Category Archives: Food Supplements

Red yeast rice is a dietary supplement designed to help treat hyperlipidemia and heart disease. Americans spend about $20 million a year on the product, which contains the same statin (monacolin K) as prescription lovastatin.

Despite this, the supplement is regulated as a food, not a drug. But a new study published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology has shown that even after the FDA implemented good manufacturing practices, the amount of the active ingredient in red yeast rice can differ widely from brand to brand, even reaching prescription-strength levels.

The study looked at 28 different brands of the supplements, each on sold in at least one of four major chainsGNC, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods.

Two of the brands contained no monacolin K. The brands that did contain monacolin K varied widelyfrom 0.09 to 5.48mg per 1200mg of red yeast rice. Over one-third of the brands tested contained more than 2 mg of monacolin K per 1200 mg of red yeast rice. This means that consumers could be ingesting 0.09 to 10.94mg of monacolin K per day, a difference of 120-fold. The study found that the dosages for some brands lined up with the dosages on prescription lovastatin tablets, which are produced in 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg dosages.

No brand listed the amount of the monacolin K and only two brands warned the consumer not take the supplements with prescription statins. Previous studies have shown that consumers may suffer from the same adverse effects while taking red yeast rice as they would when taking a statineffects possibly exacerbated when taken with another prescription statin.

So why all the variance? Red yeast rice is made by fermenting rice with different strains of Monascus spp., also known as ang-khak rice mold. As with any fermented product, minor differences in the process can lead to large differences in the final result. Authentic Chinese red yeast rice generally contains small amounts of monacolin K, but certain mutant strains of yeast can produce higher levels of the statin.

FDA regulations say that red yeast rice with higher levels of monacolin Khigher than 4 mg per dayare not supplements but unapproved drugs. Six brands tested in the study would qualify as unapproved drugs.

The study only tested one batch of each supplement, but the authors warn that even from batch to batch the amount of monacolin K is most likely variable. The study also only examined monacolin K, whereas red yeast rice can have multiple statin-like monacolins, potentially creating additional problems.

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Dietary Supplements or Unapproved Drugs? - ModernMedicine

By RALPH ANSAMI

ransami@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - For the second straight year, a Feed the Hungry van arrived Monday to bring 21,000 pounds of food to the Lighthouse Faith Center Church on Ironwood's Ayer Street.

Pastor Tom Rouse said the free food products will be distributed to the needy on the Gogebic Range on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.

"Whoever comes, comes," he said of the would-be recipients.

Rouse said from his conversations with area food shelter operators, like the Union Station pantry, the need is as great or greater than ever for the food supplements on the Gogebic Range.

The semi-truck and trailer arrived for unloading on a rainy, cold Monday morning from "Feed the Hungry," of South Bend, Ind., and there were about a dozen volunteers on hand to help out.

Forslund Building Supply of Ironwood offered a forklift for the church to use to remove the large boxes from the truck.

Rouse said some of the food items were to be transported to the companion church in Calumet.

Included in the food items are sausages, oatmeal, apple juice, granola bars and cereal.

The church has been feeding hungry people in Africa for more than a decade. "We've fed 43,000 people in Africa," Rouse said.

The food distribution here is available to anyone in need. They should bring bags or boxes for the food.

The church is at 777 E. Ayer St., near the high school baseball field.

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Lighthouse Church offering free food - Your Daily Globe.com

For the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2016, FDAs Office of Dietary Supplement Programs (ODSP) had a budget of US$4.6 million to police an industry with tens of billions of dollars in sales and tens of thousands of products on the U.S. market.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade organization in Washington representing the dietary supplement industry, is seeking $5 million above current funding and has been in talks with lawmakers who hold the governments purse strings.

Mike Greene, senior vice president of government relations with CRN, said his organization has met with more than 50 appropriators on Capitol Hill.

Generally, everyone we meet withRepublican or Democratis supportive of the idea," he said. They understand this a growing industry."

Explained Greene in the first of two interviews on the subject: Were hopeful we get funding now, but if we dont or if we get less funding, well be focused on this over the long haul, probably the next three years, working to ensure that adequate funding is given to the Office of Dietary Supplement Programs."

ODSPs director, Steven Tave, and his staff of 25 in College Park, Maryland, face a daunting task: policing a $41 billion industry.

In 1994, the year Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), there were an estimated 4,000 products on the market, according to FDA. Twenty years later, the number of dietary supplements on the market exceeded 85,000, according to FDA estimates in 2014.

In late 2015, FDAs Division of Dietary Supplement Programs was elevated to an office. As FDA explained in its FY18 budget report to Congress, the move further enhances the effectiveness of dietary supplement regulation by allowing ODSP to better compete for government resources and capabilities to regulate this rapidly expanding industry."

However, Greene said to some extent, there was no immediate follow-up to ensure FDA supplement officials received additional resources.

In FY16, FDAs Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) provided ODSP $4.6 million, the agency disclosed to the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Michael Felberbaum, an FDA spokesman, said in an email to INSIDER that ODSPs FY17 budget is $6.5 million.

FY16 FDA Dietary Supplement Activities

678 domestic inspections

99 foreign inspections

83 warning letters

6 untitled letters

49 detentions

3 injunctions

Source: FDA FY18 budget request to Congress

Appropriators on Capitol Hill with whom CRN has met believe that an office should be funded appropriately because these are products that we put into our bodies," Greene said. We have to be very concerned with public health."

