South Korean customs said it had confiscated more than 17,000 health capsules smuggled from China that contain human flesh, most likely extracted from aborted foetuses or stillborn babies. The Chinese Ministry of Health said it had been investigating allegations that capsules were being manufactured from human remains but had found no evidence. The South Korean customs agency said pills had been smuggled into the country through parcels and luggage carried from China. The pills were composed of ''ground stillborn foetus or babies that had been cut into small pieces and dried in gas ranges for two days, then made into powders and encapsulated'', the report said. "Flesh pills have been continuously smuggled into [South Korea], camouflaged as health tonics,'' the statement said. The pills came mostly from cities in north-eastern China: Yanji, Jilin, Qingdao and Tianjin. The South Korean government has been investigating capsules made of human flesh since last year when a monthly magazine released a report about the use of dead infants in traditional medicines. The report said the infants and foetuses were purchased illegally from hospitals. Forensic tests on pills marketed as "infant capsule" and "foetus powder" found a 99.7 per cent match with human tissue, South Korean reports said. "Human flesh pills are similar to a bizarre invigorate-seeking culture where people search for items such as seal's genitals and bear gall bladder in hopes for boosting one's stamina," Dr Ha Il-hyun at Seoul's Konkuk University Hospital told the newspaper Chosun Ilbo. "If there's anyone who claims he benefited from the pill, it would only be a placebo effect."
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query China. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query China. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Think products from China are safe?
Here's a news story which made a big splash on all the news websites yesterday. Many governments are right now trying to squash this problem before it becomes more widespread. As you can see, China has an entirely different outlook on health and on supplement ingredients than does the rest of the world.
This is why I don't understand how some people can buy herbal products that are China-sourced . . . Rhodiola is a good example. The best Rhodiola in the world is Siberian, not Chinese. Yes, China holds a distinction as well, as the cheapest Rhodiola in the world comes from China. You can buy 500mg capsules of Chinese Rhodiola rosea for $7.99 in a store, but Siberian is a different story. As a result of cheap, Chinese Rhodiola, the better products (that sell for $15 - $25) get pushed off the shelf.
China also brings us a new "first" in the supplement field:
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Sham: Chinese Counterfeits Kill
An exposé appeared today in the New York Times that is a must-read for anyone concerned about the source of their medicines and dietary supplements. The headline in today's post links directly to the NYT article about this issue, but does require you to fill in a brief, no-cost registration. It's worth it just for this extensive article.
It seems that yet another Chinese scandal is developing regarding contaminated products being sold for human consumption. While many of these scandals deal with the basic environmental contamination that is so rampant in mainland China (absorbed into anything that grows, such as herbs, mushrooms, agricultural crops), this news is even more repulsive because it is a story of greed and corruption. It shows that there are literally no controls on what business people say and do in China, which can lead to very serious consequences.
In this case, greed led to industrial solvents being sold as glycerine, which was later used around the world in a number of contaminated pharmaceutical products including enemas used on little children and cough syrups that killed dozens of senior citizens in Central America. Researchers say the number of deaths could be in the "thousands."
This topic ties directly into a recent "Sham vs. Wham" post entitled, "Does the Source of an Ingredient Matter?". It is quite an issue, because anyone producing a quality Dietary Supplement or Pharmaceutical product using ingredients from the USA or Europe faces this problem. Chinese products are SO much cheaper -- the temptation is there for anyone looking for an herb or a botanical product of any kind to go with the Chinese supplier. And the Chinese are very aggressive marketers on the OEM front, advertising their botanicals and pharma ingredients along with low, low prices in all the major marketplaces.
In the case of our small business, ProActive BioProducts, we've had experiences with this China problem as well. Before we imported the Swedish Herbal Institute brand into North America, a company had actually stolen our Swedish brand name and put it on boxes of Chinese herbs sold here. Even today you can go on the Internet and find companies from China selling low-grade OEM herbs using our trademarks (they want to sell these less effective and potentially contaminated products to other manufacturers). Sadly, I know they will find buyers, because there are people in every country, not just China, who care more about profits than safety. (And there are always consumers who will grab the $12.95 bottle of supplements instead of the $19.95 because "it's all the same.")
Where will this China problem lead us? Will you be one of those Wal-Mart customers buying their new "organic" foods, much of which will come from China? Personally, I'm going to make sure that anything I ingest originates as far from China as possible.
Dave
[PS added 5/7: Some specialized herbs come from China, and are grown nowhere else. In that case, you've got to rely on the diligence of a quality provider who examines all raw materials and conducts scientific testing to ensure quality and a product free of contamination]
It seems that yet another Chinese scandal is developing regarding contaminated products being sold for human consumption. While many of these scandals deal with the basic environmental contamination that is so rampant in mainland China (absorbed into anything that grows, such as herbs, mushrooms, agricultural crops), this news is even more repulsive because it is a story of greed and corruption. It shows that there are literally no controls on what business people say and do in China, which can lead to very serious consequences.
In this case, greed led to industrial solvents being sold as glycerine, which was later used around the world in a number of contaminated pharmaceutical products including enemas used on little children and cough syrups that killed dozens of senior citizens in Central America. Researchers say the number of deaths could be in the "thousands."
This topic ties directly into a recent "Sham vs. Wham" post entitled, "Does the Source of an Ingredient Matter?". It is quite an issue, because anyone producing a quality Dietary Supplement or Pharmaceutical product using ingredients from the USA or Europe faces this problem. Chinese products are SO much cheaper -- the temptation is there for anyone looking for an herb or a botanical product of any kind to go with the Chinese supplier. And the Chinese are very aggressive marketers on the OEM front, advertising their botanicals and pharma ingredients along with low, low prices in all the major marketplaces.
In the case of our small business, ProActive BioProducts, we've had experiences with this China problem as well. Before we imported the Swedish Herbal Institute brand into North America, a company had actually stolen our Swedish brand name and put it on boxes of Chinese herbs sold here. Even today you can go on the Internet and find companies from China selling low-grade OEM herbs using our trademarks (they want to sell these less effective and potentially contaminated products to other manufacturers). Sadly, I know they will find buyers, because there are people in every country, not just China, who care more about profits than safety. (And there are always consumers who will grab the $12.95 bottle of supplements instead of the $19.95 because "it's all the same.")
Where will this China problem lead us? Will you be one of those Wal-Mart customers buying their new "organic" foods, much of which will come from China? Personally, I'm going to make sure that anything I ingest originates as far from China as possible.
Dave
[PS added 5/7: Some specialized herbs come from China, and are grown nowhere else. In that case, you've got to rely on the diligence of a quality provider who examines all raw materials and conducts scientific testing to ensure quality and a product free of contamination]
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Sham: Big Problems with Chinese Seafood
The problems experienced by Americans and others around the world with Chinese exports has now reached the US food chain, where inexpensive farmed fish have been found to contain a number of illegal and unhealthy ingredients. (Search this site for "China" for references to a number of other reported problems with their dietary supplements, personal care items, toys, etc.)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced it is blocking the import from China of five species of seafood until their importers can prove they are not contaminated. Dr. David Acheson, the agency's assistant commissioner for food protection, stated that "FDA is initiating an import alert against several species of imported Chinese farmed seafood because of numerous cases of contamination with drugs and unsafe food additives."
The species involved here are catfish, eel, shrimp, basa and dace, he said. (Basa is a fish much like catfish; dace is similar to carp.)
The medications cited include the antimicrobials nitrofuran, malachite green, gentian violet and fluoroquinolones. The first three chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing animals can result in antibiotic resistance -- something which is a great concern in these days of resistant strains and hospital acquired infections.
