What do your supplements actually contain? Scientists discover hidden ingredients and questionable claims

A recent study published in the Journal of Analytical Sciences by Professor Rosalee Hellberg of the Schmid College of Science and Technology, with students Calin Harris, Diane Kim, Miranda Miranda and Chevon Jordan, exposes that some supplement companies may be misleading their customers with unsupported health claims and undisclosed ingredients .

Researchers have focused on supplements associated with the purported treatment or prevention of

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”({“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”})” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. During the pandemic, the use of dietary supplements has exploded worldwide. “There has been a large increase in the purchase and use of these types of supplements during the pandemic,” Hellberg said. “Every time there is an increase in demand, there is also an increased risk of fraud.”

Research Methodology

The Chapman team collected 54 supplements containing Ayurvedic herbs, which refer to an alternative medicine originating from India. They specifically chose herbs that had been used for the purported treatment of COVID-19. These included ashwagandha, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, tulsi, vacha, amla, guduchi and tribulus. All products were purchased online and from local retailers in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, California.

The researchers analyzed whether they could use

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”({“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”})” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>DNA barcoding techniques to identify plants

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”({“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”})” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>species in supplements to determine the authenticity of the products. DNA barcoding is a method that allows scientists to use a short section of a DNA sequence to identify the species of an organism.

Study Results and Implications

The study results revealed several concerns indicating the need for increased monitoring of these products. In 60% of products, researchers did not detect the expected ingredient. However, Hellberg did not explicitly attribute these results to fraud. The DNA barcoding method, because it is used in a novel way, may have limited ability to detect degraded DNA. A negative result therefore does not necessarily prove the absence of the species in the product.

Another limitation of the DNA barcoding method is that it does not reveal the quantity of the ingredient species detected. Further research would be needed to verify the quantity of each, Hellberg said.

“If the ingredients were present in a higher quantity, that’s where concerns can arise,” Hellberg said. “Additionally, any time you detect items that are not on the label, it may indicate quality control issues. It could also suggest that there are other health risks or that things are not being handled properly.

Researchers also discovered 19 products containing undeclared plant species. Rice and some other materials were used as common fillers. They also identified other Ayurvedic herbs that were not listed on the labels.

“So these could be used fraudulently,” Hellberg said. “Instead of having 100% of the species declared on the label, some manufacturers might mix putty because it is cheaper.

With undeclared species and ingredients in supplements, consumers could ingest substances that cause allergic reactions and other health risks. However, the study doesn’t clearly show what the risk would be, because researchers weren’t able to detect the amount of each ingredient.

“If the ingredients were present in a higher quantity, that’s where concerns can arise,” Hellberg said. “Additionally, any time you detect items that are not on the label, it may indicate quality control issues. It could also suggest that there are other health risks or that things are not being handled properly.

Reference: “DNA Barcodes of Herbal Supplements in the US Commercial Market Associated with Purported Treatment of COVID-19” by Calin M. Harris, Diane Y. Kim, Chevon R. Jordan, Miranda I. Miranda, and Rosalee S . Hellberg, January 15, 2024, Phytochemical analysis.
DOI: 10.1002/pca.3320