Supplements Under Attack

[HORNEDFROGS07]

I don't know if any of ya'll have seen the pending senate bill (s.722) or so called "Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2003," but from what I have seen on the topic, this bill threatens to eliminate our availability of a large portion of OTC supplements.
I received the new Muscle And Fitness mag yesterday, and they have a large article on this topic. According to their article and some of the other research I have done, it seems as though this bill will eradicate most thermogenics (including ephedra free types), all prohormones, and many other types of safe, beneficial supplements.
If you know anything more about this topic, let me know. I included several links relating to s.722 for you to look at.

Senate Bill 722 Outline:
<http://www.theorator.com/bills108/s722.html>

Link with s.722 in its entirety
<www.thenhf.com/government_affairs.html>

Articles on the topic:
<http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/06/02/s722_dietary_supplement_safety_act_before_congress.htm>

<www.toolsforhealing.com/Health/Health_News/DSSA.htm>

There are many other sites out there with information on this, so do your research and tell me what you think this will mean for us.
This may be alarmist on my part, but better safe than sorry, right?

P.S.: I included a link to allow you to email your senator and ask them to oppose this legislation.
<www.senate.gov>
There's a drop down menu that will allow you to choose your state.

[Fenbay]

Anyone know how the lobby looks for defeating this versus it passing? IE: who are the big players in the for camp versus those trying to ban it?

Obviously the supp companies are in the for it group, but who is trying to shut this down? Prescription drug manufacturers or the FDA etc?

[HORNEDFROGS07]

Introduced by Sen. Durbin of Illinois, and backed by the FDA cuz it lets them pull products with only one serious incident, even if the supp was only a contributing factor (i.e. ephedra in Steve Belcher's death), but beyond that, I have no clue who the major players are.

[xapache69x]

I read about this horsiepoo !!! in M&F Sept 2003 issue
page 148 ive already emailed both of my california senators and i urge any of you who also think this is horsiepoo !!!
to please do the same
the web addres to contact your local sen. is www.senate.gov then enter your state to get the info to contact your senators
tell them to oppose S.722 or any similar legislation and that you DO NOT want your access to dietary supplements to be limited

[HORNEDFROGS07]

Amen xapache......






My first sticky on any bulletin board..................this is so cool....lol:hump:

[xapache69x]

here is the response i got from one california senator

Thank you for writing to me about S. 722, the "Dietary
Supplement Safety Act of 2003." I appreciate hearing from you
and value this opportunity to share my views with you.

As you know, S. 722 would require dietary supplement
manufacturers to report serious adverse experiences to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services and to investigate any
such occurrences. In addition, certain supplements that contain
stimulants, anabolic steroids or other chemicals with the potential of
adverse reaction would fall under special advisory. Waivers would
be available for ceratin supplements that would not warrant such
concerns.

The availability of dietary supplements to the public is
important, but it is equally important that these supplements do not
put the consumer's health at stake. I believe that if we are to ensure
the safety of those who consume dietary supplements, we must
make sure that these supplements are not hazardous. We certainly
do not want another experience similar to that of the recent death
of Steve Bechler, 23 year-old pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles,
who was using a dietary supplement which contained Ephedra.

S. 722 is currently being considered by the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Please
know that your opinions are important to me and that I will keep
them in mind should this legislation come before the full Senate for
a vote.

I sincerely appreciate hearing from you and hope that you
will continue writing. If you have any further concerns, please
contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841.

Best Regards.




Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

[Goin_Big]

Well.....I love my ephedrine.....this makes me proud to be from Illinois. I think his first name says it all....Dick.

As for the orioles pitcher, he had a pre-existing condition and should have read the warning label.

[Delphi]

Man, I was having a good night tonight. Then I saw Dianne Feinstein's name. *hurls*

[Frankster]

what the ". In addition, certain supplements that contain
stimulants, anabolic steroids or other chemicals with the potential of adverse reaction would fall under special advisory"

This shows the level of knowledge they have of the issue.

Maybe anabolic steroids could become legal.. but with a warning on the label and companies would have to report serious incidents?
:D

[SquareHead]

Lmao @ frankster! I was wondering about that part as well. lol

[HORNEDFROGS07]

Lets keep our fingers crossed on that one, eh?

