Many proponents of dietary supplements claim that even if the supplements do not contain an effective active ingredient, they could still work by a placebo effect. The placebo effect occurs when a people’s symptoms or problems are improved after taking an inert substance because they were expecting or believing it would work. Although the placebo effect can be very powerful, an entire industry should not be based on it, nor should companies profit from it. It could also put consumers at false ease—risking the loss of common sense precautions such as washing hands and staying hydrated and replacing them with Airborne.
Surely there are supplements on the market that are safe, effective, and contain the ingredients listed on the label; it’s just hard to tell which ones. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, set up by Congress in 1998 to rigorously study alternative therapies, will surely provide answers to the efficacy and safety of many products on the market. However, with companies in control of what goes on their labels, it is unclear whether or not this evidence will make much difference in the marketplace.
Surely our government does not want the headache of making sure every health claim is warranted and every bottle is true to its label. But consumers also don’t want to feel like suckers, shelling out money in an attempt to find health in a useless pill. Perhaps the “herbal breast enhancement” I found on aisle three really works, but for now, I’m saving my money.