None of them is approved for use in farmed seafood in the United States. For many years now, US seafood farmers have been arguing that China is undercutting them and producing an inferior product.
"FDA is taking this action to protect the public health of the American people," the FDA representative said. He also admitted that the products "could cause serious health problems if consumed over a long period of time."
China is the world's largest producer of farmed fish, accounting for 70 percent of the total produced, he said. It is the third-largest exporter of farmed fish to the United States. In another piece of news today, China has been discovered by Brazil to be using fake Brazilian export certificates for their beef sales, claiming to buyers all over the world that Chinese beef is from Brazil. Unbelievable . . . I personally think it is time that we went on a "China-free diet" and ask our grocers where their food comes from before we purchase it for our family's consumption.
Dave
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced it is blocking the import from China of five species of seafood until their importers can prove they are not contaminated. Dr. David Acheson, the agency's assistant commissioner for food protection, stated that "FDA is initiating an import alert against several species of imported Chinese farmed seafood because of numerous cases of contamination with drugs and unsafe food additives."
The species involved here are catfish, eel, shrimp, basa and dace, he said. (Basa is a fish much like catfish; dace is similar to carp.)
The medications cited include the antimicrobials nitrofuran, malachite green, gentian violet and fluoroquinolones. The first three chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing animals can result in antibiotic resistance -- something which is a great concern in these days of resistant strains and hospital acquired infections.
None of them is approved for use in farmed seafood in the United States. For many years now, US seafood farmers have been arguing that China is undercutting them and producing an inferior product.
"FDA is taking this action to protect the public health of the American people," the FDA representative said. He also admitted that the products "could cause serious health problems if consumed over a long period of time."
China is the world's largest producer of farmed fish, accounting for 70 percent of the total produced, he said. It is the third-largest exporter of farmed fish to the United States. In another piece of news today, China has been discovered by Brazil to be using fake Brazilian export certificates for their beef sales, claiming to buyers all over the world that Chinese beef is from Brazil. Unbelievable . . . I personally think it is time that we went on a "China-free diet" and ask our grocers where their food comes from before we purchase it for our family's consumption.
Dave
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Sham: The Loss of Quality Vitamin C
Anyone who has followed this website over the last month or two knows about the problems we've had as consumers with the flow of Chinese merchandise around the world. Stories have been in all the major magazines and newspapers, from Time to the New York Times about the quality problems the Chinese are having with medicines, vitamins, dietary supplements, etc.
I was particularly disgusted when I read about the small toys and stuffed animals coming from China, and how dangerous these are to our children. Stuffed bunny rabbits filled with garbage and noodle wrappers -- basically, anything found on the factory floor or in the trash bin made it to the inside of toys held by small children all over the world.
Today, I'd like to warn you about another Chinese infringement making its way across the world. That is, the almost total dominance of Chinese products in the category of Vitamin C.
I love my Vitamin C, and take a couple of grams every day. I am sure that many readers do as well. But did you know that low prices from China have run most other suppliers out of business? One small business remains, located in Europe, producing a quality, contamination free Vitamin C (sold by DSM), but it is a very small percentage of the worldwide market. Most every Vitamin C tablet or capsule you buy is going to originate from China. Even the popular Vitamin C powders such the fizzy drink C's come from this country that can't seem to produce a contamination free health product.
At this point, all we can do is hope that our Vitamin and supplement manufacturers will turn away from the low prices and cheap goods offered by China, in favor of quality raw materials produced in other nations. Stand up for your rights to have clean and pure vitamins . . . Ask your suppliers if their products are "China free."
Dave
I was particularly disgusted when I read about the small toys and stuffed animals coming from China, and how dangerous these are to our children. Stuffed bunny rabbits filled with garbage and noodle wrappers -- basically, anything found on the factory floor or in the trash bin made it to the inside of toys held by small children all over the world.
Today, I'd like to warn you about another Chinese infringement making its way across the world. That is, the almost total dominance of Chinese products in the category of Vitamin C.
I love my Vitamin C, and take a couple of grams every day. I am sure that many readers do as well. But did you know that low prices from China have run most other suppliers out of business? One small business remains, located in Europe, producing a quality, contamination free Vitamin C (sold by DSM), but it is a very small percentage of the worldwide market. Most every Vitamin C tablet or capsule you buy is going to originate from China. Even the popular Vitamin C powders such the fizzy drink C's come from this country that can't seem to produce a contamination free health product.
At this point, all we can do is hope that our Vitamin and supplement manufacturers will turn away from the low prices and cheap goods offered by China, in favor of quality raw materials produced in other nations. Stand up for your rights to have clean and pure vitamins . . . Ask your suppliers if their products are "China free."
Dave
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Sham: Farm Raised Fish: Bad for You, Bad for the Planet
A study appearing in the December 14 issue of the journal Science shows, for the first time, that parasitic sea lice infestations caused by salmon farms are driving nearby populations of wild salmon toward extinction. The results show that the affected pink salmon populations have been rapidly declining for four years. The scientists expect a 99% collapse in another four years, or two salmon generations, if the infestations continue.
“The impact is so severe that the viability of the wild salmon populations is threatened,” says lead author Martin Krkosek, a fisheries ecologist from the University of Alberta. Krkosek and his co-authors calculate that sea lice have killed more than 80% of the annual pink salmon returns to British Columbia’s Broughton Archipelago. “If nothing changes, we are going to lose these fish.”
Previous peer-reviewed papers by Krkosek and others showed that sea lice from fish farms can infect and kill juvenile wild salmon. This, however, is the first study to examine the population-level effects on the wild salmon stocks. Things don't look good out there for wild-caught salmon. And as you know, Salmon that are wild-caught are much, much healthier food.
According to experts, the study also raises serious concerns about large-scale proposals for net pen aquaculture of other species and the potential for pathogen transfer to wild populations. Nowhere is this more visible than in China, where a probing New York Times article today describes the total mess that China is making of its environment due to fish farms that are set up to send this "food" to the USA and other countries. Here's a brief clipping of that commentary:
It appears that this tremendous environmental degradation on the other side of the world has become a food safety problem for us in the USA, and scientists say the long-term risks of consuming contaminated seafood could lead to higher rates of cancer and liver disease and other afflictions. It is time to stop this nonsense. The only one who can stop it is the consumer. Insist on wild-caught fish.
Dave
“The impact is so severe that the viability of the wild salmon populations is threatened,” says lead author Martin Krkosek, a fisheries ecologist from the University of Alberta. Krkosek and his co-authors calculate that sea lice have killed more than 80% of the annual pink salmon returns to British Columbia’s Broughton Archipelago. “If nothing changes, we are going to lose these fish.”
Previous peer-reviewed papers by Krkosek and others showed that sea lice from fish farms can infect and kill juvenile wild salmon. This, however, is the first study to examine the population-level effects on the wild salmon stocks. Things don't look good out there for wild-caught salmon. And as you know, Salmon that are wild-caught are much, much healthier food.
According to experts, the study also raises serious concerns about large-scale proposals for net pen aquaculture of other species and the potential for pathogen transfer to wild populations. Nowhere is this more visible than in China, where a probing New York Times article today describes the total mess that China is making of its environment due to fish farms that are set up to send this "food" to the USA and other countries. Here's a brief clipping of that commentary:
Here in southern China, beneath the looming mountains of Fujian Province, lie dozens of enormous ponds filled with murky brown water and teeming with eels, shrimp and tilapia, much of it destined for markets in Japan and the West.