While FDAs FY18 budget request to Congress doesnt specify a requested funding level for ODSP, CFSAN may have an incentive to boost FY18 funding for dietary supplement activities if it receives such direction from Congress in House and Senate appropriations committee reports.

Nonetheless, Steven Grossman, deputy executive director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, cautioned, Technically, FDA doesnt have to follow the report languagejust be prepared to explain what it did or didnt do in response to it. As a practical matter, they are not going to say that they didnt follow Congress direction."

On June 20, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., appeared before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.

During the hearing to discuss President Trumps FY18 request and the budget justification for FDA, lawmakers discussed with Gottlieb a range of issues from the opioid epidemic to prescription drugs to regulations impacting premium cigars.

Dietary supplements werent mentioned. On a broader level, lawmakers expressed concerns about FDAs ability to carry out its duties under Trumps proposed budget.

Excluding a proposal to increase user fees and the mandatory funding through the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, FDAs FY18 budget features a 34 percent cut, according to Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont.

The cuts include $119 million from monitoring food safety and a $55 million reduction in medical product safety," Leahy said in a statement. In my many years in the Senate, I have heard repeatedly that the FDA needs more, not less, resources to adequately fulfill the agencys mission."

In response to a question from Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) regarding expedited review of generic drugs under Trumps budget proposal, Gottlieb conceded, These are challenging budgetary times, and were going to have to figure out ways to do more with less."

While Greene of CRN acknowledged the budgetary constraints under the Trump administration, he described a $5 million increase in ODSPs budget as a drop in the bucket" relative to FDAs overall budget ($5.1 billion in requested appropriations for FY18).

CRN is seeking additional funds for ODSP to increase dietary supplement inspections and bolster enforcement activities to target companies that violate the law, such as dietary supplement firms that spike products with pharmaceutical ingredients. ODSP has faced criticisms on occasion for moving too slowly against bad actors" in the industry, while the agency has cited limited resources and its focus on safety in prioritizing its work.

Concluded Greene: We are a growing and robust industry, and therefore, we should have an office that matches the industry growth and is able to inspect and enforce all the things that they [FDA officials] need to fully implement the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act."

The following members of Congress did not respond to requests for comment for this article: Sens. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-Alabama) and Sanford Bishop (D-Georgia), the chairman and ranking member of the corresponding appropriations subcommittee in the House; and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), who has introduced dietary supplement legislation in previous years andcited shortcomings withthe current regulatory framework at FDA.

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Trade Group Seeks More Funds for FDA to Police Dietary Supplements - Natural Products INSIDER (blog)

Monday, June 26, 2017 | 2 a.m.

Recent surveys and studies suggest the majority of Americans are missing the mark for at least one essential vitamin or mineral. That lack seldom leads to a full-blown deficiency, but it plays a role in the bigger picture of an individuals health.

Three-fourths of all Americans are taking some sort of supplement, the most common being a multivitamin, said Duffy MacKay, a licensed naturopathic doctor and senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs with the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a leading trade association of the booming supplement industry in the U.S. People dont exactly know what they are short on.

According to the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, vitamin D, calcium, potassium and fiber top the list. Since the 1940s, supplements have been sold as an answer to nutrition gaps, and consumers are buying the probiotics, fish oils and proprietary blends promising to make us whole.

Those promises need attention.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is tasked with ensuring the safety of what we consume, especially when it comes to controlled substances. But in 1994, supplements were federally classified as food, meaning oversight and enforcement would be much less stringent. It wasnt until December 2015 that the FDA created a standalone Office of Dietary Supplement Programs, augmenting the research-based Office of Dietary Supplements within the National Institutes of Health, and elevating the mission to protect public health by rooting out products that pose some risk.

However, a Los Angeles Times column by consumer-affairs watchdog David Lazarus suggested that the already small budget of the new FDA office reportedly less than $5 million to police a $37 billion industry was threatened under President Donald Trump. If the funding cuts Trump proposed for the Department of Health and Human Services manifest, Lazarus wrote, its almost a sure thing that people increasingly will be at greater risk when it comes to the safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter supplements.

Damon McCune, director of UNLVs Didactic Program for Nutrition and Dietetics, says there are probably tens of thousands of products on the market. That number is fluid, he said, and I imagine changes every day.

Thats because its relatively easy to bring supplements to commercial shelves, and consumers tend to be quick to trust the packaging. Until a stronger system is established for evaluating and enforcing supplement efficacy and safety, the public must arm itself with information.

Mona Shield Payne

A variety of unique fruits and vegetables can be found beautifully displayed at the International Marketplace located at 5000 S. Decatur in Las Vegas on January 28, 2013.

A FOOD-FIRST STRATEGY IS BEST

Dietary guidelines have changed over the years, from the Food Guide Pyramid to MyPlate.

The Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard says nutrient retention is maximized when food is minimally processed and doesnt have to travel very far.

Food with color, especially bold color, contains more healthy phytochemicals, Prevention magazine reported. Also: bigger isnt better when it comes to nutrient density.

