|
Last month, Swanson Health Products (SHP) received
positive test results for two of their dietary supplements from ConsumerLab.com
(CL). Both Swanson Premium Vitamin E Mixed Tocopherols and Swanson
Superior Herbs Acai Berry Extract passed purity, potency and labeling
testing by the independent research company. So far, SHP has submitted
six of their finished products to CL for testing, which all ended
in passing test results.
ConsumerLab.com is one of many companies that perform
independent testing, which benefits the manufacturer and the consumer.
In December of 2008, Tod Cooperman, MD, president of CL and William
Obermeyer, PhD, vice president for research of CL submitted written
recommendation to the US Pharmacopeia (USP) to lower the contamination
limits for lead from 10 mcg to 0.5 mcg.
We suggest a lead limit of 0.5 mcg per daily serving
of a dietary supplement or medication. An allowance of an additional
1.0 mcg per daily serving should be considered for supplements containing
a large amount of calcium or whole (non-extracted) herbs where lower
levels are not feasible. Supplements exceeding this level should
carry a lead warning on their labels and, if exceeding 3 mcg, should
not be permitted on the market.
Although the USP did not update their standards based
on the recommendations from the CL, they continue to be a leader
in providing education to the manufacturer and the consumer. The
USP has been setting quality standards for the dietary supplement
industry for the past several years. CL not only recognizes it as
a significant force behind regulating an industry that lacks concrete
direction for this market, but it also supports independent testing
that will benefit the manufacturers in the long-run, while passing
higher quality and safe products to the consumers.
Sources:
www.prweb.com
www.consumerlab.com
|