Fuqing is No. 1 on a list for refused seafood shipments from China. It is one of the centers of a booming industry that over two decades has transformed this country into the biggest producer and exporter of seafood in the world, and the fastest-growing supplier to the United States.
But that growth is threatened by the two most glaring environmental weaknesses in China: acute water shortages and water supplies contaminated by sewage, industrial waste and agricultural runoff that includes pesticides. The fish farms, in turn, are discharging wastewater that further pollutes the water supply.
“Our waters here are filthy,” said Ye Chao, an eel and shrimp farmer who has 20 giant ponds in western Fuqing. “There are simply too many aquaculture farms in this area. They’re all discharging water here, fouling up other farms.”
Farmers have coped with the toxic waters by mixing illegal veterinary drugs and pesticides into fish feed, which helps keep their stocks alive yet leaves poisonous and carcinogenic residues in seafood, posing health threats to consumers.
It appears that this tremendous environmental degradation on the other side of the world has become a food safety problem for us in the USA, and scientists say the long-term risks of consuming contaminated seafood could lead to higher rates of cancer and liver disease and other afflictions. It is time to stop this nonsense. The only one who can stop it is the consumer. Insist on wild-caught fish.
Dave
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
New Report Damns Chinese Drywall as Unsafe
There has long been a suspected link between Chinese drywall and toxic effects reported by thousands of U.S. homeowners. Their stand on this faulty product was strengthened Monday by three preliminary reports issued by the federal government.
The strongest link came from an analysis of air sampled inside dozens of homes containing drywall made in China. The study of 51 homes detected hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The investigators also examined materials such as copper pipes and wiring for corrosion. In the homes containing the problem drywall, there was a "strong association" between the high levels of hydrogen sulfide and the corrosion of the metals, he said. Many home owners have experienced corrosion and have, in fact, moved out of their homes due to this issue with the Chinese drywall. Insurers have generally not paid them.
It is absolutely amazing to me why consumers in the USA and other regions of the world continue to buy cheap, Chinese made products. This drywall is just the latest in a long string of health problems caused by Chinese goods. Each day, tens of thousands of consumers go into vitamin shops and buy Chinese manufactured dietary supplements. Major brands contain Chinese vitamin C, as one example. (Think twice next time before you pour a package of fizzy Vitamin C powder into a glass of water. It's right off the boat from China, despite the big brand name.)
Companies will always tell you that "We control our manufacturing process -- while it may be from China, we do the quality control." That didn't help the children who died from tainted Chinese milk products, and the quality control by US importers didn't prevent people from building sick homes with Chinese drywall.
Stick with companies that buck the trend and use high-quality manufacturing methods and extracts. These will generally not be sourced from China.
Dave
The strongest link came from an analysis of air sampled inside dozens of homes containing drywall made in China. The study of 51 homes detected hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The investigators also examined materials such as copper pipes and wiring for corrosion. In the homes containing the problem drywall, there was a "strong association" between the high levels of hydrogen sulfide and the corrosion of the metals, he said. Many home owners have experienced corrosion and have, in fact, moved out of their homes due to this issue with the Chinese drywall. Insurers have generally not paid them.
It is absolutely amazing to me why consumers in the USA and other regions of the world continue to buy cheap, Chinese made products. This drywall is just the latest in a long string of health problems caused by Chinese goods. Each day, tens of thousands of consumers go into vitamin shops and buy Chinese manufactured dietary supplements. Major brands contain Chinese vitamin C, as one example. (Think twice next time before you pour a package of fizzy Vitamin C powder into a glass of water. It's right off the boat from China, despite the big brand name.)
Companies will always tell you that "We control our manufacturing process -- while it may be from China, we do the quality control." That didn't help the children who died from tainted Chinese milk products, and the quality control by US importers didn't prevent people from building sick homes with Chinese drywall.
Stick with companies that buck the trend and use high-quality manufacturing methods and extracts. These will generally not be sourced from China.
Dave
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Sham: Chinese Supplements: The Story Continues
It appears that, once again, China is sending contaminated and dangerous products out into the world through practices that are often deceptive, and always indicative of poor quality and Government regulatory control. I wrote about this in an earlier "Sham vs. Wham."
An article appearing in today's New York Times (linked to the headline of this post) speaks of thousands of tubes of poisoned toothpaste which appear to have been produced in China, under brand names like "Mr. Cool." How would you like to brush your teeth with a product that contains industrial anti-freeze? Counterfeiters in China have found that it is more profitable to substitute Diethylene Glycol in products such as this one, which is supposed to have another sweet-tasting syrup as a part of its ingredient list (Glycerine).
This story is important to anyone who follows the dietary supplement business, because an ever-increasing number of US dietary supplement companies import their formulas directly from China, where industrial pollutants have worked their way into plant life and where little or no government regulatory control exists over suppliers of exported herbal and medicinal ingredients. These Chinese counterfeiters and the American businessmen who do business with them do not deserve your money . . . Even the Swedish company that produces an excellent herbal product for the USA market has been hit by these fakes. Copycat products appearing to be the same tablets appear under similar brand names in boxes with the same foil sealed packages made famous by the Swedes. Stick with quality products from US or European suppliers (or Brazilian in the case of medicinal mushrooms) for your health care. Copycats, cheats and contaminators do not deserve to make a living on your health investment.
Dave
PS - How do we allow this? We buy a $6.99 supplement instead of one that costs $12.00, and what do we get? Chinese contaminated garbage. Read this article at the Washington Post -- it's just plain frightening.
An article appearing in today's New York Times (linked to the headline of this post) speaks of thousands of tubes of poisoned toothpaste which appear to have been produced in China, under brand names like "Mr. Cool." How would you like to brush your teeth with a product that contains industrial anti-freeze? Counterfeiters in China have found that it is more profitable to substitute Diethylene Glycol in products such as this one, which is supposed to have another sweet-tasting syrup as a part of its ingredient list (Glycerine).
This story is important to anyone who follows the dietary supplement business, because an ever-increasing number of US dietary supplement companies import their formulas directly from China, where industrial pollutants have worked their way into plant life and where little or no government regulatory control exists over suppliers of exported herbal and medicinal ingredients. These Chinese counterfeiters and the American businessmen who do business with them do not deserve your money . . . Even the Swedish company that produces an excellent herbal product for the USA market has been hit by these fakes. Copycat products appearing to be the same tablets appear under similar brand names in boxes with the same foil sealed packages made famous by the Swedes. Stick with quality products from US or European suppliers (or Brazilian in the case of medicinal mushrooms) for your health care. Copycats, cheats and contaminators do not deserve to make a living on your health investment.
Dave
PS - How do we allow this? We buy a $6.99 supplement instead of one that costs $12.00, and what do we get? Chinese contaminated garbage. Read this article at the Washington Post -- it's just plain frightening.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sham: Chinese Supplements a Worldwide Concern
News sites are reporting an FDA investigation into dietary supplements that are marketed to provide male sexual enhancement. It has been discovered that a number of these contain undeclared erectile dysfunction drugs, which may be putting users at risk. The Food and Drug Administration has indicated these impure products are sold by a company called "Shangai Distributor Inc." out of Puerto Rico.
The agency advised consumers to stay away from supplements sold under the names Super Shangai, Strong Testis, Shangai Ultra, Shangai Ultra X, Lady Shangai and Shangai Regular. Product testing indicates that some of these so-called supplements contain Viagra's active ingredient, sildenafil, or a compound with a chemical structure that mimics sildenafil.