[wideguy]

I just wrote both of my senators to oppose this bill if it should come to a vote. This bill is just a politically expedient way for the senators proposing it to look like they are protecting the people, when I suspect that they are in fact acting in the interests of the drug industry.

[AndresC]

Supplements are our friends :(

[wideguy]

The ignorance of the mainstream medical establishment as well as of the non-athletic, non-health nut public at large about dietary supplements is astounding.

[BUFF STUFF]

This is BAD!

Any supplement which works looks like will be banned

exept creatine & glutamine, but those are bad too

BAN THEM TOO BANNING MOTHA FUKAS!!!!!! :mad:

[PowerManDL]

I wrote both of my senators just now:



I am writing to urge you to stand against Senate Bill 722, the "Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2003," should it come to a vote.

This bill is exploiting the ignorance of the public regarding nutritional supplementation, and seeking to instill massive paranoia in order to exert its effects.

As someone deeply involved in the field of athletic and strength performance, it would pain me deeply to see ignorance such as this legislated into law.

Many wish to cite the effects of ephedrine as a case for this bill and others like it. However, the case for even banning ephedrine is weak and tenuous at best. Despite the media fanfare surrounding such events, ephedrine has been responsible for 117 deaths. Not in a year. Ever. And in all of those cases, the victim either had a pre-existing condition, ignored the dosage information and clearly-stated warnings, or both. I see no reason for the public at large to be barred from using any such supplements based on the ignorance, or deliberate disregard for safety warnings, of a minority of the population.

I also see no reason why responsible adults cannot be trusted to use dietary supplements responsibly, especially when you consider that warnings and contraindications for the vast majority of products are clearly stated and easily understood. Where is the rallying cry to ban alcohol or cigarettes? At least nutritional supplements have the end goal of improving one's health, performance, and general well-being.

I find it to be a sad state of affairs when harmful substances, responsible for a number deaths and injuries many orders of magnitude greater than all supplements combined, are subject to less fear, ignorance, and legal sanction than those substances designed with the goals of improving the mind and body.

[HORNEDFROGS07]

Great letter. We need to get more of these out, c'mon folks.

[handler]

more info to add to the sticky above...they are trying to make supplements and prohormones prescription or even worse controlled ,just llike anabolics!!!!!!!!!!!! there is an article below telling about it,,,,there is also a link to the USAF to download letters to send in to stop this..please check it out and print and send these letters,or we may have to get a script to get creatine!!!! Spread this info all over the net,so we dont end up in a position like we are now with anabolics ,the anabolic control act of 1990>we have apowerful tool with the net lets use it...
The United Supplement Freedom Association, with articles on their site (www.usfa.biz), detail the bill’s sponsors, the substances in question, and behind them, the science. Here merely will I recapitulate.

Precursors to Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids (AAS), all to be banned. Beyond this, even the precursors to the precursors, so DHEA and Pregnenolone, as well, assailed. However, their feet to further travel, even the metabolites of such substances are covered. By this, 7Keto DHEA, which doesn’t convert to Testosterone, or any other scheduled AAS, is well warm under the blanket.

Members of the United States Anti-Doping Administration (USADA) are the lungs behind Sweeney and Osborne. Supposedly, even the USADA to introduce a bill of their own. If that, not enough, Senator Joe Biden, proponent of the Anabolic Steroid Control Act, purportedly set to slice freedom with his own pen.

$42.5 million dollars set aside, to “educate” youths about the use of Steroids (1). The never-ending “war on drugs,” evidently forever to loom over our heads. Even when trapped in this economic crunch, politicians always to spend money, never their own, on “principle,” no matter how fruitless.

The Damolcean sword is, and will always be, wrought from our pocket’s coins.



Misconceptions


Certainly, as always there are.


1) This won’t affect those who partake in illicit Anabolics:
10 million dollars will be set aside for 2004, 15 million for 2005, and 17.5 millions for 2006 for “education programs at the grade and high school levels to highlight the harmful effects of steroids and steroid precursor use by youths” (1). Total, $42.5 million.


