Nutrition For Mortals The Rise of The U.S. Supplement Industry (Part 1)
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Apr 2, 2025 Discover how dietary supplements became a staple in American wellness. The podcast delves into the historical tensions between consumers, manufacturers, and regulators. Learn about the sensational marketing of patent medicines and their dangerous ingredients. Explore the dramatic events, like the Elixir sulfanilamide disaster, that ignited calls for regulation. The discussion uncovers the evolution of vitamins in the 20th century and the ongoing gray areas of supplement oversight. Tune in for part two, where the spotlight turns to industry challenges and modern policy.
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Wild Patent Medicine Advertising
- Patent medicine trade cards used vivid, bizarre imagery to sell cure-alls to the public.
- Jen Baum and Matt Priven described examples like Hunt's Remedy and Brown's Household Panacea to show aggressive marketing.
Secret Ingredients Made Medicines Dangerous
- Patent medicines were not only ineffective but often dangerous because ingredients were secret and unregulated.
- The industry largely ignored medical ethics and transparency in the 19th century.
Shocking Examples Of Harmful Remedies
- The hosts gave concrete, alarming examples of patent medicines like Mrs. Winslow's (morphine), Radiothor (radium), and Morrison's laxatives.
- They recounted harms including infant addiction, radiation poisoning, and a death after excessive laxative dosing.