A 2013 study published in the journal PLOS ONE showed cooking vegetables upped nutrient density, and beans won for nutrition per penny.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has done a lot of good research, said Crystal Petrello, a registered dietitian and past-president of the Nevada Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She says that while people might get recommended amounts of protein, the produce portion of a balanced diet is where they falter. People should be getting between nine and 11 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The average person gets one or two servings, Petrello said. And they consider spaghetti sauce or ketchup as part of that.

Clinical research and common sense support the idea that a diet packed with fresh, nutrient-rich foods helps stave off debilitating conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Investing in fruits and veggies gives the most bang for your buck, Petrello said, adding that people should limit added sugar. Because the better the diet, the less need to supplement it.

Since 2011, the federal government has provided a personalized tool called MyPlate, which uses a persons age, sex, height, weight and activity level to calculate a diet plan. Using its Daily Checklist, you can enter your details and download the corresponding guide to food-group and calorie targets within these categories: protein, grain, fruits, vegetables, dairy.

With the help of two nutrition experts, Harvard Medical School compiled a list of foods dense in vitamins and minerals relative to the number of calories per serving: avocados, baked potatoes, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, eggs, fish (cod, halibut, salmon, scallops, shrimp, tuna), fruit (cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries), grains (barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa), greens (chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach), lean meat (beef, lamb, venison), legumes (garbanzo, kidney, navy and pinto beans, lentils, peas), low-fat yogurt, mushrooms (cremini, shiitake), nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts), poultry (chicken, turkey), seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), sweet potatoes.

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WHAT ARE SUPPLEMENTS?

According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, in order to be identified as a dietary supplement, a product must:

1. Enhance the human diet

2. Contain one or more dietary ingredients

3. Be taken orally in whatever form

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association defines a dietary ingredient as any of the following: vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes and potentially beneficial bacteria or yeasts. But supplements arent just about promoting health by filling in nutritional gaps or fortifying stores of particular vitamins and minerals. Some products advertise better mental, athletic or sexual performance. They might be natural, single-source extracts from plants or animal tissues, or targeted blends with chemically altered natural materials and others that are entirely synthetic.

How are supplements regulated?

Its a misconception that the industry isnt regulated, said Damon McCune, head of UNLVs Didactic Program for Nutrition and Dietetics. It is regulated, just very poorly. Dietary supplements are jointly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.

FDA: Supplements dont need FDA approval before going to market, though companies must notify the agency of their product information and intent to sell. The onus is on the FDA to investigate products and manufacturing facilities and prove something isnt safe in order to restrict use or remove items from shelves. (Supplements) go through a more rigorous process than food inspection and a less rigorous one than drugs, said the Council for Responsible Nutritions Duffy MacKay. Unlike prescription medications, supplements may only make claims about health broadly (though some companies break that rule), or about nutrient content or specific functions.

In its own effort to engage companies in bringing supplements to a level of consistent quality, the Council for Responsible Nutrition built a self-regulatory registry called the Supplement Online Wellness Library to help create a rich and more complete picture of the marketplace for regulators, retailers and industry.

FTC: The FTC tracks responsibility in advertising claims. If it comes down on a supplement brand for having misleading practices, MacKay said, it sends a message throughout the industry that encourages other companies to get in compliance. But with limited resources and so many supplements to watch, matters get complicated. Among factors making regulation more difficult is abundant misinformation on the internet, MacKay says. Just remember there are no magic bullets or quick fixes ...

Proven supplements work well for ...

From Carol Haggans, registered dietitian and consultant for the National Institutes of Healths Office of Dietary Supplements:

It is possible to overdose. ... All vitamins and minerals have a recommended intake, which is the amount people should strive to get from foods and, if needed, dietary supplements each day.

Vitamin A is one nutrient that can cause serious problems at high doses, including birth defects if a woman is pregnant. Iron can also be toxic at high intakes. Even some of the B-vitamins can cause problems at high doses.

Some vitamins, like B12, do not have an upper limit because they have not been found to be toxic at high doses. But even if there is no upper limit, consuming more than the recommended amount doesnt necessarily have any benefit.

Early in her journey to becoming a registered dietitian, Crystal Petrello said, she was obstinate when it came to incorporating supplements.

I saw it as a snake-oil industry, and people were spending so much money, she said.

But after working in the nutrition field, her mind was changed about the potential of certain products. She says she has experienced the benefits of supplements, though dietitians and even supplement-industry officials agree the approach to better health should be food first.

There is a magic we dont understand when it comes to eating food, said Dr. Duffy MacKay, a licensed naturopathic physician and senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for trade group the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Some cool stuff happens when you eat a salad.

Carol Haggans, a registered dietitian and consultant for the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, said it is possible to get all essential nutrients by eating a nutritious variety of foods, though there are exceptions.

For example, all women who might become pregnant should get 400 micrograms of folic acid a day from either fortified foods or dietary supplements, she said. And men and women over 50 should get the recommended amounts of vitamin B12 from fortified foods or dietary supplements, because they might have trouble absorbing the vitamin B12 that is naturally present in food. According to the NIH, scientific evidence backs some supplement use for overall health, such as taking calcium and vitamin D to fortify bones.

Damon McCune, who directs UNLVs Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics, said that while there are legitimate cases for taking supplements, consumers too often dont consult physicians and dietitians about potential benefits and harmful interactions with other over-the-counter products or prescription medications. He also said food provides trace nutrients that supplements cant, and that people jump to them too quickly without considering dietary changes that might pack more nutrition at a lower cost.

