Wellness Support Network, Inc.

The BBB urges careful consideration of miracle products claiming to cure serious conditions — often conditions that science has no cure for, like arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and HIV-AIDS. Some products even claim to be a “cure-all” for several diseases and a host of symptoms. Often, the ads claim the products come with money-back guarantees. Unfortunately, these products, devices, and treatments often are unproven and useless, making promises they can’t fulfill.

The reality is that phony miracle products can have dangerous interactions with medicines you’re already taking. They also might cause you to delay or stop medical treatment for your condition, even when proven treatments are available from your physician. And a money-back guarantee may be meaningless.
Products that claim to do it all often do none of it. So even though you want to believe them, be skeptical, and avoid products that claim to cure incurable conditions, make extraordinary promises like “shrinks tumors” promise a long list of benefits, including “treats rheumatism, arthritis, infections, prostate problems, ulcers, cancer, baldness, and more!” or are promoted with phrases like “scientific breakthrough,” “ancient remedy,” or “miraculous cure,” or scientific-sounding terms like “thermogenesis” Always talk to your doctor, pharmacist, other healthcare professional, or public health organizations before you try any new treatment.
Dietary supplements are products that contain “dietary ingredients” like vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and enzymes. They range from beneficial to bogus, and you may take them for a host of reasons — to feel healthy, to feel younger, to prevent disease, or just to get more nutrients. Many claim to be “natural.”

But just because a supplement is “natural” doesn’t mean it’s harmless or safe. Some supplements, including herbal products, can be dangerous. For example, there are “natural” supplements linked to serious liver damage and even cancer. And though you can buy dietary supplements off the shelf without a doctor’s prescription, some can affect how well your prescription drugs work. Some supplements do have proven health benefits: for example, calcium supplements can reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The key is to talk to your doctor — especially if you have a medical condition, take other drugs, or plan to have surgery — before you add a supplement to the mix.

For the latest information on dietary supplements, visit the websites for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Dietary supplements don’t have to go through the same FDA review for quality, safety, and effectiveness before they’re sold that prescription or over-the-counter drug products do. But the FDA requires supplement manufacturers to test the identity, purity, strength, and composition of their products. Supplements labeled “homeopathic” do not undergo FDA review: by definition, they are diluted to a point where they have few, if any, active ingredients.