The effectiveness of expensive vs cheap dietary supplements

The price of a particular supplement is determined by the manufacturer’s pricing strategy and is not indicative of its safety or efficacy. Therefore, when selecting a supplement, it is advisable to prioritize factors other than its cost.

What are dietary supplements?

DS, or dietary supplements, are categorized as food products, along with items such as chewing gum, alcoholic beverages, and mineral water. This perspective regarding supplements is common in various countries, including the United States, where the FDA regards supplements as food rather than drugs.

Despite many supplements containing ingredients with potent biological activity, manufacturers are not obligated to conduct clinical trials to demonstrate that their product can cure or prevent any specific disease. While supplements must, by law, contain the specified amount of active substance listed on the packaging, they undergo less rigorous testing than drugs. Consequently, the concentration of active substances in imported DS may differ from the labeled amount or fluctuate between batches.

Moreover, supplements must adhere to the same standards as food products and should not contain harmful microorganisms, chemical or biological toxins, or radioactive substances.

What are the types of dietery supplements?

There are two primary categories of supplements: nutraceuticals and parapharmaceutical preparations.

Nutraceuticals

Nutraceuticals are designed to supplement a person’s diet, primarily consisting of vitamins and minerals. Typically, individuals who follow a healthy diet get all the necessary nutrients and do not require additional supplements.

However, nutraceuticals containing extra vitamins can be beneficial for individuals suffering from avitaminosis, a condition associated with a deficiency of a specific vitamin. Avitaminosis is common in people who cannot normally absorb vitamins and minerals due to age or illness. For example, individuals with gluten intolerance are susceptible to B-group vitamin and vitamin D deficiency. In such cases, a medical professional may prescribe additional doses of these nutrients to prevent complications related to the nervous system, skeleton, and skin.

The same is valid for minerals, which can result in dangerous deficiencies if their absorption is disturbed due to some illnesses. For example, individuals with hypothyroidism may experience phosphate transport regulation impairment in the kidneys. In such instances, physicians may suggest supplements containing phosphorus.

While many nutraceuticals come in the form of supplements, they are also available as medicines with high concentrations of active ingredients that are strictly prescribed by a doctor. However, even when a supplement contains the same amount of active substance as a medication, there is still a significant difference.

The primary difference between a medication and a biodegradable supplement is the strict control of the active substance’s concentration to ensure it matches the amount listed on the label. Medications undergo far more rigorous testing than biodegradable supplements, ensuring that the concentration of the active substance on the package is accurate. As a result, nutraceutical preparations are typically more trustworthy than biologically active supplements.

Para-pharmaceuticals

Para-pharmaceuticals refer to optional dietary supplements prescribed for prevention, supportive therapy, and maintenance of organ and system functions within physiological limits. Compared to nutraceuticals, they are a more controversial group of supplements, consisting of medicinal herbs and probiotics with prebiotics, which raise many concerns among specialists.

One such example of para-pharmaceuticals is dietary supplements made from roots and leaves of medicinal herbs, such as ginseng, lemon balm, thyme, hawthorn, and others. However, these supplements face three significant problems associated with medicinal herbs.

1. The concentration of active substances in plants known for their therapeutic properties can differ from one batch to another. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to regulate this inconsistency besides measuring the concentration in each individual leaf or root. Unfortunately, this crucial step is often overlooked during the production of dietary supplements made from herbs. Consequently, there is a possibility that these supplements may not produce any effect or result in an excessively potent effect.
2. Numerous medicinal plants have the potential to accumulate hazardous heavy metals, such as nickel in shepherd’s purse, when grown in their natural environment. When plants are utilized as herbal raw materials for drug manufacturing, they undergo rigorous testing to check for heavy metal content. However, in the case of supplements, either testing is not performed, or it is not carried out thoroughly enough, which can result in the risk of poisoning from a supplement made from medicinal herbs.
3. The efficacy of numerous medicinal herbs remains unverified. The process of exploring a formula and examining the effectiveness of a new drug can take up to a decade and cost up to 2.6 billion dollars. Given the high investment required, it is probable that pharmaceutical companies have already evaluated the efficacy of established medicinal herbs and would seize any opportunity to generate revenue from a new drug.

The issue of probiotics and prebiotics is complex.

While some types of dietary supplements have demonstrated the ability to restore intestinal microflora in individuals who have undergone prolonged antibiotic treatment, the efficacy of different supplements can vary significantly in terms of the types and concentrations of beneficial bacteria they contain. Additionally, there is no guarantee that the specific bacteria advertised on the package will be present in the supplement. As a result, it is more secure to purchase a specific brand of probiotics recommended by a healthcare professional.

Overall, when it comes to non-prescription supplements, it is advisable not to take risks, regardless of their cost.

Examine.com is a website where you can verify the composition of imported supplements. It provides a wealth of scientific information about the safety and potential benefits of most active substances included in dietary supplements.

ConsumerLab.com is another website that you can use to verify the quality of a particular brand of supplement. The website is supported by experts who conduct independent testing of health products, regardless of the manufacturer. In addition, consumer reviews and FDA warnings about unscrupulous supplement manufacturers are also available on this site.

What to remember when buying supplements:

• Nutraceuticals that have been certified as drugs are typically a safer option to purchase because there is a greater likelihood that they contain the exact amount of active ingredient listed on the packaging. While they may be more expensive than dietary supplements, this is not always the case. In fact, some vitamin and mineral-based drugs can be less expensive than dietary supplements. Therefore, it is worth considering the cost-benefit analysis of investing in a certified nutraceutical drug, which may offer greater peace of mind and more reliable health benefits.
• Parapharmaceuticals are a dubious category of dietary supplements from the perspective of evidence-based medicine. To minimize the risks, it is advisable to purchase only the specific brand of probiotics or prebiotics that have been recommended by a healthcare professional. Other types of parapharmaceuticals should be avoided.