The first thing people get wrong is that an overwhelming number dont need supplements. People use supplements in place of food, McCune said. They are marketed so well that people go to them first.

MacKay disagrees. He said studies have shown that supplement users already engage in healthy habits, from regulating their diets to staying away from cigarettes. Im not going to be popular for saying this, but Ive heard this statement from the dietitian community forever, he said. People arent using supplements to offset terrible habits. Thats a myth.

He further asserted that even the most health-conscious eaters might miss important nutrients. We all travel, get stressed and eat birthday cake, he said. A multivitamin is a good insurance policy.

Most people arent aware of their nutrient intake on a level specific enough to inform what needs supplementing, so conversations with a dietitian are a way to get started. Once youve created a food log and broken down your diet, you can apply Dietary Reference Intakes recommended by the Institute of Medicines Food and Nutrition Board.

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KNOW THE RISKS

The most glaring cautionary tale in the supplement world might be ephedra. Products containing the plants ephedrine alkaloids were marketed for weight loss and athletic performance, but the Food and Drug Administration banned the ingredient in 2004 after it was linked to heart problems and strokes. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than 800 reports of serious toxicity were collected by the FDA, including more than 22 deaths. Yet some related extracts not included in the ban are still sold.

Weight loss and bodybuilding remain high-risk supplement categories, though theyre overshadowed by a newer one: sexual enhancement.

In 2013, a study was published by the Journal of the American Medical Association that looked at all FDA Class I recalls those for which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death from 2004 to 2012. Researchers found that 51 percent were dietary supplements. Sexual enhancement products were the most common offender, followed by those purported to bulk up or slim down the body.

All of these supplement recalls were rooted in unapproved active pharmaceutical ingredients, also known as hidden drugs.

These ingredients, generally undeclared in the labeling, can pose considerable dangers to consumers, read a 2010 FDA letter to manufacturers of dietary supplements.

That same year, a report to Congress from the Government Accountability Office found that nearly all herbal supplements it tested had trace amounts of contaminants such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic or pesticide. While heavy metals were within safe limits, 40 percent of the products tested contained enough pesticide to exceed the legal limit, according to The New York Times, which also flagged illegal health claims related to Alzheimers disease, cancer and diabetes.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition works to warn consumers, says the trade groups senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, Duffy MacKay, but there is a prevailing lack of research into many manufacturer claims.

MacKay says one positive example is probiotics, live bacterial cultures believed to support gut health. Its a juggernaut of a trend, so companies are incentivized to invest in study-backed development.

The stalwarts of the vitamin aisle have significant market share, partly because theyre familiar enough for consumers to trust their value.

Calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones strong and reducing bone loss; folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects, and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils might help some people with heart disease, says registered dietitian and National Institutes of Health consultant Carol Haggans. Other supplements need more study.

15 supplement ingredients to avoid

Consumer Reports ongoing series, The Truth About Supplements, is reviewing the research and talking with medical experts to find out whether common supplements live up to their marketing hype and whether they are safe to take. As part of that effort, a March report listed 15 ingredients to always avoid, as they can cause organ damage, cancer and cardiac arrest. Moreover, the report read, our experts agree that none of these supplement ingredients provide sufficient health benefits to justify the risk.

The 15 that made the list were: aconite, caffeine powder, chaparral, coltsfoot, comfrey, germander, greater celandine, green tea extract powder, kava, lobelia, methylsynephrine, pennyroyal oil, red yeast rice, usnic acid, yohimbe.

HOW TO SHOP SMART

Damon McCune with UNLVs nutrition and dietetics program said anyone could claim the title of nutritionist, so seek out a registered dietitian trained to adhere to certain standards.

But keep in mind that credentials arent a guarantee of sound advice. Whether youre dealing with a dietitian or a medical doctor, McCune said its OK to get a second opinion if it doesnt feel right, especially in the age of Dr. Oz. Mehmet Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon with a leadership position in Columbia Universitys medical school and a network talk show themed around health and wellness. Oz has been criticized for featuring miracle products that in some cases have been discredited (in 2014 he was brought before Congress to answer for giving viewers false hopes, and the following year a group of prominent physicians called for his firing from Columbia).

Dont always take it as gospel, McCune said. There should be a high level of responsibility on the consumer. People need to learn to be more savvy.

Tips for choosing products

1. The fewer ingredients, the better.

2. If provided daily percentages are way above federal guidelines, be wary.

3. If a supplement lists a proprietary blend, unapproved substances may be hiding.

4. When choosing a multivitamin, tailor it to your age, gender and other characteristics (such as pregnancy) to ensure the mix of ingredients suits your needs.

5. Understanding ingredient lists is one thing. Recognizing the marks of vetted products is another. Third-party verifications are available through organizations such as ConsumerLab.com, Informed-Choice, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention and Good Manufacturing Practice. Companies have to pay for their services, and some forego the option. They conduct tests on dietary supplements to check for things such as contaminants, potency and absorption, said National Institutes of Health consultant Carol Haggans. These programs provide assurance that a supplement was properly manufactured, that it contains the ingredients listed on the label and that it does not contain harmful levels of contaminants though these organizations do not test the product to determine whether or not it is actually effective.

