Any day from now, there may be fewer herbal supplements in the shelves in New York after a study revealed that many of them have been mislabelled or misguiding consumers.
Through the efforts of Eric Schneiderman, the attorney general of the state, several herbal supplements sold across New York have been assessed through DNA testing to determine if they indeed contain the ingredients they were known for. These supposed natural components can help improve memory, promote prostate health, or treat depression, among others. In total, more than 75 samples were tested, each of which went through five times of testing.
Based on the study, only one out of five of these supplements are truthful. The rest didn't contain any of the mentioned herbs but rather had a lot of fillers such as wheat, beans, and even house plants.
For the attorney general, the misleading labels are a serious threat to public health. Consumers, for example, who are allergic to wheat or house plants can have serious reactions including anaphylaxis, where the entire body becomes inflamed. It can narrow the air's passageway, making it difficult for the person to breathe. As a severe allergic reaction, it can lead to death when not treated immediately.
Herbal supplements with wheat, meanwhile, may not be advisable to individuals who are sensitive or intolerant to gluten as they will only worsen the gastrointestinal problems.
One of the first steps undertaken by the attorney general's office was to send letters to the biggest chains selling these supplements: Walmart, Walgreens, GNC, and Target. Walmart and Walgreens have already expressed cooperation by pulling out these supplements and submitting more information about the quality control and production of these supplements. Target still has to leave a comment while GNC announced that it will abide by the demand but stand by the quality of its products.
The herbal supplements industry, meanwhile, questioned the conducted DNA testing. According to the head of Council for Responsible Nutrition Steve Mister, manufacturing of these supplements can result to DNA impairment.