FYI, my public library system (Seattle Public Library) has both Consumer Reports and ConsumerLab available for free online for anyone with a SPL library card and login.
Psychologist here, who spends WAY too much time on supplement education. ConsumerLab member for close to a decade now and definitely get my money's worth (at least on behalf of the Pts I see).
I get good information on supplements from Consumer Lab too. Their testing is very thorough and they are right up front about when you're getting ripped off, what testing shows about the dangers in supplements, and which contain zero of what the label says.
I have had a patient of mine die due to liver failure after taking supplements. She took at least 15 different „herbal supplements“. Impossible to determine which caused liver failure.
To bring this back to menopause: the „market“ for this is rife with abuse. Women are desperate and there are predators just waiting to pounce- pellets i am looking at you.
Thanks for bringing up this important topic. I subscribe to Consumerlab.com, an independent, scientific organization that tests supplements for purity, contamination and content and also rates them by price. It's a subscription site costing about $30.00 per year. I've found it to be very useful.
ConsumerLab.com, LLC. is a privately held American company registered in White Plains, NY. It is a publisher of test results on health, wellness, and nutrition products. Consumer Labs is not a laboratory, but contracts studies to outside testing laboratories. Wikipedia
Not related to menopause but you have also just accurately described the drug poisoning opioid crisis. Except you will immediately die if you eat “corn” but if you don’t buy the beans you will be in excruciating pain.
Thank you for highlighting this issue! If you wanna get rich, be a schill for supplements. Horrible how many people are scammed in a desperate attempt to feel better.
I'm deeply sceptical of supplements but there's some research about omega 3s helping migraine so I buy a third party verified brand. That and creatine is all I take.
My mother has fallen for the "natural" supplement scam and takes about 20 pills a day. She says she feels horrible when she doesn't. I'm like of course you do! Who knows what's in those pills. She could be at risk for withdrawal from any one of them. I'd share this post with her if I thought she'd listen.
Yes, a friend of mine with a seriously high IQ has mystified me by falling for alt medicine. Her husband was recently hospitalized for a bleeding stomach ulcer. The hospital fixed him up, sent him home, and now he's back on his multi-coloured bag of pills. I really don't understand it. It's like a religion.
This is very sobering. Thank you, Dr. Jen. It's so tempting to buy products that claim they will solve a problem, and for many years, I didn't have health insurance, so I was always self-treating, very often with herbs and other over the counter products. This has worked for me, and as far as I know, at least some of the time, and my liver is fine, but your post is cautionary.
Amazing article and thank you for tackling this frustrating topic. I face similar challenges in the veterinary field with untested products considered supplements. Very sad that there are no protections for consumers and dangerous.
Interesting anecdote: my pharmacist recommended Melatonin for my son when he went through a period of severe insomnia during his withdrawal from an opiod pain-killer after a running injury. The pharmacist talked knowledgeably about the different doses he had on his shelf. What do you think he knew about the research you've shared with us? A few months later my husband was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer and was prescribed Melatonin to help with sleep. Surprised, I asked about research and was reassured that what the hospital had in stock was both based on proven efficacy and properly monitored for dosage. I would like to know where Melatonin falls between Big Natural vs Big Pharma, and if there are other substances that are being marketed between the two.
I am also curious about this, as Melatonin and Calcium are the only supplements I take. I’d thought they were both pretty benign but now I’m wondering if they might be suspect as well depending on mfg.
Unfortunately this is the least shocking post I have read but thank you for talking about this. I have struggled to find good supplements to stave off osteoporosis (calcium and vitamin D, I believe I should be taking - especially bc I live in Seattle). I have no idea what to look for to understand if a supplement is remotely what it says it is.
If you follow the link for consumer reports it tells you how to find products that are verified by an independent organization. But basically for something like calcium or vitamin D a brand like Nature Made, which is USP certified and they are reasonably priced. That is what I use.
Thank you for this informative post. It makes me wonder what was in the Promensil I used for a while (recommended by a pharmacist and okayed by my family physician) before deciding to just tolerate the few hot flashes I get… I’m wondering if this applies to vitamins as well as my daughter was advised by her pediatrician to give a multivitamin to my granddaughters?
Liftmode sells its supplements primarily in powder form with no additives. I measure mine out into oblate discs to take them. They send a detailed lab test report from their lab that details everything in each product, the percentages, and the results showing if it is free of unwanted fillers, etc.
Curious if anyone else is familiar with or has bought from them. I use their Alpha Lipoic Acid, Magnesium L-Threonate, Galacto-oligosaccharides (which I really love) and their Nacet (superior form of NAC) plus a few more.
However, you still have to use common sense about what is appropriate for you, what you need for your health, and what is just hype. Just because a supplement contains what it says in the right percentages, does not mean it is good for you or that you need it.
FYI, my public library system (Seattle Public Library) has both Consumer Reports and ConsumerLab available for free online for anyone with a SPL library card and login.
That is amazing! I didn't know libraries did that!
Hi Dr. Gunter, is Consumer Labs a good and trustworthy source then, in your opinion?
Pam -- I finally got around to signing up for this via SPL. Awesome reco!
THANK YOU! [caps intended]
Psychologist here, who spends WAY too much time on supplement education. ConsumerLab member for close to a decade now and definitely get my money's worth (at least on behalf of the Pts I see).