2) The ban, caused by inappropriate marketing:
DHEA, 4-Diol, 4-Dione (“Andro”), 19-Nor-Androstenedione and 19-Nor-Diol, all currently on the USADA list of prohibited substances (2) They, behind this, that said, Pro-Hormones were always a target, this just now the time.

Were certain companies irresponsible, when considered is their marketing, definitely.

Assuredly, such negative publicity bought the opposition’s ease, but such indiscretions were hardly the cause. Also, if one puts a second eye to their concern, if it weren’t for regulation, we wouldn’t have to be cautious about waking the sleeping giant. And, do note, that the giant doesn’t rest when only “undisturbed.” Surely something always to ire, no matter how distant or small, when public acclaim is sought.

Ten men can’t step on the same stone, and that said, nothing stands above suspicion, as everyone needs their own ladder.


3) It’s about protecting “the children”:
Truly, if it was, then age-restrictions would be tossed into the fray, that the only issue. “But restrictions don’t always stop the procurement,” yes, that’s so, even that considered, still there’s Alcohol and Cigarettes. I assume we all know why the aforementioned are politically protected.


4) Those fond to speak "we'll all be going to the dark side”:
Do understand, with increased emphasis on "fighting terrorism", our personal matters are certain to be more assiduously scrutinized; that is, in the process of "fighting terrorists" it will become much harder to partake in certain other activities as the Argus-eyed Government furrows its brow deeper in scorn.


5) “It’s the liberals”:
Sweeney and Osborne, Republicans. A fool to assumes a trenchant difference between the parties. Your quixotic notions won’t save you. So long as the public believes in the evils of certain supplements, whatever they may be, then as such tongues unravel, now there is the path to demagoguery.



One foot always follows the other


The European Union, already to restrict usage of what we consider, pedestrian vitamins/minerals. For the USADA to enter private lives, any such substances on their list, and whatever may be there in the future, could eventually be whisked away from our cupboard. The NCAA, who as well, offer support, even pose restrictions on protein powders, amino acids and creatine (3). And don’t argue “but they’ve been proven safe.” Again, finally let this nail pierce your head: in politics, perception is truth.



What can you do?


Obviously, contact your representatives. There are format letters on the USFA site, and you are advised to snail-mail them. If you’re a media-mouth, then put this toward your viewers/listeners.

Print off a stack of letters, and distribute them to your local supplement stores. Surprisingly enough, many such business owners know nothing about this. The USFA site, email this to your friends and family.

One door always opens another. Obviously anyone reading this is interested in supplements of all kinds, and more importantly, your right to freely choose without that great ersatz-brain, the Government, hammering the decision for you.

For how much longer will you allow rabble-rousing one’s way to public glory to supplant freedom. A violation of one private concern will never, there, end.

[BUFF STUFF]

woah long post never read it all :read:

whats the summery :lurk:

& yes I know im a lazy basturd!

[handler]

basically they are trying to make many supplements ie:prohormones,possibly creatine illegal or by prescription only!! and they are trying to make steriod laws even tougher,i just shaved it down,very important info here worth the read

[Reinier]

Time to riot and revolt

[HORNEDFROGS07]

Originally posted by Reinier
Time to riot and revolt

I second this motion. All in favor???????

Fight the system!!!!!!!:bash: :shoot: :whip: :bash: :shoot: :whip: :bash: :shoot: :whip: :bash: :shoot: :whip: :bash: :shoot: :whip: :evillaugh

[shansen008]

I tried the link to the senate.....cant get any of the senators contact pages to work though, can anyone link me to CA's emails (feinstein and boxer)?

[shansen008]

oh for gods sake, ive been living in hawaii for 4 months now......and just realized it. Screw CA.

EDIT: Reps of HI have been NOTIFIED of my opinion on the matter :clap:

[Downunder]

Isn't that what the government is for? To save us from ourselves.

[gamer0808]

Email sent to Mrs. Clinton! I will post anything I get in response to my letter.

[HORNEDFROGS07]

Doubt you get any kind of response from her.

