Last Updated on July 19, 2022 by ellen
I take quite a few supplements and vitamins each day. I try to eat healthy, but I always worry that I need more vitamins than I get. I try to buy from reputable companies and be realistic about what I take, but I do wonder what the right amount is, especially when the supplement says I’m getting 238% of the daily recommended amount. When I was offered 
this PBS Supplements and Safety DVD for review, it was a subject that I really wanted to know more about.
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PBS Supplements and Safety DVD
It’s estimated that half of all Americans take a health supplement every day, from fish oil to multivitamins to diet pills. The booming 30-billion-dollar-plus vitamins and supplements industry says these products can make consumers healthier — but a new FRONTLINE investigation with The New York Times and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation raises troubling questions.
The program investigates the hidden dangers of vitamins and supplements — exploring how they’re marketed and regulated, and how it’s often hard to know what’s really in the bottles you buy.
The investigation led from Hawaii — where a 2013 outbreak of liver problems that overran the state’s only transplant center was linked to a fitness supplement — to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where pharmacists decided to challenge supplements manufacturers to provide proof that their products actually contain what’s promised on the label. (In the end, only 35 supplements met the hospital’s standards.)
But federal prosecutors and regulators recently announced that they have taken action against over 100 companies, mainly for unsupported claims or for mislabeling their products. And, as the program explores, even if what you buy in those bottles is real, critics contend that many supplements simply don’t work, and could even be doing you harm.
The supplements industry, which has a powerful lobbying presence on Capitol Hill, maintains that its products enhance consumers’ lives and that further regulation is unnecessary.But the science is still scant on either side of the debate; the FDA division that oversees supplements is small — only about 25 people; and companies only have to prove that their products are safe if they are adding a new ingredient that hasn’t been used before.
My husband and I found this absolutely fascinating. I really had no idea how many potential risks there could be with supplement safety or what to look for when I chose the supplements I was taking. With more than 85,000 supplements on the market each year, the program is a must-watch for consumers looking to make informed choices about their health.
“FRONTLINE: PBS SUPPLEMENTS AND SAFETY ” will be available on DVD April 12, 2016. The run time of the DVD is approximately 60 minutes and its SRP is $24.99. The program will also be available for digital download. Buy it today.
Ellen is a mom of a 25-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter. She is Grandma to one adorable toddler. In what little spare time she has, she loves to read, watch movies, and check out the latest toys and games.
Sure wish this was a giveaway. Sounds super interesting. Might just have to pick this up. I have a friend who made him self quite sick by taking too many supplements, so this is really relevant to me.
It really is scary, Shelley. I had no idea! Hope you have a chance to watch it!
My MIL takes a lot of vitamins/supplements and she always sick(or thinks she is). I’ve often wondered if that’s what’s causing it.
I would definitely consult with a doctor/nurse before taking them to be safe.