If you have ever searched for a product to help you with a specific physiological challenge and then looked at a product label, only to read something like, ‘This product can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels that are already within a normal range’, you may have wondered at the point. Why take something if it is only helpful for those who are already healthy? The reason that statements are worded like this boils down to the rules and regulations for “Structure Function Claims” as defined by the FDA. Structure Function Claims refer to the language that manufactures are allowed to use in order to describe the role of a nutrient or dietary ingredient intended to affect normal structure or function in humans. According to the FDA supplement companies cannot make or imply any kind of disease benefit on a product. Neither can they claim or imply that the product can affect a condition, such as inflammation or high blood sugar levels, which indicates a disease benefit.
Where a Structure Function Claim is listed it must also be accompanied by the following information: ‘This claim has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.’
Michael Ventresca of Vital Choice Health Store has a wonderful podcast on this particular subject – I would definitely recommend listing to his short presentation which might help to clear up any confusion you have experienced when reading product labels. http://vchoiceblog.com/podcast/Structure_Function.mp3
No comments:
Post a Comment