I get good information on supplements from Consumer Lab too. Their testing is very thorough and they are right up front about when you're getting ripped off, what testing shows about the dangers in supplements, and which contain zero of what the label says.
I have had a patient of mine die due to liver failure after taking supplements. She took at least 15 different „herbal supplements“. Impossible to determine which caused liver failure.
To bring this back to menopause: the „market“ for this is rife with abuse. Women are desperate and there are predators just waiting to pounce- pellets i am looking at you.
Terrifying.
That is awful.
Terrifying!
Wow. I didn't know you were on here! Thanks for your bravery and courage.
Thanks for bringing up this important topic. I subscribe to Consumerlab.com, an independent, scientific organization that tests supplements for purity, contamination and content and also rates them by price. It's a subscription site costing about $30.00 per year. I've found it to be very useful.
ConsumerLab.com
Company
consumerlab.com
ConsumerLab.com, LLC. is a privately held American company registered in White Plains, NY. It is a publisher of test results on health, wellness, and nutrition products. Consumer Labs is not a laboratory, but contracts studies to outside testing laboratories. Wikipedia
Founded: 1999
President: Tod Cooperman
Contact: 914-722-9149 consumerlab.com
Key people: Tod Cooperman, M.D. (President); Mark Anderson, Ph.D. (VP of Research); Lisa K. Sabin (VP of Business Development)
Not related to menopause but you have also just accurately described the drug poisoning opioid crisis. Except you will immediately die if you eat “corn” but if you don’t buy the beans you will be in excruciating pain.
Thank you for highlighting this issue! If you wanna get rich, be a schill for supplements. Horrible how many people are scammed in a desperate attempt to feel better.
I'm deeply sceptical of supplements but there's some research about omega 3s helping migraine so I buy a third party verified brand. That and creatine is all I take.
My mother has fallen for the "natural" supplement scam and takes about 20 pills a day. She says she feels horrible when she doesn't. I'm like of course you do! Who knows what's in those pills. She could be at risk for withdrawal from any one of them. I'd share this post with her if I thought she'd listen.
Yes, a friend of mine with a seriously high IQ has mystified me by falling for alt medicine. Her husband was recently hospitalized for a bleeding stomach ulcer. The hospital fixed him up, sent him home, and now he's back on his multi-coloured bag of pills. I really don't understand it. It's like a religion.
This is very sobering. Thank you, Dr. Jen. It's so tempting to buy products that claim they will solve a problem, and for many years, I didn't have health insurance, so I was always self-treating, very often with herbs and other over the counter products. This has worked for me, and as far as I know, at least some of the time, and my liver is fine, but your post is cautionary.
Amazing article and thank you for tackling this frustrating topic. I face similar challenges in the veterinary field with untested products considered supplements. Very sad that there are no protections for consumers and dangerous.
This was so good, thank you Dr. Gunter
Interesting anecdote: my pharmacist recommended Melatonin for my son when he went through a period of severe insomnia during his withdrawal from an opiod pain-killer after a running injury. The pharmacist talked knowledgeably about the different doses he had on his shelf. What do you think he knew about the research you've shared with us? A few months later my husband was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer and was prescribed Melatonin to help with sleep. Surprised, I asked about research and was reassured that what the hospital had in stock was both based on proven efficacy and properly monitored for dosage. I would like to know where Melatonin falls between Big Natural vs Big Pharma, and if there are other substances that are being marketed between the two.
I am also curious about this, as Melatonin and Calcium are the only supplements I take. I’d thought they were both pretty benign but now I’m wondering if they might be suspect as well depending on mfg.
Unfortunately this is the least shocking post I have read but thank you for talking about this. I have struggled to find good supplements to stave off osteoporosis (calcium and vitamin D, I believe I should be taking - especially bc I live in Seattle). I have no idea what to look for to understand if a supplement is remotely what it says it is.
If you follow the link for consumer reports it tells you how to find products that are verified by an independent organization. But basically for something like calcium or vitamin D a brand like Nature Made, which is USP certified and they are reasonably priced. That is what I use.
Thanks!
Ugggh, my OB insists I try a chaste berry vitex supplement , but now this makes me nervous
The links in the post will tell you how to fine a supplement that is likely to be safer. I wrote this about Chasteberry https://vajenda.substack.com/p/can-flo-vitamins-help-with-pms
Thank you *so* much!!!
Thank you for this informative post. It makes me wonder what was in the Promensil I used for a while (recommended by a pharmacist and okayed by my family physician) before deciding to just tolerate the few hot flashes I get… I’m wondering if this applies to vitamins as well as my daughter was advised by her pediatrician to give a multivitamin to my granddaughters?
I only look for “B corp certified” companies like Pure Synergy or MegaFood.
Liftmode sells its supplements primarily in powder form with no additives. I measure mine out into oblate discs to take them. They send a detailed lab test report from their lab that details everything in each product, the percentages, and the results showing if it is free of unwanted fillers, etc.
Curious if anyone else is familiar with or has bought from them. I use their Alpha Lipoic Acid, Magnesium L-Threonate, Galacto-oligosaccharides (which I really love) and their Nacet (superior form of NAC) plus a few more.
However, you still have to use common sense about what is appropriate for you, what you need for your health, and what is just hype. Just because a supplement contains what it says in the right percentages, does not mean it is good for you or that you need it.