6. Try Google Scholar to check out research firsthand. And read multiple articles, McCune said. Dont just read one that supports what you want to hear and ignore the 10 others that say the opposite.

7. Registered dietitian Crystal Petrello recommends the similar resource Examine and the NIHs Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Just because it says its natural doesnt mean its safe, Petrello said. Arsenic is natural.

Watch for interactions and report any issues

Interactions: Consumers should always check with their doctors to make sure theyre not introducing something that could harm them depending on what they already take, prescription or over-the-counter. The Mayo Clinic offers an online database listing known interactions with 40 common supplements, from acidophilus to zinc.

Recalls: This FDA site logs recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts. If you experience adverse effects after taking a supplement, you can report it to the FDA through its MedWatch portal.

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A beginner's guide to dietary supplements - Las Vegas Sun

According to a new market report published by Credence Research,Acerola Extract Market Growth, Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis, 2017 2025, theglobal acerola extract market is expected to reach over US$ 15,763.8 Mn by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2017 to 2025.

Market Insights

The global acerola extract market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period 2017 to 2025. Growing preference for healthy fruit based products is anticipated to drive the demand for the acerola extract. The global acerola extract market is projected to reach US$ 15,763.8 million by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2017 to 2025.

Browse the full report at http://www.credenceresearch.com/report/acerola-extract-market

By form, acerola extract market segmentation includes powder and liquid forms; of which, in 2016, powder form dominated the market in terms of revenue contribution and is further expected to remain dominant during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025. Currently, growing demand for vitamins and health supplements, particularly in functional foods is fueling the demand for powdered form of acerola extract. However, liquid form segment is expected to register high growth in the near future. Owing to advantages such as natural color, rich vitamin C content, flavor, antioxidant property, and dough improvement, liquid formulations of acerola extract are anticipated to witness significant adoption among food and beverage manufacturers. Owing to growing consumption and rising demand for natural ingredients for preservation of meat products the demand for acerola extract in meat products is expected to gain adoption among manufacturers over the coming years.

On the basis of applications, the global acerola extract market is segmented into food supplements, beverages, confectionery, snacks, meat, bakery and others. Among these, food supplements segment dominated the market and accounted for 26.7% share of the global market in 2016. This segment is projected to maintain its dominance over the next eight years. Rising demand for organic and stable ingredients in food and beverage products is a key factor driving growth acerola extract market. Some of the other factors fuelling the acerola extract market growth (primarily in varied food applications) include demand for natural preservative solutions, ingredients with enhanced oxygen-scavenging properties in meat products, improved color and curing properties, maintenance of nutritional efficacy, particularly if used in cured and raw meat products.

For the purpose of this study, the global acerola extract market is categorized into regional markets viz., North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America and Middle East and Africa. In base year 2016, North America was observed as the largest market for acerola extract. In Asia Pacific, China and India serve potential markets for acerola extract in the next five to six years. Growing consumption of beverages and meat products especially in China and India, along with commercialization measures for acerola extract as an ingredient in various food and beverage products fuel the acerola extract market growth.

Furthermore, companies present in North America and Europe are extensively focusing on research and development for developing blend formulations comprising acerola extract in various food & beverages products and companies are focusing on expanding their business network, across regional markets. Amway, Blue Macaw Flora, DIANA NATURALS, Duas Rodas Industrial, Herbal Bio Solutions, Natures Power Nutraceuticals Corp., Naturex, Nichirei Corporation, NutriBotanica, Optimally Organic Inc., The Green Labs LLC. and Vita Forte Inc. are few key manufacturers in acerola extract market.

Key Trends:

Growing consumer inclination towards natural products

Increasing array of applications

Asia pacific is expected to register the highest growth rate

High prices of acerola extract products is acting as a restrain to growth of the market

Strong Demand from Emerging Economies

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Global Acerola Extract Market Size Is Expected To Reach Over US$ 15763.8 Mn By 2017 To 2025 - Technorati

According to a new market report published by Credence ResearchGlobal Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Market Growth, Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis, 2016 2023, theMethylsulfonylmethane (MSM) market is expected to reach over US$ 10 Bn by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 7% from 2016 to 2023

Market Insights

The demand for methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) has grown globally owing to rise in cases of bone fractures, back and neck pain, arthritis, osteoporosis and rheumatism among others. This phenomenon has gained significant attention from people and government across the globe. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) helps the body to form new joint and muscle tissue while reducing inflammatory responses, which contributes to stiffness and swelling; therefore, it is considered as a prominent ingredient in food supplements category. Moreover, rising awareness regarding health concern and benefits associated with consumption of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is another factor contributing towards the market growth.

Browse the fullMethylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Market- Market Growth, Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis, 2016 2023 report at http://www.credenceresearch.com/report/methylsulfonylmethane-market

On the basis of application, the global methylsulfonylmethane market is segmented into food & beverage, pharmaceutical & dietary supplements, cosmetics & personal care, animal feed and other industries (agriculture, urban waste handling and etc.). Methylsulfonylmethane is widely used in pharmaceutical & dietary supplements industry as it functions as a pharmaceutically active agent. In 2015, pharmaceutical & dietary supplements accounted for the largest share of more than 55% of the total MSM market by volume.

