FDA's New Draconian Regulations! Want fish oil eat potato chips instead.

[The Dark Umbra]

Yea that's right. I will leave the link to the daily bell.
What do you guys think. I personally think this is an affront to anyone trying to stay healthy. What about older people? It just makes me mad.

http://thedailybell.com/2941/FDA-to-Ban-Food-Nutrients

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

This makes me sick. Potato chips aren't healthy and I know this from personal experience.[footnote]*guilty of eating only potato chips one day to see what would happen*[/footnote]

I smell corporate greed.

 

[mikey7339]

Or you could...you know, eat fish and be on a proper diet to begin with.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Good grief, if ever there was evidence for America being run by corporations this is it.

Forget using scalpels to cut out the corrupt parts of the American government, you need a bulldozer.

 

[evilneko]

Wow. That article's spinning so fast I'm surprised it hasn't launched itself into orbit.

I'm gonna call bullshit on it 'til I see some sources other than some guy's blog.

 

[godofallu]

If the FDA says some commercial vitamins are dangerous and should not be consumed, then I agree. I can't really complain when they are trying to save my life.

 

[evilneko]

Supplements aren't regulated anyway.

Also, a video that takes a critical look at raw milk:

 

[Venats]

Or you could...you know, eat fish and be on a proper diet to begin with.

Well without supplements, I'd wager to say that a lot of these new 'mainstream' vegan and vegetarian people will have a hard time getting their needed protein, amino acids, and general dietary diversity.

That aside, the FDA is about as trustworthy as China's Ministry of Truth. Raw milk is bad for you? I think that's my choice to make, not the FDAs. I like to buy my milk raw, boil it, and enjoy something that tastes much better than "Brand X" 'milk'. Oh but I'll get sick? Screw you FDA, I, unlike your average American, have an immune system... and please explain to me what bacteria in milk are going to survive 100C+ boiling temperatures.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I, for one, approve of any action to further regulate dietary supplements. A lot of people are making money selling either dangerous, or useless, supplements. Whether or not this regulation helps remains to be seen.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I'm pretty sure the FDA, while not perfect, is doing a pretty good job of keeping corporations from taking really dangerous shortcuts to save a nickel. I certainly wouldn't call them "draconian." That word gets thrown at more government regulations than the word "nazi" gets thrown at any politician. It's practically lost all meaning.

 

[evilneko]

Or you could...you know, eat fish and be on a proper diet to begin with.

Well without supplements, I'd wager to say that a lot of these new 'mainstream' vegan and vegetarian people will have a hard time getting their needed protein, amino acids, and general dietary diversity.

That aside, the FDA is about as trustworthy as China's Ministry of Truth. Raw milk is bad for you? I think that's my choice to make, not the FDAs. I like to buy my milk raw, boil it, and enjoy something that tastes much better than "Brand X" 'milk'. Oh but I'll get sick? Screw you FDA, I, unlike your average American, have an immune system... and please explain to me what bacteria in milk are going to survive 100C+ boiling temperatures.

In many states you are indeed free to do just that.

Also clearly you're not actually American, you just used Celsius! :O /silly

 

[Venats]

In many states you are indeed free to do just that.

Also clearly you're not actually American, you just used Celsius! :O /silly

Oh no, you've found out my secret! Gasp!

My point wasn't so much legality of, but simply that the FDA swings around its "good/bad" stamps in places where, really, it doesn't belong... and that people listen to it without thinking. Certainly, regulations on medicine are good things, certainly I don't want medicine to go untested (considering its not natural), but I think the FDA needs to do more to crack down on the pharmaceutical addiction that grips the USA before it tackles supplements. The latter is just a non-issue when compared to the nonsense going on in the former.

As an example, where I grew up and as it is to the this day, people rarely take medicine. They have immune systems, and on the off chance they get sick they rest for a day, eat a bowl of soup, some honey, and are back on their feet the next day or so. Here in the USA, I see people taking shots/pills/fluids for everything from the common cold to a stubbed toe.

 

[BabyRaptor]

Wow. That article's spinning so fast I'm surprised it hasn't launched itself into orbit.

I'm gonna call bullshit on it 'til I see some sources other than some guy's blog.

This. That article sounds like it was was written for Faux Noise.

