Health authorities continue to warn consumers about tainted, dangerous products that are marketed as dietary supplements. These fraudulent products can cause serious injury or even death.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found nearly 300 fraudulent products—promoted mainly for weight loss, sexual enhancement, and bodybuilding—that contain hidden or deceptively labeled ingredients, such as
- the active ingredients in FDA-approved drugs or their analogs (closely-related drugs)
- other compounds, such as novel synthetic steroids, that do not qualify as dietary ingredients
“These products are masquerading as dietary supplements—they may look like dietary supplements but they are not legal dietary supplements,” says Michael Levy, director of FDA’s Division of New Drugs and Labeling Compliance. “Some of these products contain hidden prescription ingredients at levels much higher than those found in an approved drug product and are dangerous.”
The Secret Fat Burner is a weight loss pill that contains a combination of ingredients that assist in weight loss by increasing metabolism, thereby burning consumed calories and stored fats. The Secret Fat Burner has also been designed to increase energy and boost performance. With an average weight loss of 3 to 7kgs per month, this product is the top-selling fat burner & appetite suppressant in South Africa.
Most of the things which are expensive yet trendy are prone to get copied and sold on the black market. The darker side is there is a hike in the production and sales of fake supplements in developing countries. But US research suggests such supplements have caused “acute liver injury” in some people who took them regularly. And US government advice suggests they have “little or no effect” on weight loss.
How to Spot Fakes
The best way for consumers to protect themselves is to ensure that they’re purchasing a quality supplement that has a verified mark like USP. And that’s really important given the size and diversity of the products and ingredients and the rapid pace with which new dietary supplements are introduced into the market.
It’s also advisable for consumers to purchase the supplements from reputable outlets, whether it’s a retail store or the Internet. Because if you’re dealing with a reputable retailer, they’re going to be taking the necessary precautions to ensure that the products that they’re selling on their shelves are of good quality.
Here are 8 ways you can identify fake other supplements from the original ones
Check labels
Do your research first, fake supplements have Irregular fonts On their packaging, spelling mistakes, misaligned logos, wrong colors, and even wrong tagline
Nutrition label
Fake supplements have some ingredients listed which aren’t actually into the original supplements do your research about the supplements about what ingredients do they use. If something is extra in it or if something is missing then the supplement is fake.
Check the seal
The product is fake if there is no seal. The seal on the lid of the fake ones is loose and of poor quality. The seal on the bottle of fake ones is irregular or loosely attached. The original seal has brand-name endorsed on it. if it is plain or light it is a fake supplement
Hologram/logo
Most popular brands have a 3D hologram which is difficult to forge. Check how the original supplier hologram looks like from their website.
Lot no. Verification
Some company provides online services for verifying Lot number and in some, you can call their customer service center and tell them your lot number check the authenticity of your product the fake ones would have the incorrect lot no.
Taste, smell, color, and mixability
- Fake supplements are hard to dissolve in water, you need to give a very good shake in the shaker to get it mixed, original ones are mixed easily
- Original supplements Are smooth in texture whereas fake ones have an irregular texture.
- Fake supplements have a pungent smell and a bad aftertaste.
Side effects
If you experience acne on your back or arms and hair fall, there are chances that the supplement which you are consuming is fake.
Fake Supplements Aren’t there to help you lose weight or improve your muscle mass, their focus is on making the smugglers rich! They not only have a tight effect on your pocket but also harm your Health!