Global Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) market is segmented by geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. In 2015, North America led the global MSM market and was followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. Together, the regions accounted more than 80% share of the market. This is due to prominent ageing population in North America, Europe and certain countries in Asia.

Bergstrom Nutrition, Inc., Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group Co., Ltd., Yueyang Xiangmao Medicines & Chemicals Co., Ltd., Makana Produktion und Vertrieb GmbH, Vita Flex Nutrition, ZhuZhou Hansen Chemical Co, Ltd., Panvo Organics Pvt. Ltd., Chaitanya Biologicals Pvt. Ltd, Tianjin Baofeng Chemical Co., Ltd and Hangzhou Dakang New Materials Co., Ltd. are few key manufacturers in methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) market.

Key Trends:

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Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Market Is Expected To Reach Over US$ 10 Bn By 2023, Expanding At A CAGR Of 7 ... - Technorati

By David AndersonDavid Anderson , 26-Jun-20172017-06-26T00:00:00Z Last updated on 26-Jun-2017 at 15:27 GMT2017-06-26T15:27:59Z

Food businesses, academia and the government should club together to help fund research into improving the measurement of bioavailability amid consumers demanding heightened information about the supplements they consume, according to the author of a paper looking into emerging trends in food engineering.

Dr Sam Saguy, professor of technology and innovation, Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told Nutra Ingredients that it was imperative that the food industry provide consumers with a better understanding of supplements and what they do and that delivering only a safe product wasnt enough.

Its not enough to say we are adding this amount or that amount, the issue is really how much of that is bioavailable. We are really looking for information on how to measure the bioavailability, he told us.

He said that for too long the food industry has lacked a comprehensive understanding of how food interacts with the body.

But by improving understanding of the proportion of nutrients which have an active impact on the body, then it could help usher in an era of personalised supplements and other products, he said.

This is an issue which really harms the development of a lot of a new products, ideas and technology. What was sufficient in the past just to have on the package let us say 100mg of vitamin E.

This is an old story and is not sufficient. What we need to know is really how to measure it and how to quantify that so in the end we are delivering what the consumers needs are, he told us.

Saguy said the cost of improved research into bioavailability can be prohibitively high, so has called on industry partners to club together to share the financial burden.

The government and the food industry and academia and private business should look at that [funding] in a holistic approach and find a way to collaborate, he told us.

Saguy is the author of a paper looking at some of the issues facing food engineering and how to best resolve them.

Food engineering, the paper notes, has been undermined by diminished research funding, declining new academic positions, and competition for talent from rival industries, which has meant that has become a less attractive field to enter.

To help meet these challenges, the paper says the food engineering industry needs to redefine itself and its vision and strategy, which would help it arrest the slide of talent joining the industry.

Along with funding into bioavailability, the paper has also called for an open innovation mindset for the industry to adopt.

Key to this approach would be to not just look towards incremental innovation but embracing start-up mentalities and promote research and innovation that disrupts the industry.

A new and open innovation driven mindset built on the university foundation of basic sciences should be a very powerful combination to address all aspects of the future, the paper notes.

The paper has also called on the industry to embrace developments in cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence to help improve the understanding of food formulation and processes, as well as an acknowledgment that social responsibility should be an integral part of the future of food engineering.

Source:Trends in Food Science & Technology

Published online ahead of print:doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2016.08.008

From open innovation to enginomics: Paradigm shifts.

Authors:Sam Saguy, Petros S Taoukis

Continued here:

Industry must improve bioavailability measurement, study author concludes - NutraIngredients.com

Cutline :Stock photo

Dietary supplements are intended to complement a diet and provide what a person may lack nutritionally based on daily habits, medicines they're taking or other outside factors.

"Supplements [cover] a multitude of things. Whether we're talking about vitamins, minerals, herbal products, it's anything that we use to add to ... whatever lifestyle choices you have for various reasons. It's not a replacement, it's an addition," says Carrie Beth Smith, PharmD and Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist at Saint Francis Medical Center.

Smith says there has been a wide range of research done on supplementation.

"Most people who use supplementation use it because they recognize that they have a deficiency in some area," she says. "That's why most of us take a multivitamin because we're not sure if we get everything we need from our diet."

A number of people who take supplements may be doing it to provide their body with something to compensate for an insufficiency caused by medical reasons or conditions.

Cutline :Stock photo

"Some people use different supplements to assist in care for certain conditions. They use them to help benefit their body for certain conditions and it's a broad range," Smith says. "People use supplements for, pick a topic, and somebody will probably tell you, 'Oh, there's a supplement for that.'"

All the nutrients we need could have been sourced from our diet 60 or more years ago according to Smith. As time has gone on, more automated options, chemicals and pesticides have come into use and loss of soil nutrients from erosion have made those nutrients less easily obtained.

When considering the saying "You eat whatever your food eats," Smith says "most of the time we think about that for animals, but it's the same thing with fruits and vegetables because they get their nutrients from the soil. So if we're eating the fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients but the soil doesn't have what it used to, then the tomato your grandma or great-grandma ate is not the tomato you're eating today."

With those factors in mind, Smith also says every person's supplement needs (or lack thereof) will be different because every person has a distinctly different diet and lifestyle.

"There are certain things that probably are more predominantly geared toward or more necessary for men versus women," she says. "There are some things that go across the board that everybody probably needs a little bit of. To do supplementation appropriately, you look at the individual person and what that individual needs."