These news reports bring up a larger problem, that of severely compromised botanical products that come from China in packages that don't always state the country of origin. A Chinese dietary supplement can have an American or Euro company's name on the box and not say anything about the location of the original compound. The Vitamin C manufacturer Emergen-C, for example, is just one company that produces a popular product made for the vitamin supplement market here in the USA, out of Chinese-produced compounds. There are many, many other companies that produce their products in China or who buy Chinese herbs to be repackaged in Western countries.
Right now China is going through huge upheaval in its systems for quality control and may end up on the right side of the problem in the next year or two. Beyond the quality control issue, however, lies a bigger problem. Chinese manufacturers must deal with the huge problems of contamination that result from groundwater and air pollution. Plants absorb anything and everything from their environment, and until China cleans up its growing environmental problems, this will affect the world of dietary supplement customers.
Dave
The agency advised consumers to stay away from supplements sold under the names Super Shangai, Strong Testis, Shangai Ultra, Shangai Ultra X, Lady Shangai and Shangai Regular. Product testing indicates that some of these so-called supplements contain Viagra's active ingredient, sildenafil, or a compound with a chemical structure that mimics sildenafil.
These news reports bring up a larger problem, that of severely compromised botanical products that come from China in packages that don't always state the country of origin. A Chinese dietary supplement can have an American or Euro company's name on the box and not say anything about the location of the original compound. The Vitamin C manufacturer Emergen-C, for example, is just one company that produces a popular product made for the vitamin supplement market here in the USA, out of Chinese-produced compounds. There are many, many other companies that produce their products in China or who buy Chinese herbs to be repackaged in Western countries.
Right now China is going through huge upheaval in its systems for quality control and may end up on the right side of the problem in the next year or two. Beyond the quality control issue, however, lies a bigger problem. Chinese manufacturers must deal with the huge problems of contamination that result from groundwater and air pollution. Plants absorb anything and everything from their environment, and until China cleans up its growing environmental problems, this will affect the world of dietary supplement customers.
Dave
Friday, September 14, 2007
Chinese Production of Vitamin C: Changes Affect the World Market
Big changes are ahead for Vitamin C. Prices for this ingredient are skyrocketing. The market for vitamin C is shifting as reports circulate that prices from China - the world's primary supplier - have gone through the roof. The days of dumping cheap Vitamin C on the market may be over.
We'd all had those little EMERGEN-C fizzy Vitamin C drinks--did you know that you are downing a glass full of a "health product" produced in China? Yes, the same country that brought us tainted toothpaste, poisoned fish and dangerous children's toys. But recently, China has had to crack down on quality problems and environmental issues stemming from some of their largest manufacturing centers. Production of Vitamin C in the country has been cut over the past several months, pushing prices up by more than 200 percent to a new, four-year high.
This news also shows us the risks of the world's growing dependence on China for this important vitamin. European producers, who had nearly been put out of business in the last few years by what were possibly artificially-low Chinese prices, may now have the opportunity to come back into the marketplace so that consumers are not force-fed Chinese health products.
In the last two years, both BASF and DSM have closed production facilities because of Chinese competition. Dutch-based DSM closed a manufacturing facility for Vitamin C in the United States because at the time of closing production in New Jersey, the cost of vitamin C had dropped to as low as $2 per kilo (it is now around $12).
Four of the biggest Chinese producers of Vitamin C are now facing a price-fixing suit in a New York court.
It is a shame that the little fizzy drink packages mentioned above do not have to be labeled as Chinese. I would prefer to have the option of avoiding Chinese "health products," and look forward to the day that this company and others like them find a supplier from another region of the world for Vitamin C.
Dave
We'd all had those little EMERGEN-C fizzy Vitamin C drinks--did you know that you are downing a glass full of a "health product" produced in China? Yes, the same country that brought us tainted toothpaste, poisoned fish and dangerous children's toys. But recently, China has had to crack down on quality problems and environmental issues stemming from some of their largest manufacturing centers. Production of Vitamin C in the country has been cut over the past several months, pushing prices up by more than 200 percent to a new, four-year high.
This news also shows us the risks of the world's growing dependence on China for this important vitamin. European producers, who had nearly been put out of business in the last few years by what were possibly artificially-low Chinese prices, may now have the opportunity to come back into the marketplace so that consumers are not force-fed Chinese health products.
In the last two years, both BASF and DSM have closed production facilities because of Chinese competition. Dutch-based DSM closed a manufacturing facility for Vitamin C in the United States because at the time of closing production in New Jersey, the cost of vitamin C had dropped to as low as $2 per kilo (it is now around $12).
Four of the biggest Chinese producers of Vitamin C are now facing a price-fixing suit in a New York court.
It is a shame that the little fizzy drink packages mentioned above do not have to be labeled as Chinese. I would prefer to have the option of avoiding Chinese "health products," and look forward to the day that this company and others like them find a supplier from another region of the world for Vitamin C.
Dave
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Is Contamination in Baby Foods Next? New Manufacturing Plant in China On The Way
One of the US's largest suppliers of infant formula is now investing $280 Million to build a nutritional manufacturing facility in China. This manufacturing facility, in Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province, China, will primarily produce infant formula milk powder and other nutritional products. When completed, the site will be one of the world's largest nutritional manufacturing facilities.
The new facility will become part of Wyeth's global nutritional manufacturing and supply network and will feature high-technology manufacturing of milk powder for infants and young children.
I don't know about you, but reading this press release made me queasy. Although Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is passing it off as an attempt to fill the needs of the Chinese market, I suspect that it is simply another "offshoring" effort, and that this Chinese made baby formula will be in our market soon enough.
With all the concern about Chinese quality and product contamination, it seems absolutely crazy to start making baby formula in China.
Dave
The new facility will become part of Wyeth's global nutritional manufacturing and supply network and will feature high-technology manufacturing of milk powder for infants and young children.
I don't know about you, but reading this press release made me queasy. Although Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is passing it off as an attempt to fill the needs of the Chinese market, I suspect that it is simply another "offshoring" effort, and that this Chinese made baby formula will be in our market soon enough.
With all the concern about Chinese quality and product contamination, it seems absolutely crazy to start making baby formula in China.
Dave
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Consumers Avoiding Foreign Ingredients
An industry trade magazine, The Natural Foods Merchandiser recently reported on a large survey that was done of the supplement purchasing population. It was found that consumers vastly underestimate the percentage of ingredients in their vitamins and supplements that come from China. This falls into line with what has been reported here in the past about the fact that many products do not state the country of origin for their compounds.
This survey, conducted November 16th and 17th, was a nationally representative group of more than 1,000 people, about 50% of whom self-reported themselves to be purchasers of dietary supplements. It was apparent in the survey that the respondents felt that very few of the ingredients in these products originated from China. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of the same group said that they would be far less likely to purchase a product if they knew it was of Chinese origin.
Little did these consumers know that the percentage of Chinese ingredients in popular products is considerably higher than even their most pessimistic estimates.
Unfortunately, the whiplash effect of the Chinese contamination stories in the press appears to have rubbed off on other countries of origin as well . . . 40% of these consumers say they would be less likely to buy a Japanese product, and 27% for European goods. "The surprise finding was that there's a negative afterglow for foreign products, generally," said Loren Israelsen, president of LDI Group Inc, an industry consulting firm.
Some countries (notably Scandinavia and Germany), are noted by industry experts as being on par or having even higher quality standards than the USA. It is a shame that the Chinese issue seems to have tainted all "foreign" dietary supplements with this concern in the public's mind.
Dave
This survey, conducted November 16th and 17th, was a nationally representative group of more than 1,000 people, about 50% of whom self-reported themselves to be purchasers of dietary supplements. It was apparent in the survey that the respondents felt that very few of the ingredients in these products originated from China. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of the same group said that they would be far less likely to purchase a product if they knew it was of Chinese origin.
