DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS Posted by: Urmi PatelINTRODUCTION:Dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as "foods" but the regulations are different from drugs and other foods. Food supplements are known by various other names such as: Nutraceuticals, Phytaceuticals, Herbaceuticals, Nutrapharmaceuticals, Foodiceuticals, Phytomedicines, Therapeutic Foods, Pharmafoods, Phytofoods and Parnuts (foods for particular nutritional uses). The FDA regulates the safety and labeling of dietary supplements, and the FTC, e.g. , The Federal Trade Commission regulates the advertising and marketing of dietary supplements. Together, the agencies maintain cooperative relationships and coordinate enforcement and educational efforts. Food supplements are regulated by the following acts:1. NLEA - Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. Specifies the "National Uniform Nutrition Labeling" provision that implements food content and nutrition labeling requirements that vary from the FDCA.2. DSHEA- Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1994 The act amended the FDCA to define dietary supplements as “foods” for most federal regulatory purposes. Additionally, the company must register under the Bioterrorism Act with the FDA before manufacturing or selling supplements. It specifically involves the FDA taking steps to protect the public from terrorist threats or attacks against the U.S. food supply. DEFINITION OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS: Dietary supplements as defined by Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, which became law in 1994, a dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) that is intended to supplement the diet; contains one or plus dietary ingredients (including vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and other paper substances......that have been found to contain DMAA (dimethylamylamine). REFERENCES: http://ods.od.nih.gov /factsheets/DietarySupplements-HealthProfessional/ http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=560 http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/ucm109764.htm#top http: //www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2007/ucm108938. htm http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/opinion/sunday/skip-the-supplements.html?_r= 2& http://www.academia.edu/4287001/Supplement_Market_in_the_US_2012-2016_Researchmoz http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/ucm109764.htm#top http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ ConsumerUpdates/ucm374742.htm http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/ Regulation/GE-Pharma-recalls-dietary-supplement-over-DMAA-content http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/ MedWatch/UCM201419.pdf http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ ConsumerUpdates/ucm374742.htm