It's not uncommon to include taking a supplement as a part of your daily routine. Unlike prescription or over-the-counter medicines, customers seek them out to help boost their intake of specific vitamins and minerals, ensure they'll get restful sleep at night, and fuel their fitness regimens. But now, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new warnings about multiple supplements that were just recalled. Read on to see why the products pose some serious health concerns.
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The FDA just announced a recall for a misleading supplement sold as a COVID-19 treatment.
Shutterstock/SrideeStudioOn March 8, the FDA announced that the Natural Solutions Foundation had recalled its Dr. Rima Recommends Nano Silver 10ppm dietary supplement. The product was sold from Jan. 22, 2020, through Dec. 27, 2021.
The notice states the supplement makes unsubstantiated claims that it can be used to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19. It warns that "consumers who use this product instead of seeking timely medical treatment run the risk of serious, life-threatening health consequences."
Customers can request a refund for the product if they act quickly.
Shutterstock/Life and TimesThe move comes just over a year after the Natural Solutions Foundation received a federal court order to stop selling and distributing the misleading product. The same organization previously came under fire for selling "nano silver" supplements during an Ebola outbreak that made its way to the U.S. in 2014, USA Today reports.
"Marketing unproven products as treatments for COVID-19 endangers public health and violates the law," Brian M. Boynton, now Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Civil Division, said in a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release in 2021. "The department will work closely with the FDA to stop anyone attempting to take advantage of the pandemic by selling unapproved, misbranded drugs."
As part of the DOJ's order, the New Jersey-based organization must destroy any remaining product stock and notify customers of the recall. The FDA's notice specifies that customers have 22 days, as of March 7, to fill out a response form and return any unused supplements for a refund. Customers with questions can also contact the foundation by sending an email address listed on the recall notice.
Another major supplement recall could affect your pet's health.
iStockIf you're a pet owner, you may want to take note of a second supplement recall that was just issued. On March 10, the FDA released a notice announcing that Florida-based Stratford Care USA, Inc. was pulling its Omega-3 pet Supplements sold under 61 different brand names.
The affected items were sold in batches of 60 soft gel capsules packaged in white plastic containers with "lot 31133 EXP 04/13/23" or "lot 30837 EXP 10/26/22" printed on the bottom. The products were sold nationwide through retailers and veterinary clinics and online by retailers including Amazon and pet-focused website Chewy. A complete list of the product names can be found on the agency's notice.
The company says it decided to recall the pet products after discovering they contain potentially elevated levels of vitamin A. The agency warns that even though it's considered an essential nutrient, exposure to increased levels over time can lead to toxicity, which can lead to symptoms such as "general malaise, anorexia, nausea, peeling skin, weakness, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and death."
Customers who purchased the affected item are advised to stop feeding it to their pets immediately and dispose of it in a container where no other animals or wildlife can eat it. Consumers can also contact the company with any questions and request a full refund for the products.
The FDA has recently announced similar supplement and medication recalls.
Shutterstock/Vladimir SukhachevThis isn't the only time recently that supplements or health products have been the focus of FDA warnings. Last month, the agency announced that Volt Candy had issued a voluntary recall for one lot of its PrimeZEN Black 6000 male enhancement capsules.
The California-based company said it issued the alert because the affected product contained unlisted sildenafil and tadalafil, which are phosphodiesterase (PDE-5) inhibitors that are regulated by the FDA. The agency warned that the ingredients could interact with nitrates taken by people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease and lead to a potentially life-threatening drop in blood pressure.
Even prescription medications have been affected. On Feb. 1, the FDA announced that IBSA Pharma Inc. had issued a voluntary recall for 27 lots of its TIROSINT-SOL (levothyroxine sodium) Oral Solution medication. The company said that it pulled the affected product—which is typically prescribed to treat hypothyroidism as replacement therapy—after it discovered the lots in question could be lower in dosage than listed on its packaging.
The company warned that the subpotent product could cause patients to begin feeling the immediate symptoms of hypothyroidism, which include "fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, puffy face, hair loss, slow heart rate, depression, swelling of the thyroid gland and/or unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight." The notice advised any customers taking the medication to speak to their healthcare provider to discuss a possible replacement.