Little did these consumers know that the percentage of Chinese ingredients in popular products is considerably higher than even their most pessimistic estimates.
Unfortunately, the whiplash effect of the Chinese contamination stories in the press appears to have rubbed off on other countries of origin as well . . . 40% of these consumers say they would be less likely to buy a Japanese product, and 27% for European goods. "The surprise finding was that there's a negative afterglow for foreign products, generally," said Loren Israelsen, president of LDI Group Inc, an industry consulting firm.
Some countries (notably Scandinavia and Germany), are noted by industry experts as being on par or having even higher quality standards than the USA. It is a shame that the Chinese issue seems to have tainted all "foreign" dietary supplements with this concern in the public's mind.
Dave
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Wham: Extract of a Chinese Moss May Indeed Improve Cognition in Alzheimer's Patients
The Cochran Library is reporting today that an extract derived from the Chinese club moss plant extract may improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease patients. The extract has been named Huperzine A and it appears that patients who have taken this extract have improved cognitive function, better functional performance and even reduced behavioral disturbances compared to patients taking placebos.
The research team came to this conclusion after studying data in six trials that involve a total of 454 patients. While this is still a relatively small number of patients, with a positive result such as this, we can assume that there will be larger trials in the near future.
Scientists know that Huperzine A can block acetyl cholinesterase and that it can work both in the peripheral and central nervous systems. This makes it a promising agent for treating various forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, because a part of the damage involved in Alzheimer’s is a loss of this important neurotransmitter, one that contains neurons in the basal forebrain.
Associate Professor Hongmei Wu, who led this research and who works in the Department of Geriatrics at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. was the lead author of the work.
Additionally, in a small study of teenagers, huperzine A appeared to enhance general mental functioning when it was taken consistently for as little as one month. However, more research is needed before huperzine A can be recommended for Alzheimer's, dementia or general memory improvement.
Dave
The research team came to this conclusion after studying data in six trials that involve a total of 454 patients. While this is still a relatively small number of patients, with a positive result such as this, we can assume that there will be larger trials in the near future.
Scientists know that Huperzine A can block acetyl cholinesterase and that it can work both in the peripheral and central nervous systems. This makes it a promising agent for treating various forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, because a part of the damage involved in Alzheimer’s is a loss of this important neurotransmitter, one that contains neurons in the basal forebrain.
Associate Professor Hongmei Wu, who led this research and who works in the Department of Geriatrics at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. was the lead author of the work.
Additionally, in a small study of teenagers, huperzine A appeared to enhance general mental functioning when it was taken consistently for as little as one month. However, more research is needed before huperzine A can be recommended for Alzheimer's, dementia or general memory improvement.
Dave
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wham: Veggies Are Very Important to Breast Cancer Prevention
Do you remember how your Mom used to say how important it is to eat those vegetables, and how difficult it was to consume something like broccoli? My Mom used to go on by saying how millions of people were starving in China and that if I didn't eat that plate of vegetables, it would be an "insult to God."
While I think that Mom may have gone a bit overboard by trying to make me feel guilty, she was sure correct about the health value of eating those veggies. Especially for my two sisters. That's because researchers with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China have recently discovered a possible link between a diet rich in certain vegetables and a decreased risk for breast cancer. The study appears in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Jay Fowke, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt-Ingram, said that 3,035 women diagnosed with breast cancer were identified through the Shanghai Cancer Registry. These women were closely matched with 3,037 randomly chosen patients from the general population there. Questionnaires about their diet, including consumption of cruciferous vegetables like Chinese cabbage, bok choi and turnips then took place.
Other cruciferous veggies more commonly eaten in the USA include broccoli, kale and cauliflower.
“Cruciferous vegetables contain some compounds that may have a cancer-inhibitory effect,” explained Fowke. “Here we were able to identify a group of women who seem to particularly benefit from a high intake of these vegetables.”
While there was only a small positive relationship between a diet high in these vegetables and a reduction in breast cancer risk for the overall study population, there was a striking risk reduction – 50 percent – among a certain sub-group of women. These women had a phenomenal response to eating cruciferous vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables contain two chemicals called isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol which may affect the onset of cancer by triggering cell death or by changing the metabolism of estrogen. Studies by other researchers have suggested cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk of lung, stomach, colorectal and bladder cancers as well.
Dave
While I think that Mom may have gone a bit overboard by trying to make me feel guilty, she was sure correct about the health value of eating those veggies. Especially for my two sisters. That's because researchers with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China have recently discovered a possible link between a diet rich in certain vegetables and a decreased risk for breast cancer. The study appears in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Jay Fowke, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt-Ingram, said that 3,035 women diagnosed with breast cancer were identified through the Shanghai Cancer Registry. These women were closely matched with 3,037 randomly chosen patients from the general population there. Questionnaires about their diet, including consumption of cruciferous vegetables like Chinese cabbage, bok choi and turnips then took place.
Other cruciferous veggies more commonly eaten in the USA include broccoli, kale and cauliflower.
“Cruciferous vegetables contain some compounds that may have a cancer-inhibitory effect,” explained Fowke. “Here we were able to identify a group of women who seem to particularly benefit from a high intake of these vegetables.”
While there was only a small positive relationship between a diet high in these vegetables and a reduction in breast cancer risk for the overall study population, there was a striking risk reduction – 50 percent – among a certain sub-group of women. These women had a phenomenal response to eating cruciferous vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables contain two chemicals called isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol which may affect the onset of cancer by triggering cell death or by changing the metabolism of estrogen. Studies by other researchers have suggested cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk of lung, stomach, colorectal and bladder cancers as well.
Dave
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Does the source of an ingredient really matter?
As you know, there are products on the shelves that vary quite significantly in price for what appears to be the same item. This is true whether it is a bottle of herbal supplements or an extract of healthy mushrooms. A decade ago, I would select what I was looking for by grabbing the "best value" off the shelf. If there was a $8.99 version and a $19.95 version, as there so often is, I would select the cheap one. Thinking about that buying philosophy years later, I now understand why so many of those products I bought proved ineffective.
With dietary supplements, the expression "you get what you pay for" is almost universally true. While there are certain products that are just chemical entities and priced as commodities, most products have significant differences between them based upon where in the world they come from. (As an example of a commodity, ascorbic acid is just plain ascorbic acid, no matter which way you look at it. Of course, brands and quality control will differ, but hey -- even Nobel Laureate Dr. Linus Pauling said you should buy Vitamin C as cheaply as possible.) Plants, on the other hand, can vary dramatically even in the same species, depending upon where they are grown. Rhodiola rosea would grow right in my backyard in Arizona if I wanted. But, in comparison to a plant from the Arctic circle, it would have almost none of the same impact on my system.
And yet, I could grow and market the plant as a supplement and have no problem with regulators, even though the product would give the consumer no boost in energy, mental clarity, or any of the other benefits of daily consumption of Rhodiola with a product like Arctic Root. In the case of Rhodiola, this is because the plant gets its power by fighting the odds, and developing its own immune system in the extreme conditions of the Arctic region.
Another wonderful product category are the immune boosting mushrooms that we are hearing so much about lately. One of those companies is located right here in Arizona (Desert Forest Nutritionals). And yet, their mushrooms come from Brazil. They specialize in a very unique and highly potent medicinal mushroom which we'll talk about more on this website in the near future, the Agaricus blazei Murrill mushroom.
