Food supplement studies

Dietary supplement studies are scientific studies conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dietary supplements.

Food supplements should also be tested for their postulated benefits through clinical studies conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) to ensure the credibility and protection of the data.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which was established by the EU under the General Food Law - Regulation 178/2002 - serves to evaluate scientific findings before a health claim can be authorised. Health claims are authorised by the European Commission and the FDA. Only after approval may a claim be added to the labelling of food supplements.

There is not yet sufficient scientific evidence for the effectiveness of many food supplements. Most studies have methodological weaknesses such as small numbers of participants or short study durations. A lack of standardisation of products makes it difficult to compare studies. Long-term studies on safety and effectiveness are often lacking. Many studies show little or no benefit of dietary supplements for the general population. Individual preparations may be useful for certain risk groups. Unlike medicinal products, manufacturers of food supplements are not required to submit efficacy studies.

You can read here how dietary supplements differ from medicinal products.

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