[dxiw]

I should write a letter to monica...tell her to offer bush some head and argue against the bill..perfect plan

[Sportsup]

There's an initiative in Europe at the moment to all health supplements inclucing simple things like vitamins!!! A few companies are getting together to "Save Our Supplements". Prohormones have been banned in the UK for some time now.

RJ
http://www.sports-supplements.co.uk

[booster1]

I just came form GNC, and they already took all of the andro supp of their shelves.

Looks like you guys better stock up if it starts looking dim.

Nick

[Wu36]

Another letter generator
http://www.usfa.biz/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4&mp=11

[Wu36]

Sending the above and a self written letter to John Sweeney.

[geoffgarcia]

I am 100% in favor of this bill....from reading most of the posts here I understand why you are against it. Try for a second to think of the possible benefits that they are trying to do through this bill.

Rather than have supplement companies pump out untested prohormone after prohormone, and metabolic enhancers followed by metabolic depressers and suckering the young and stoopid into buying them and possibly doing more damage to their body then good...the govn't wants to simply make sure these supps are SAFE before they are put on the market. Is it so bad that prohormones be banned? Most of the people I talk to say that prohormones have twice the side effects and half the gain of roids anyway...

Try to read something more objective, that isn't slanted by the supplement market and all the people trying to make a buck at the expense of your health.

This bill is going to help us all



By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY

If they're natural, they must be safe, right? Not so, say researchers at Consumer Reports magazine.

In a report in the May issue, the consumer publication found a dozen herbal supplements - some banned in Asia, Europe and Canada but widely available in the USA - that may cause cancer, kidney or liver damage and even death.

They include:
• Aristolochia, linked to kidney failure and cancer.
• Yohimbe, linked to heart and respiratory problems.
• Bitter orange (synephrine is extracted from this), similar to ephedra, the banned weight-loss supplement believed responsible for 155 deaths nationwide.

The researchers also cited chaparral, comfrey, germander, kava and scullcap, all of which are known or likely causes of liver failure; lobella because of its impact on the heart; and pennyroyal oil because of possible liver, kidney and nerve damage.

Two of these supplements have already been acted on by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites). Organ/glandular extracts are affected by FDA restrictions on the use of bovine materials in supplements because of the risk of mad cow disease.

"A lot of people believe that herbal supplements are safe because they've been used for years in traditional medicine," says senior editor Nancy Metcalf. But "when they went looking for problems in China, they found plenty of them."

Meanwhile, the FDA has sent warning letters to 16 dietary-supplement distributors found to be making false and misleading claims on the Internet for weight-loss products. Many claim to block starch, carbohydrates and fat calories, creating weight loss without any lifestyle changes.

Not all supplements are snake oil, Consumer Reports says. It identified three that show possible benefits and low risks, including saw palmetto for benign enlarged prostate, glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis, and fish oil capsules for heart health.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=1&u=/usatoday/12dangerousdietarysupplementsidentifiedbyconsumerreports

[HobbesAB]

Anabolic Steroid Control Act is one step closer:

Moving closer to ban (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=5&u=/nm/20040422/hl_nm/congress_steroids_dc)

[beefycalves]

to GeoffGarcia: This bill is not going to help us at all!! This bill will give the Health and Human Service Secretary the ability to enforce legislation on ALL SUPPLEMENTS!! In the future I hope you will enjoy getting a prescription for your whey protein and muliti's. Here is the problem if the supplement industry had given the dollars toward government like big tobbacco did that kills thousands of people every year we would'nt be in this situation in the first place. This is America! its your free choice to use supplements just like its your choice to smoke or drink. Do some research and find 100 people that actually are proven i mean proven direct deaths from a PH. I bet you this you won't be able to find it! To those of you who wanna continue your free choice to use supplements contact your local legislator!! voice your opinion!! This bill hasnt been heard by the house yet, only a subcomittee it still has to be approved by the house and senate and signed by the president. Thats my 2 cents spend it anyway you want!

[shootermcgavin7]

Geoff,
I've always taken the stance that the more a government regulates our actions, the worse off we are. If a supplement has side effects, do like cigarettes do and slap a warning label on it. If the supplement has additional side effects, the company will get the $hit sued out it.

In short, it should be your choice, based on the side effects, whether you want to use a substance or not. It's better to choose for yourself than to let someone choose for you.