Unfortunately, in the field of herbs, particularly mushrooms, the plant sucks up whatever is in the ground and whatever toxins are in the water supply. That's why the Japanese, huge consumers of Agaricus blazei Murrill mushrooms, buy 90% of the market for the Brazilian mushrooom. You'd think they'd buy it from Asian sources, right? Not so . . . the Japanese realize how dangerous certain plants and herbs can be that are grown in countries like China and South Asia, where unrestrained industrial growth has contaminated so many formerly pristine growing areas for botanical remedies.
The source of your herbs and supplements REALLY does matter, not only for the most effective use of the product, but also for safety from contamination by heavy metals and toxins. The excellent article linked to the headline of today's post describes this safety issue in more detail.
Next time you are considering a specialized supplement, consider its source, and how much difference this makes in the quality of the outcome. In a future post we'll discuss whether or not the herbal products industry is truly a long-term sustainable industry, or whether we are tapping all the earth's botanicals without consideration of the needs of future generations.
[PS added May 5: Just found a great article from Taipei, Taiwan. Even the Taiwanese people are concerned about the contamination of products coming from mainland China. See the comments section for link!]
Dave
With dietary supplements, the expression "you get what you pay for" is almost universally true. While there are certain products that are just chemical entities and priced as commodities, most products have significant differences between them based upon where in the world they come from. (As an example of a commodity, ascorbic acid is just plain ascorbic acid, no matter which way you look at it. Of course, brands and quality control will differ, but hey -- even Nobel Laureate Dr. Linus Pauling said you should buy Vitamin C as cheaply as possible.) Plants, on the other hand, can vary dramatically even in the same species, depending upon where they are grown. Rhodiola rosea would grow right in my backyard in Arizona if I wanted. But, in comparison to a plant from the Arctic circle, it would have almost none of the same impact on my system.
And yet, I could grow and market the plant as a supplement and have no problem with regulators, even though the product would give the consumer no boost in energy, mental clarity, or any of the other benefits of daily consumption of Rhodiola with a product like Arctic Root. In the case of Rhodiola, this is because the plant gets its power by fighting the odds, and developing its own immune system in the extreme conditions of the Arctic region.
Another wonderful product category are the immune boosting mushrooms that we are hearing so much about lately. One of those companies is located right here in Arizona (Desert Forest Nutritionals). And yet, their mushrooms come from Brazil. They specialize in a very unique and highly potent medicinal mushroom which we'll talk about more on this website in the near future, the Agaricus blazei Murrill mushroom.
Unfortunately, in the field of herbs, particularly mushrooms, the plant sucks up whatever is in the ground and whatever toxins are in the water supply. That's why the Japanese, huge consumers of Agaricus blazei Murrill mushrooms, buy 90% of the market for the Brazilian mushrooom. You'd think they'd buy it from Asian sources, right? Not so . . . the Japanese realize how dangerous certain plants and herbs can be that are grown in countries like China and South Asia, where unrestrained industrial growth has contaminated so many formerly pristine growing areas for botanical remedies.
The source of your herbs and supplements REALLY does matter, not only for the most effective use of the product, but also for safety from contamination by heavy metals and toxins. The excellent article linked to the headline of today's post describes this safety issue in more detail.
Next time you are considering a specialized supplement, consider its source, and how much difference this makes in the quality of the outcome. In a future post we'll discuss whether or not the herbal products industry is truly a long-term sustainable industry, or whether we are tapping all the earth's botanicals without consideration of the needs of future generations.
[PS added May 5: Just found a great article from Taipei, Taiwan. Even the Taiwanese people are concerned about the contamination of products coming from mainland China. See the comments section for link!]
Dave
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wham: Breast Health Benefits for Soy Isoflavones Extended Beyond Cancer
It's been known for some time that soy isoflavones appear to benefit breast health for those with malignant tumors. However, this updated research now shows that isoflavones may extend a benefit for women beyond malignant tumors . . . the new study suggests a lower incidence of benign breast cysts as well.
The research, published in the December 2007 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, adds to an ever-growing body of studies linking these phytochemicals to improved breast health. Dr. Johanna Lampe and her team from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle) writes that benefits may also extend to fibrocystic breast conditions, a very common and benign condition characterised by lumpiness and discomfort in one or both breasts.
Population studies from heavy soy use countries have shown that a diet rich in soy is associated with fewer cases of breast cancer. This has been linked to the presence of soy isoflavones. In this case, the study was conducted in China where the researchers recruited 196 women with breast cancer, 304 women with benign breast condition, and 1,002 healthy, breast cancer-free age-matched controls from the Shanghai region. The benign conditions were further classified as proliferative (173 women) or nonproliferative (131 women).
Increased plasma levels of the isoflavones were associated with a reduced risk of both types of benign conditions, in addition to breast cancer. Indeed, the highest plasma levels (more than 76.95 nanograms per millilitre) were 74 per cent less likely to have breast cancer, and 60 per cent less likely to have benign conditions relative to women with the lowest average levels (less than 9.42 ng/mL).
"Isoflavone exposure was inversely associated with fibrocystic breast conditions and breast cancer, and the results suggest that effects on cancer risk occur early in carcinogenesis," wrote Lampe.
Dave
The research, published in the December 2007 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, adds to an ever-growing body of studies linking these phytochemicals to improved breast health. Dr. Johanna Lampe and her team from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle) writes that benefits may also extend to fibrocystic breast conditions, a very common and benign condition characterised by lumpiness and discomfort in one or both breasts.
Population studies from heavy soy use countries have shown that a diet rich in soy is associated with fewer cases of breast cancer. This has been linked to the presence of soy isoflavones. In this case, the study was conducted in China where the researchers recruited 196 women with breast cancer, 304 women with benign breast condition, and 1,002 healthy, breast cancer-free age-matched controls from the Shanghai region. The benign conditions were further classified as proliferative (173 women) or nonproliferative (131 women).
Increased plasma levels of the isoflavones were associated with a reduced risk of both types of benign conditions, in addition to breast cancer. Indeed, the highest plasma levels (more than 76.95 nanograms per millilitre) were 74 per cent less likely to have breast cancer, and 60 per cent less likely to have benign conditions relative to women with the lowest average levels (less than 9.42 ng/mL).
"Isoflavone exposure was inversely associated with fibrocystic breast conditions and breast cancer, and the results suggest that effects on cancer risk occur early in carcinogenesis," wrote Lampe.
Dave
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Daily Probiotics Regimen Reduces Colds, Fevers in Children
A new study from probiotics producer Danisco shows that daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and flu-like symptoms in children by 50 per cent. Further, a combination of the two strains has been linked to reductions in fever incidence by 73 per cent, a reduction in the occurrence of runny noses by 59 per cent, and drop in the incidence of coughing by 62 per cent, according to findings published in the journal Pediatrics.
“Daily probiotic dietary supplementation during the winter months was a safe, effective way to reduce episodes of fever, rhinorrhea [nasal issues], and cough, the cumulative duration of those symptoms, the incidence of antibiotic prescriptions, and the number of missed school days attributable to illness,” wrote the authors, led by Gregory Leyer, an R&D scientist for Danisco in Madison, Wisconsin.
This research showed that L acidophilus alone was effective, but also indicated a trend for a broader protective effect when it is combined with Bifidobacterium.
Indeed, used by itself, L. acidophilus cut the fever incidence by 53 per cent, the occurrence of runny noses by 28 per cent, and the incidence of coughing by 41 per cent.
Leyer and his co-investigators from Tongji University (Shanghai), the University of Texas (Houston), and Sprim USA recruited 326 children aged between three and five in a child care centre in China. The children were randomly assigned to one of three groups, and received twice a day for six months the single L. acidophilus NCFM strain, the combination of the strains, or a placebo.