 

[evilneko]

As an example, where I grew up and as it is to the this day, people rarely take medicine. They have immune systems, and on the off chance they get sick they rest for a day, eat a bowl of soup, some honey, and are back on their feet the next day or so. Here in the USA, I see people taking shots/pills/fluids for everything from the common cold to a stubbed toe.

I don't really think that kind of thing is within the intended scope of the FDA's duties.

Incidentally I live mostly without medicine or "supplements" myself. My only chronic problem is allergies, which I've learned to just endure mainly because the only medicines that work for me are the kind that knock me out. I only bother taking it (generally in the form of Alka Seltzer Cold) on the rare occasion my allergies get severe enough that I'm not going to be productive that day anyway.

I also don't think it's fair to blame people for seeking relief. Most over the counter medicines aren't disease fighters, they treat symptoms. A few doses of guiafenesin can provide substantial relief from congestion-related coughing (which in my case at least, is usually the main thing that makes me feel horrible when I'm sick, so you're damn right I'm gonna take it). A couple of aspirin for a headache is nothing bad either.

 

[malestrithe]

I know that this is going to fall on deaf ears because of the website that was linked, but the original story that this was based off is about the FDA and ONE supplement producer coming to agreement about that company halting production of a line of products pending an investigation.

There is nothing in that article that says the FDA is going to take away your supplements or your nutrition additives.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/14/3909314/fda-minnesota-companies-agree.html

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

Yeaaaaaah, I don't see that happening. If this was legit, I'm almost positive that the outcry wouldn't be isolated to one guy's blog. This actually sounds like another opinion piece relying on its readership's confirmation bias to turn unsubstantiated ramblings into incensing pseudo-facts, in yet another attempt to turn public opinion in favor of targeting government regulatory committees for elimination to "fix" the economy instead of slashing our outrageous levels of lobbyist-backed military spending (I know I can't prove that, but my assertion cites as many credible sources as the article). They've done similar things to try and rally people against the EPA, so I'm really not even surprised to be reading this.

Besides, if the Feds want to take away my fish oil, I'll personally lead an armed revolt to overthrow the government.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Forget using scalpels to cut out the corrupt parts of the American government, you need a bulldozer.

Forget the bulldozer. You'll need a space-based laser satellite. Oh wait...

 

[Hoplon]

Or you could...you know, eat fish and be on a proper diet to begin with.

Well without supplements, I'd wager to say that a lot of these new 'mainstream' vegan and vegetarian people will have a hard time getting their needed protein, amino acids, and general dietary diversity.

That aside, the FDA is about as trustworthy as China's Ministry of Truth. Raw milk is bad for you? I think that's my choice to make, not the FDAs. I like to buy my milk raw, boil it, and enjoy something that tastes much better than "Brand X" 'milk'. Oh but I'll get sick? Screw you FDA, I, unlike your average American, have an immune system... and please explain to me what bacteria in milk are going to survive 100C+ boiling temperatures.

Wow... so you pasteurise the raw milk, there by defeating the purpose of having raw milk in the first place and then pretend it tastes different from regular milk.

Mind you am in the UK here where milk was only pasteurised, not homogenised when I was a kid (the cream would float to the top of the whole milk)

 

[The Gnome King]

Yea that's right. I will leave the link to the daily bell.
What do you guys think. I personally think this is an affront to anyone trying to stay healthy. What about older people? It just makes me mad.

http://thedailybell.com/2941/FDA-to-Ban-Food-Nutrients

I have mixed feelings on this. For one, I'm no huge fan of Dr. Mercola.

http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/mercola.html
http://www.skepdic.com/mercola.html

I DO think that supplements need more regulation; they are a largely un-watched industry right now in the US. You can go to sites like consumerlab.com and see that some of these "vitamins" are contaminated with things like, um, LEAD - not good.

I think a global standard is probably a good idea. What I don't want to see are things like fish oil capsules become unavailable unless they are proven to be unsafe for human consumption.

Like I said; mixed feelings. Do we need regulation? Yes. Do we need total regulation and restriction to our supplements? No, but read this:

http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/faq.jsp

R1: Will Codex make all nutritional supplements only available by prescription? Will Codex ban all supplements and make vitamins illegal the same way heroin is illegal? Will all natural herbs and alternative remedies be banned by Codex?

These are some of the many unfounded rumours about Codex that can be found on the internet. The Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements (CAC/GL 55-2005) adopted in 2005 do not contain provisions for the prescription or prohibition of any nutrient supplements. They do not deal with natural herbs and remedies at all (see also W1)