but it is really starting to alarm me.

Sad but true. I can’t imagine living in a world where the government busts into my house and arrests me for using a juicer or taking fish oil.

They won’t stop until everyone in America is fat and unhealthy.

Fortunately, we have websites like this were healthy, smart individuals can stand up against this nonsense; and if we voice our opinion about this and write to the FDA and our politicians, then that will be more powerful than any corrupted government suppressing the truth about true health.

I find it ironic that the post about “healthy, smart individuals” misspells ‘where’ and misuses a semicolon. Back on topic - your alarmism is somewhat overstated. I suspect this is a legitimate response by the FDA to a number of simply untrue and overexaggerated herbal claims by various manufacturers.

It seems unlikely to me that the FDA thought “Hey, we should really penalize those people using protein powder.” Perhaps a voice of moderation and an understanding of where this drive comes from is in order.
[/quote]

A legitimate response by the FDA to a number of simply untrue and ‘overexaggerated’ herbal claims by various manufacturers? So I guess juice companies make false claims too, right? Is that their excuse for wanting to control juice too?

You’re missing what is being said. No one is saying the FDA doesn’t want people not drinking protein powders - at least not yet. But America exercising and eating right isn’t their top priority either.

I’m a fast typer, and sometimes It will appear that I misspell a word in a post or two. That isn’t a common thing in my posts.

29

[quote]krav wrote:

Come one, you think I’m going to trust some poster child like the FDA for the pharmaceutical companies that only want to and have to increase profits when it comes to my health?

In any informed debate, it’s essential to look at the claims from both sides. As much as I love my supplements, it’s only because I BELIEVE they are healthy for me. It’s fair to say everyone involved in taking supplements does so for the same reason…

how would that change if after extensive testing the very supplements we take end up either not doing what they claim, or have long term harmful effects? Would you continue taking them?

I know a lot of ppl like the Spike Shooter, with 300mg caffeine per 8oz and comes with a warning not to exceede one can per day. The fda website warns against “excessive” caffeine intake and cites studies that show loss in bone density as a result over time. So how many people adhere to the one can of Spike per day, only go move on to a few cups of coffee, maybe a Vault or RedBull later, maybe a few diet drinks.

I started the day with a scoop and a half of N.O. Xplode (love it), and followed it up during the mini-marathon with a couple PowerBar energy packs. I do a lot of things in the name of health… but I can only go by what the advertising is telling me, and the pharmaceutical companies aren’t the only ones who have a stake in making profit.

Yeah, the FDA needs some big changes… but I’m also not opposed to legally mandating the claims the supplement companies make are both true and safe.

[/quote]

Obviously, there are supplement companies that only want to increase profits, but thousands of people aren’t dying from their supplements either. I can’t say the same for drug companies.
Some supplement companies do make false claims. Again, these are mostly fitness supplements, etc.

Multivitamin supplements and most isolated herbal supplements-like those found in GNC- don’t make false claims. They may say that the supplement can help improve ones health and/or may help prevent disease, which is true because that is what vitamins do.

Even the fitness supplements that make false claims aren’t killing thousands of people every year, so I don’t see why there is a sudden urge to regulate ALL supplements.

I don’t see why they want to regulate raw juice as a drug either. How on earth does the juice man juicer or V8 vegetable juice make false claims?

That means, if juice was regulated as a drug, I would get arrested for handing someone a cup of raw vegetable juice and telling them it’s great for your heart, since it would be a “drug”- and we all know that practicing medicine without a license is a crime. Thats just pure madness- especially when they need to have a more advanced regulation system on the drugs that they pass.

30

better stock up now while everything’s legal!!!

31

These tinfoil hat posts show up every month or two.

32

http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/New-FDA-Initiative-Circulating-the-Net-Does-Not-Warrant-Alarm-or-Action-12707.aspx

33

[quote]PublickStews wrote:
These tinfoil hat posts show up every month or two.[/quote]

Yes, but this has the potential to get out of hand, the same way most govt. regulations do. I’m sorry, but I’m sick of the govt. telling me what I can, and can’t do. Leave me the fuck alone and let me do my thing. Some more personal freedoms to kiss goodbye. You want a good example of where this is going, just check this post - http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1550023 .

No offense to Cannucks, Canada’s an awesome country, but their regulations are crazy.

DJ

34

[quote]djreef wrote:
PublickStews wrote:
These tinfoil hat posts show up every month or two.

Yes, but this has the potential to get out of hand, the same way most govt. regulations do. I’m sorry, but I’m sick of the govt. telling me what I can, and can’t do. Leave me the fuck alone and let me do my thing. Some more personal freedoms to kiss goodbye. You want a good example of where this is going, just check this post - http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1550023 .

No offense to Cannucks, Canada’s an awesome country, but their regulations are crazy.

DJ[/quote]

I remember that post.
I also remember reading that the FDA were on Biotest’s butts about MAG-10 and their T2 product.

35

[quote]PublickStews wrote:
These tinfoil hat posts show up every month or two.[/quote]

Reality check.

The pharmaceutical companies want to be the only companies to sell supplements.

Stay ignorant…I heard it is bliss…

36

The main argument against this is while some supplements may make false claims, most do not and the justification of regulating a protein supplement but putting drugs on the shelves that have been PROVEN in studies to cause severely adverse side effects is just not something we can understand. The most horrific thing in my opinion is that many of these over the counter pills that cause these side effects were not approved by the scientists doing the tests.

Take Vioxx for example. That was a huge shit on the public image of the FDA because the scientists and studies said it was not safe for the public to use and they were paid to keep their mouths shut and to fabricate reports.

Now you say the FDA could protect us from false claims by the supplement companies. How about they protect us from the false claims made by the big drug companies that they’re paying them to say first? And c’mon juice? Massage rocks? Do you really believe that regulating supplements is more of a pressing matter than looking at nutrition and obesity and maybe even creating pain killers that don’t kill 17,000 people a year.

37

[quote]Skrussian wrote:
The main argument against this is while some supplements may make false claims, most do not and the justification of regulating a protein supplement but putting drugs on the shelves that have been PROVEN in studies to cause severely adverse side effects is just not something we can understand. The most horrific thing in my opinion is that many of these over the counter pills that cause these side effects were not approved by the scientists doing the tests.

Take Vioxx for example. That was a huge shit on the public image of the FDA because the scientists and studies said it was not safe for the public to use and they were paid to keep their mouths shut and to fabricate reports.

Now you say the FDA could protect us from false claims by the supplement companies. How about they protect us from the false claims made by the big drug companies that they’re paying them to say first? And c’mon juice? Massage rocks? Do you really believe that regulating supplements is more of a pressing matter than looking at nutrition and obesity and maybe even creating pain killers that don’t kill 17,000 people a year.[/quote]

What really pisses me off is that the FDA voted to put Vioxx back on the market after tens of thousands of deaths, even when it was pulled from the pharmacies by its own manufacturer.

38

Here is what I love…I can sit on my couch eating ding-dongs all day and become FAT…Then I can get a risky surgery or get put on risky meds to help lose the weight because now I have diabetes, heart problems, joint problems, breathing problems, etc.

But…If I want to use steroids or supplements which only work if I go to the gym, work out hard, and eat fairly well…Well, all of that stuff will be banned or made ilegal…Yet my ding-dongs are still free to buy, along with cigarettes, alcohol, etc.

Yet everyone complains about the obesity problem, yet the government is doing all it can to encourage it…I blame Bush…j/k…

39

[quote]PublickStews wrote:
These tinfoil hat posts show up every month or two.[/quote]

Comrade Stews sez the proles are ignorant and that the party would never lie to us.