In addition to the reductions in the incidence in fever, coughing, and runny noses, the researchers noted a reduction in the use of antibiotics in children either of the probiotic interventions, while these children also missed fewer days of child care.
“Although the reduced incidence of antibiotic prescriptions for all indications noted in an earlier study was confirmed, this study is the first to indicate a trend toward more-significant results with a combination versus single strain preparation,” wrote the authors.
Dave
“Daily probiotic dietary supplementation during the winter months was a safe, effective way to reduce episodes of fever, rhinorrhea [nasal issues], and cough, the cumulative duration of those symptoms, the incidence of antibiotic prescriptions, and the number of missed school days attributable to illness,” wrote the authors, led by Gregory Leyer, an R&D scientist for Danisco in Madison, Wisconsin.
This research showed that L acidophilus alone was effective, but also indicated a trend for a broader protective effect when it is combined with Bifidobacterium.
Indeed, used by itself, L. acidophilus cut the fever incidence by 53 per cent, the occurrence of runny noses by 28 per cent, and the incidence of coughing by 41 per cent.
Leyer and his co-investigators from Tongji University (Shanghai), the University of Texas (Houston), and Sprim USA recruited 326 children aged between three and five in a child care centre in China. The children were randomly assigned to one of three groups, and received twice a day for six months the single L. acidophilus NCFM strain, the combination of the strains, or a placebo.
In addition to the reductions in the incidence in fever, coughing, and runny noses, the researchers noted a reduction in the use of antibiotics in children either of the probiotic interventions, while these children also missed fewer days of child care.
“Although the reduced incidence of antibiotic prescriptions for all indications noted in an earlier study was confirmed, this study is the first to indicate a trend toward more-significant results with a combination versus single strain preparation,” wrote the authors.
I think it is important to note here that getting a good dose of probiotics into a child means something more than just eating some yogurt. (In fact, one major yogurt manufacturer is being sued because their claims for probiotic content are so overblown.) Always check the amount of "CFU's" (colony-forming units) in your probiotics product and go for those that show billions and not millions of these good bugs.
Dave
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Battle Between Pharmaceuticals and Supplements Heating Up!
Today, I was shocked to see a press release from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center hit the streets which was so blatant in its scare tactics and purposeful slant that I reacted immediately with an angry call and letter. While the press release is too lengthy to publish here, I've included some of the gems below.
The news release shows up on most sites as "Natural" Supplements Cause Cancer in Two Men." (Do you agree that this headline shows the slant?)
It starts out as a serious issue, something that anyone should be concerned with... product contamination. In this case, however, these dietary supplements are for "male enhancement." The authors, or those who wrote this press release (now seen all over the Internet and on tonight's TV news) use this as an opportunity to brand an entire industry.
Let's face it readers -- products for "male enhancement" are not mainstream supplement products. Companies that sell male enhancement products use spam as marketing, and they do not follow FDA and FTC guidelines for promotion of their product claims. in other words, this stuff is the "outcast" of the dietary supplement industry, as far into the fringe as you can get.
And yet, these authors use this example to paint an industry as untrustworthy. Here are a few excerpts:
This is just one more barrage in a continuing campaign from pharmaceutical industry-allied doctors to brand the dietary supplement industry as untrustworthy. Here's my letter to the authors. If you care about your supplements, do something about this trend before those in Congress start telling you what you can and cannot buy over the counter:
Dear Dr.'s Roehrborn and Shariat:
As a freelance writer working in both the pharmaceutical as well as the dietary supplement industries, I have a unique viewpoint which allows me to see both sides of a very cantankerous debate. That is, from my vantage point I can see very clearly when a "slant" has been taken, either by the natural products industry arguing against pharmaceutical industry practices, or (as in the case of your press release) when doctors attack the dietary supplement industry.
I believe you've done a great disservice to the public. You've painted an entire industry as untrustworthy, when in reality your examples are from a fringe category of supplement . . . "male enhancement" products.
Products like these are fringe because the companies that supply them do not adhere to dietary supplement industry practices or even our government's requirements (FDA and FTC) for proper marketing. They include compounds that come from China, for example, where regularly enhancement products are tainted with chemicals or even drugs such as Viagra.
Gentlemen, this has nothing to do with the calcium your Mom takes for her concerns about osteoporosis, the garlic your neighbor takes for her blood pressure, or the numerous other safe and effective natural products that Americans use regularly for preventative healthcare. Your press release takes a very small niche ("male enhancement") and draws conclusions about a huge industry that millions of us count on to provide needed vitamins, herbs and supplements to keep us on a healthy track.
Personally, I am surprised to see such a slant coming from academia and from such a distinguished institution. My opinions are my own and not those of my employers. I list these credentials so that you will recognize that my viewpoint encompasses both pharmaceutical as well as natural product industries.
Regards, Dave Jensen
The news release shows up on most sites as "Natural" Supplements Cause Cancer in Two Men." (Do you agree that this headline shows the slant?)
It starts out as a serious issue, something that anyone should be concerned with... product contamination. In this case, however, these dietary supplements are for "male enhancement." The authors, or those who wrote this press release (now seen all over the Internet and on tonight's TV news) use this as an opportunity to brand an entire industry.
Let's face it readers -- products for "male enhancement" are not mainstream supplement products. Companies that sell male enhancement products use spam as marketing, and they do not follow FDA and FTC guidelines for promotion of their product claims. in other words, this stuff is the "outcast" of the dietary supplement industry, as far into the fringe as you can get.
And yet, these authors use this example to paint an industry as untrustworthy. Here are a few excerpts:
“Unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the law does not require nutritional supplements to undergo pre-market approval for safety and efficacy,” Dr. Shariat said. “The current FDA regulatory system provides little oversight or assurances that dietary supplements will have predictable pharmacological effects or even that product labels provide accurate information for consumers."
and,
“For most supplements efficacy is not established in randomized, controlled trials. What is worse, safety is often equally poorly established,” said Dr. Roehrborn, who directs the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay Center for Pediatric Urology.
along with,
"An estimated 42 percent to 69 percent of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, at an estimated out-of-pocket expenditure of about $34.4 billion, according to published reports cited in the study. Individuals often use supplements because they believe these natural products are safe and drug-free."
This is just one more barrage in a continuing campaign from pharmaceutical industry-allied doctors to brand the dietary supplement industry as untrustworthy. Here's my letter to the authors. If you care about your supplements, do something about this trend before those in Congress start telling you what you can and cannot buy over the counter:
Dear Dr.'s Roehrborn and Shariat:
As a freelance writer working in both the pharmaceutical as well as the dietary supplement industries, I have a unique viewpoint which allows me to see both sides of a very cantankerous debate. That is, from my vantage point I can see very clearly when a "slant" has been taken, either by the natural products industry arguing against pharmaceutical industry practices, or (as in the case of your press release) when doctors attack the dietary supplement industry.
I believe you've done a great disservice to the public. You've painted an entire industry as untrustworthy, when in reality your examples are from a fringe category of supplement . . . "male enhancement" products.
Products like these are fringe because the companies that supply them do not adhere to dietary supplement industry practices or even our government's requirements (FDA and FTC) for proper marketing. They include compounds that come from China, for example, where regularly enhancement products are tainted with chemicals or even drugs such as Viagra.
Gentlemen, this has nothing to do with the calcium your Mom takes for her concerns about osteoporosis, the garlic your neighbor takes for her blood pressure, or the numerous other safe and effective natural products that Americans use regularly for preventative healthcare. Your press release takes a very small niche ("male enhancement") and draws conclusions about a huge industry that millions of us count on to provide needed vitamins, herbs and supplements to keep us on a healthy track.