The main goal of supplementation is to get a person to a proper state of health. Once that goal has been met, Smith says supplementation can most likely be reduced.

"Once your body's in a healthy mode and in a healthy place, then eating healthy and eating that variety, it's much easier to get what you need (in terms of vitamins and minerals)," she says.

When it comes to supplementing for other reasons, Smith says the conversation shifts. She says people often continue supplementing for years without considering whether or not they still need the supplements they're consuming.

"You have to think about, what's it doing for your body and then does your body really still need it?" she says.

This is a difficult question to consider, Smith says, because many healthcare providers may not have a definitive answer.

"Unless you have somebody who's really interested in supplementation and really has taken a personal interest in it, finding qualified individuals to speak to becomes difficult, to be perfectly honest," she says.

Enter physicians and pharmacists.

"When you have that physician/pharmacist team that both have an understanding of supplements and why supplementation is important and how to do it, then you can actually provide people with what their bodies need," Smith says.

And in most cases, Smith says speaking with a physician to order supplements is the safest option.

"The best quality supplements are those that physicians must order because the companies meet beyond the strictest standards of what's required for supplementations on the shelf at 'pick-your-drugstore,'" she says.

Although dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, according to its website, firms that market supplements are required to ensure the product manufactured is safe, any claims made about the product are not false or misleading and the products comply with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and FDA regulations in all other respects.

The solution to any doubt in this case, Smith says, is looking for companies that work directly with physicians to supply supplements for their patients.

Smith also recommends speaking to a physician or pharmacist because they can best consider which medications a person may be on already and determine how certain supplements may interact with them.

"When you have a pharmacist/physician team that works together, you get the best of both worlds," she says.

Smith says the first step in moving from health to wellness is taking responsibility for one's own wellbeing and asking physicians and pharmacists the appropriate questions about dietary and supplemental needs.

"I'm a firm believer when your body gets what it needs it does what it was created to do," Smith says. "... Why wouldn't you want to be well?"

For more information about dietary supplements, visit https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/default.htm.

Go here to see the original:

Clinical pharmacist Carrie Beth Smith discusses dietary supplements and their role in wellness - Southeast Missourian

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said Thursday that the FSSAI is committed to ensuring robust and unambiguous standards for food supplements with the help of industry.

Addressing a FICCI seminar on Nutraceuticals - Seizing Growth Opportunities under Changing Economic and Regulatory Landscape held here today, Agarwal urged food processing industry players to work with the FSSAI on developing good manufacturing practices, document and adoption of it for overcoming challenges of spurious and dubious products flooding Indian markets.

Agarwal also mentioned that FSSAI is working with the central drug regulator to make a clear distinction between drug and food, which will clear a lot of ambiguity present among the stakeholders.

The other speakers in the inaugural session included Dr. B. Sesikeran, Chairman, Scientific Panel on Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals, Dietetic products and other similar products, FSSAI, Dr. A K Sharma, Consultant, FSSAI; Mr. Sanjaya Mariwala, Chairman, FICCI Task Force on Nutraceuticals and Managing Director and CEO, OmniActive Health Technologies Ltd; Mr. Sandeep Ahuja, Chairman, FICCI ? Wellness Committee and Executive Director, VLCC Healthcare Ltd and Dr. A Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI.

Dr. A Didar Singh emphasized the need for having standards for food products and how FICCI can collaboratively work with FSSAI to further expand the scope of standards beyond the current standards.

Sanjaya Mariwala highlighted the growth opportunities in Nutraceuticals and its contribution to Make in India initiative. He also invite industry member to work collaboratively on matters related to GST.

The seminar was attended by about 100 participants from the nutraceuticals industry.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Read the rest here:

FSSAI committed to robust and unambiguous standards for food ... - Daily News & Analysis

There has always been money in testosterone, but especially now. The world is awash in ads for products that enhance and support testosterone levels. They promise health and virility. They are predicated on the contested assumption that there is a widespread dearth of testosteronethat more problems lie in scarcity than surplus.

Among these products is a potion known as Super Male Vitality. A single two-ounce vial costs $59.95. (The retail price on the sellers website is given as $69.95, but that price has been conspicuously crossed out.)

For buyers who are not convinced by the discount and the phallic applicator and the promise of some kind of superior maleness, there is the question of what this product is. Its seller claims: As men age, they may often experience a slow-down in vitality, energy, and overall wellness, so Super Male Vitality is specifically designed to assist the body in regulating proper balance to create superior vitality in males.

The liquid is a mix of widely available herbs. The reason many people seem to believe it creates superior vitality in males is that the liquid is sold at a store called Infowarswhich you may know as the media business owned by Alex Jones, who you may know as the man who takes his shirt off and yells a lot, and who believes that the massacre of children at Sandy Hook was a hoax, and who has said tap water is a gay bomb.

Jones was in the news this week regarding an interview with NBCs Megyn Kelly, which was diffusely criticized for the fact of even giving air time to Jones. He is often described as a media personality or commentator, and his radio show is widely syndicated, and his videos have been seen millions of times onlinethough he distances himself from the media in any sense. He might better be described as a provocateur, thena person in the business of getting attention.

