11.01.09
After a recent review of prostate supplements, ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY, concluded that most products provide their claimed amounts of active ingredients, such as saw palmetto, which remains one of the most popular herbal supplements due to its ability to improve urinary symptoms in men with prostate enlargement, and beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol. However, one supplement tested appeared to contain none of its claimed saw palmetto; another provided only 69% of its beta-sitosterol; and two saw palmetto products failed FDA labeling requirements by not indicating the part of the plant used. ConsumerLab.com also noted that the suggested serving sizes on some products were different from what is known to work from clinical trials. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than half of men in their 60s and as many as 90% in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms of enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. U.S. sales of saw palmetto supplements were $125 million in 2007, according to Nutrition Business Journal, Boulder, CO.
A separate quality review that ConsumerLab.com conducted on alpha-lipoic acid supplements, indicate that two brands contained less of this natural antioxidant than promised on labels. Alpha-lipoic acid may help diabetics reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and control blood sugar. ConsumerLab.com has reported similar problems in past years. A third supplement failed the review for making health claims that FDA only permits on drugs. The remaining seven products selected for testing met standards for ingredient quality, as did five other products that passed ConsumerLab.com’s Voluntary Certification Program. None of the products exceeded contamination limits for lead. In addition to providing test results, the report also compares the amounts of alpha-lipoic acid and other ingredients in the products and discusses the differences between R-isomer alpha-lipoic acid and mixed isomer (“racemic”) alpha-lipoic acid.
A separate quality review that ConsumerLab.com conducted on alpha-lipoic acid supplements, indicate that two brands contained less of this natural antioxidant than promised on labels. Alpha-lipoic acid may help diabetics reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and control blood sugar. ConsumerLab.com has reported similar problems in past years. A third supplement failed the review for making health claims that FDA only permits on drugs. The remaining seven products selected for testing met standards for ingredient quality, as did five other products that passed ConsumerLab.com’s Voluntary Certification Program. None of the products exceeded contamination limits for lead. In addition to providing test results, the report also compares the amounts of alpha-lipoic acid and other ingredients in the products and discusses the differences between R-isomer alpha-lipoic acid and mixed isomer (“racemic”) alpha-lipoic acid.