The Risks of Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements pose significant risks that often outweigh their potential benefits. Approximately 75% of Americans report taking supplements, contributing to a market exceeding $35 billion annually, yet many are poorly regulated. In fact, dietary supplements don't require pre-market testing by the FDA, leading to rampant mislabeling and contamination; reports indicate that around 20% of supplements may be contaminated. The Clean Label Project found that nearly half of tested products exceeded safety guidelines for contaminants like heavy metals, reinforcing the argument that most dietary supplements can be more harmful than helpful.