Personally, I am surprised to see such a slant coming from academia and from such a distinguished institution. My opinions are my own and not those of my employers. I list these credentials so that you will recognize that my viewpoint encompasses both pharmaceutical as well as natural product industries.
Regards, Dave Jensen
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Older Adults Need More Time in the Sun
Older adults could really help reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes if they would get out in the sun more often. Exposure to sunlight stimulates vitamin D in the skin and older people are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency due to the natural aging process, along with changes in lifestyle.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have shown vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical and metabolic disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Dr Oscar Franco at Warwick led this team which investigated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in 3,262 people aged 50-70 years old in China. The group found a high correlation between low vitamin D levels and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. In fact, 42.3% of these people shown with low vitamin D levels also had metabolic syndrome.
The results of the study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, are consistent with the findings of other studies in Western populations and the Franco team suggests that vitamin D deficiency could become a global health concern.
"Vitamin D deficiency is becoming a condition that is causing a large burden of disease across the globe with particular deleterious impact among the elderly. Our results are consistent with those found in British and American populations. We found that low vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome," he said. Vitamin D deficiency was also significantly associated with increased insulin resistance.
Changes in lifestyle factors such as clothing and reduced outdoor activity could certainly be a part of the problem, said this report. As we age, our skin is less efficient at forming vitamin D and our diet may also become less varied, with a lower natural vitamin D content.
Franco recommends that older adults need to spend more time outdoors to stimulate the same levels of vitamin D that most people have when they are younger.
Dave
Researchers at the University of Warwick have shown vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical and metabolic disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Dr Oscar Franco at Warwick led this team which investigated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in 3,262 people aged 50-70 years old in China. The group found a high correlation between low vitamin D levels and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. In fact, 42.3% of these people shown with low vitamin D levels also had metabolic syndrome.
The results of the study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, are consistent with the findings of other studies in Western populations and the Franco team suggests that vitamin D deficiency could become a global health concern.
"Vitamin D deficiency is becoming a condition that is causing a large burden of disease across the globe with particular deleterious impact among the elderly. Our results are consistent with those found in British and American populations. We found that low vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome," he said. Vitamin D deficiency was also significantly associated with increased insulin resistance.
Changes in lifestyle factors such as clothing and reduced outdoor activity could certainly be a part of the problem, said this report. As we age, our skin is less efficient at forming vitamin D and our diet may also become less varied, with a lower natural vitamin D content.
Franco recommends that older adults need to spend more time outdoors to stimulate the same levels of vitamin D that most people have when they are younger.
Dave
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wham: Compound in Milk Thistle Shows Anti-Cancer Promise
A new piece of research, published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that a flavanone compound in milk thistle, silibinin, may stop the growth and spread of liver cancer. This laboratory study from the University of California at Irvine used human liver cancer cells exposed to different doses of the compound. Researchers found that the biochemical could inhibit the spread of the cells and as well as promote programmed cell death. (This work did not use milk thistle dietary supplements, but pure silibinin, the active component in milk thistle; it is unclear by this report that you could achieve these results through supplements.)
Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, and third most common cause of death from cancer. The highest incidences of the disease are in East Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly China.
Measurements of cell death in the cancer showed that, at a dose of 240 micromoles per litre, silibinin killed off the cancer cells by a factor of nine. The researchers states that further work is necessary to fully elucidate the mechanism, as it is unclear right now how it is that the Milk Thistle component produces this effect. It is also not known if the doses required to offer the potential anti-cancer benefits could be achieved using milk thistle supplements, which are relatively big sellers in North America. (!2th largest selling herbal product in the US mass market).
"Our findings not only indicate silibinin's novel anti-cancer mechanisms, but also provide additional targets for the search for new agents," concluded the researchers. Previously, silibinin has linked to similar benefits against lung cancer growth (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 98, pp. 846-85).
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for a long time as a food in Europe. Young leaves are used in salads, the stalks eaten like asparagus, and the heads boiled like artichoke. Read about the plant by using the link at the headline of this article.
Dave
Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, and third most common cause of death from cancer. The highest incidences of the disease are in East Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly China.
Measurements of cell death in the cancer showed that, at a dose of 240 micromoles per litre, silibinin killed off the cancer cells by a factor of nine. The researchers states that further work is necessary to fully elucidate the mechanism, as it is unclear right now how it is that the Milk Thistle component produces this effect. It is also not known if the doses required to offer the potential anti-cancer benefits could be achieved using milk thistle supplements, which are relatively big sellers in North America. (!2th largest selling herbal product in the US mass market).
"Our findings not only indicate silibinin's novel anti-cancer mechanisms, but also provide additional targets for the search for new agents," concluded the researchers. Previously, silibinin has linked to similar benefits against lung cancer growth (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 98, pp. 846-85).
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for a long time as a food in Europe. Young leaves are used in salads, the stalks eaten like asparagus, and the heads boiled like artichoke. Read about the plant by using the link at the headline of this article.
Dave
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Dietary Supplements: In Reality, Two Different Industries
US Marshals recently stormed the offices of LG Sciences LLC of Brighton, Michigan, to seize more than $1.3 million worth of dietary supplements. Reading about this matter really shows you how the dietary supplement industry is composed of two, almost completely different types of industries -- companies that follow the laws regarding product safety and health, and companies in what is primarily the body-building and "energy" categories that run on the fringe. And, sometimes they cross the line.
In this case, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it asked the U.S. Marshals to seize the products because they contain unapproved food additives or new dietary ingredients. These products were sold online and in retail stores as body builders under the names "Methyl 1-D," "Methyl 1-D XL," and "Formadrol Extreme XL."
The FDA said the products had been tested and found to contain one or more unapproved food additives or new dietary ingredients for which there is inadequate information to provide reasonable assurance that they do not present "a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury." Legal Gear, the predecessor of LG Sciences, had been warned in 2006 to cease distribution of another product that was also marketed as a dietary supplement, but was actually an unapproved new drug containing synthetic steroids. So, it appears the company has had ample warning.
For some reason, supplements in the body-builder marketplace seem to always be poised on the edge of what is allowed, and what isn't. Body builders, people who are so concerned with the appearance of their bodies, seem to care less about their health. Unscrupulous manufacturers (and importers, often from China) take advantage of this market by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on glossy advertising in certain publications to push these risky products with often unsubstantiated claims.
This flies in the face of the other supplement industry, the one where you buy your quality vitamins, minerals and herbs, through stores, Internet sites and doctors' offices.
Dave
In this case, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it asked the U.S. Marshals to seize the products because they contain unapproved food additives or new dietary ingredients. These products were sold online and in retail stores as body builders under the names "Methyl 1-D," "Methyl 1-D XL," and "Formadrol Extreme XL."
The FDA said the products had been tested and found to contain one or more unapproved food additives or new dietary ingredients for which there is inadequate information to provide reasonable assurance that they do not present "a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury." Legal Gear, the predecessor of LG Sciences, had been warned in 2006 to cease distribution of another product that was also marketed as a dietary supplement, but was actually an unapproved new drug containing synthetic steroids. So, it appears the company has had ample warning.
For some reason, supplements in the body-builder marketplace seem to always be poised on the edge of what is allowed, and what isn't. Body builders, people who are so concerned with the appearance of their bodies, seem to care less about their health. Unscrupulous manufacturers (and importers, often from China) take advantage of this market by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on glossy advertising in certain publications to push these risky products with often unsubstantiated claims.
This flies in the face of the other supplement industry, the one where you buy your quality vitamins, minerals and herbs, through stores, Internet sites and doctors' offices.
Dave
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