[beefycalves]

good point Shooter!!!

[Shark]

Damn the man, if I can buy cigarettes why can't I buy steroids and Whey?? Its all garbage. Just another way for the government to come violate my personal space. Stupid Bush will totally sign this **** too.

[kent harlequin]

Heh Guys,

I get kicks from logging on to message boards and spamming them with lame ads for bogus products!

[DavidyourDuke]

I think there is a conspiracy going on. It won't let me see the contact form at the senate site! haha

[EVER-LAST]

The end is VERY near. Stock up while you can, on the proven stuff.

[ColonelKlink]

here is the response i got from one california senator

Thank you for writing to me about S. 722, the "Dietary
Supplement Safety Act of 2003." I appreciate hearing from you
and value this opportunity to share my views with you.

As you know, S. 722 would require dietary supplement
manufacturers to report serious adverse experiences to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services and to investigate any
such occurrences. In addition, certain supplements that contain
stimulants, anabolic steroids or other chemicals with the potential of
adverse reaction would fall under special advisory. Waivers would
be available for ceratin supplements that would not warrant such
concerns.

The availability of dietary supplements to the public is
important, but it is equally important that these supplements do not
put the consumer's health at stake. I believe that if we are to ensure
the safety of those who consume dietary supplements, we must
make sure that these supplements are not hazardous. We certainly
do not want another experience similar to that of the recent death
of Steve Bechler, 23 year-old pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles,
who was using a dietary supplement which contained Ephedra.

S. 722 is currently being considered by the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Please
know that your opinions are important to me and that I will keep
them in mind should this legislation come before the full Senate for
a vote.

I sincerely appreciate hearing from you and hope that you
will continue writing. If you have any further concerns, please
contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841.

Best Regards.




Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator


Haha I wouldnt expect much good to come from dianne feinswine, she sucks. It doesnt hurt writing her though.

[The Beast]

I think the government only wants to ban them because they don't want the headache of trying to control them like alcohol and tobacco. They probably just would prefer the ban since young people would have a much more difficult time obtaining them, without the cost of trying to run around every gym to make sure nobody under the age of 21 is using supplements.

I think everyone is fairly paranoid about other supplements being banned...what deaths could the government possibly find related to creatine? Has any moron died from an alergic reaction to whey? I sincerely doubt it...

On the other hand, it's just rediculous that they would make any of these substances, including gear, illegal just for the sake of preventing health concerns. America has the highest death rate related to obesity in the world, and not just by a small margin. At least the government should give the fatties a chance to persevere by getting skinny and ripped with ephedrine and roids rather than let them die for sure of a heart attack.

What the government really should do is make the FDA crack down on manufacturers for falsifying information on labels. Adult consumers are capable of following directions, but the government should make sure the directions they are following are correct. Just look at liquid creatine...the label is riddled with deceptive marketing aimed at uneducated consumers. I guess the government is more concerned with limiting a consumer's bench max than their cash spended on useless products.

In truth guys, roids and prohormones supplements are not good for us, but neither are a Snicker's bars, coffee, or many other common "legal" goods. At least the general population who are serious about weightlifting take these substances correctly to benefit from them...there is no correct way for anyone to benefit from a Snicker's bar. The government should really stay out of situations where a person is in control of their own well-being, unless they are clinically insane, but in that case, they should just end their misery. Protect the young? I haven't seen a 12 year old that could afford supplements, nor order them online with the credit card they do not have. Throw a disclaimer on the sites saying you must be 18 or older (much like my fav porn sites), and let Darwin's theory take its course. At least the rest of us will contribute to genetics by being massive.

[trojanskin]

If cigarettes and alchohol are legal, so should ALL Anabolic substances. Atleast then, if we're gonna get cancer, we atleast got some kick ass big muscles! :D

[CorbyPete]

It'll only push everyone over to the illegal stuff... what are they thinking?!!

People have been so caught up in the benefits of supplimenting their diet, for bodybuilding or otherwise, just means now there will be a huge demand... not in shops but ont he black market or import.

Its a load of old tosh, I cant think how they're gonna get away with it