Monterey, CA Many Vitamins Are Mislabeled

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There have been a number of recent studies questioning the efficacy of various over-the-counter supplements.  There have also been health and safety questions regarding many of these supplements as some of the ingredients come from off-shore manufacturers which don't have the standards that we have here in the United States.  The latest warning comes about Vitamin D.  Researchers who tested the pills found that the actual dose ranged widely, from 9% to 140% of what was on the label.  "We found the potency of these vitamin D supplements varied widely," Erin Le Blanc, an endocrinologist at Kaiser Permanent Center for Health Research warned USA Today.  She led the study which was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.  Other studies, unfortunately, have found similar results.  Given that half of adults in the U.S. take dietary supplements, we need to pay attention to this problem.  You could be getting much more or much less than you think you are taking of a vitamin.  Unlike prescription drugs, supplement makers aren't required to prove that their products are safe and effective before selling them.  I hope the Food & Drug Administration starts cracking down on these companies, because putting out a mislabeled product is against the law, and this could put consumers in a dangerous situation.  Le Blanc says that her study is evidence that more regulation is needed to get companies in line.  I agree.