At some point, of course, that attention needs to be turned into money. That seems to be where Super Male Vitality and the rest of Jones health business comes in. Buzzfeed reported last month that according to multiple former Infowars employees, the supplements were what really turned Infowars into a media empire that caters to conspiracy-minded consumers, estimating annual sales in the tens of millions of dollars. (Its not just Super Male Vitality: Infowars also sells a product called Brain Force Plus, and another called Caveman, which will invite users to rediscover the human blueprint, and experience the power of cutting edge science.) One former employee said Jones can sell 500 supplements in an hour.

These supplements seem to be more than a part of the business model, but the core of it. Infowars does not operate like a newspaper or magazine, by selling ad space to third parties.

Last month in New York magazine, Seth Brown detailed that Jones makes no money from selling ads on his radio show, which amounts to a widely syndicated four-hour infomercial for supplements. An examination of his business seems to indicate that the vast majority of Infowars revenue comes from sales of these dietary supplements. Infowars isnt a media empireits a snake-oil empire.

Infowars didnt reply to my request to discuss some products health claims and sales. Though a representative did tell me that in the future I should address questions about the supplement business to an account called whistleblower@infowars.com, the existence of which seems like an admission of something.

The store itself is heavily fortified with legal caveats for its health claims, like The information contained in the Website is provided for informational purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your doctor or other health care professional.

So to be clear: The information is for informational purposes only.

Though even this is not quite true. The fine print actually says that the act of reading the information absolves Infowars and Alex Jones of any responsibility for conveying that information. (By using this site for any purpose whatsoever, including reading, browsing, studying you are agreeing to indemnify Infowars from any claims or responsibility for anything which may result there from, and you accept sole responsibility for any legal, medical, or financial liability which may occur as a result of your usage of the pages on this site.)

The company is not responsible for the information, or for the act of selling products that make unsubstantiated health claims. You the reader are responsible for the act of using the page. This is the sort of setup for which consumer protection exists. Of course, Jones rants against all sorts of consumer-protection measures, entities, and ideas. He has a vested interest in it remaining that way.

It was in fact because of an expensive campaign of fear-of-government-mongering by the supplement industry that Jones and others are able to sell these medicinal concoctions without the government getting in their way. The 1994 Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act effectively lets anyone sell medicineso long as its not explicitly medicines, but ingestible non-food products that claim to improve health. More specifically, a product cant be sold to treat or cure a specific disease, as pharmaceuticals are, but a supplement can claim to provide health, vitality, cardiovascular support, joint functionality, brain wellness, et cetera.

The law has led to much consumer confusion and piles of money wasted on products that may or may not be offering support or vitality or enhancement. But it has been a boon for industry. Instead of paying hundreds of millions of dollars to bring a product to market as a vetted pharmaceutical, anyone can go to market with a potion or pill or whatnot. This is acknowledged in a dark grey font on a black background on Infowars: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Meanwhile much more visibly, right next to the product, buyers are assured: As always, we offer what we have researched and believe to be the highest quality selection of products for you and your family that have been developed along with the advisory of top doctors and experts.

Only one doctor and/or expert is named on the site. He is referred to as Dr. Edward Group, and he is the person credited with inventing the Infowars supplement concoctions. It was he who created the most powerful herbal male hormonal support product on the market, Super Male Vitality. And it was Group who explained in an Infowars Youtube video called The B12 Conspiracy that everyone is deficient in B12 because of all the pesticides and everything else that's been sprayed on the soil. Infowars also sells vitamin B12 (as most pharmacies do for a few dollars). Though the Infowars product is called Secret 12, and it costs $29.99.

I find no leading expert who agrees that all people are deficient in B12or even that many people are. In particular cases, a B12 supplement may be beneficialbut this is a discussion for a particular patient with their particular doctor who knows their particular case. Apart from certain few other casesvitamin D in certain people, folic acid in pregnant females, vitamin C in 18th-century transoceanic seamensupplements do not help us.

Group is a chiropractor. He is pictured on his web site in a white coat and scrubs, signifying to clients some belonging in the medical profession. His website lists multiple media appearances, the recurring theme being opposition to Western medicine. For example, he told The New York Times in 2009, Western medicine is treating the symptoms instead of addressing the root cause.

This is a mantra of alternative and naturopathic healers. Its, of course, true. Like Joness conspiracy theories, its based in truth and plausibility. But it can be true that the U.S. health-care system is built around a fee-for-service model that ignores the causes of diseaseand it can simultaneously be true that the answer to the problem is not to spend your money on Super Male Vitality or other dietary supplement pills, powders, and potions. They risk providing a false security and distract from addressing the root cause of disease. And it is not a discussion to be had with a doctor who also sells supplementsmuch less at exorbitant markups.

Yet worse than all this is that these sales tactics are predicated on sowing distrust in what is actually known. The near consensus of actual leading experts is that eating mostly minimally processed plant-based foods is the best way to keep a body nourished. If there are indeed effects of certain herbs on human testosterone levelsa plausible conceptit is not likely necessary to pay exorbitantly for ultra-concentrated vials. In addition to lack of evidence, the products validity is undermined by the fact that Infowars also sells a potion called Super Female Vitality. It does not mention testosterone. The list of ingredients is almost identical.

Though it ends in ellipses.

Read the original post:

Testosterone Wars: Infowars and the Promise of Power in a Vial ... - The Atlantic