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Supplements

Everywhere you look, there’s a pill or powder promising “better health” in a bottle. Hence, it is no wonder that more than half of U.S. adults now take at least one dietary supplement. But behind the shiny labels and bold claims are products that are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness before they hit the shelves, which is why so many carry that tiny disclaimer: “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.”

 

Studies keep finding mislabeling, hidden drugs, and contamination in popular supplements, putting people at risk while they think they’re doing something good for their health. This site pulls back the curtain on the supplement industry to show what works, what doesn’t, and the problems most companies would rather you never see.

tHE SUPPLEMENT CRISIS

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This book, The Supplement Crisis, reveals the hype, half-truths, and hazards hiding in plain sight. If supplements are “natural” and “safe,” why do they cause over 20,000 emergency room visits every year, and why does the FDA remove dietary supplement products from the market each year?


Inside, you’ll find:

  1. The 10 biggest myths about supplements.

  2. Evidence that several dietary supplements, including some used by millions, can cause harm to people.

  3. The 15 supplements linked to the most fatalities.

  4. The 10 supplements that have been clinically shown to increase your health and lifespan.

  5. The difference between third-party tested, certified, and… cleverly marketed.

  6. When supplements help, when they harm, and when they’re just expensive urine.

  7. A simple, repeatable checklist for vetting any supplement before you buy it.

 

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Over 85,000 supplements are marketed in the United States to make us healthier, stronger, and more vibrant. This large number of supplements is driven by an estimated 75% of Americans using them. However, more than 90% of all supplements lack data demonstrating clinical effectiveness. Even the few that are known to be clinically effective can contain undisclosed drugs or deliver doses that don’t match the information on the bottle. As an example, 70% of plant-based supplements have tested positive for toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, with one analysis showing levels high enough to pose health risks within one week of standard use.

This book isn’t anti-supplement; it’s pro-truth, pro-safety, and pro-action. If real health is the goal, this book offers what you need. It provides clarity over confusion, evidence over hype, and confidence over fear. By the time you reach the final page, you may find that much of what you thought you knew about supplements needs rethinking. Get ready to see supplements in an entirely new light.

Written by Gomes Lab Members:
Aldrin V. Gomes, Ahmad Ikram, Ryan Dulong
Yue Yu

Resources

15 Most Common Supplements Used by Supplement Users

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Values are based on aggregate data from a consumer survey of over 8,400 Consumerlab.com subscribers’ responses (1). Because participation in surveys varies by region and demographic, these percentages should not be viewed as representative of the entire US population.

ConsumerLab Survey Shows 21 Most Popular Vitamins and Supplements, (2025) https://www.consumerlab.com/news/biotin-supplements-grow-in-popularity/02-26-2025/ 

Nutrient Deficiencies in US Children and Adults

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Screenshot 2026-03-25 at 14-58-43 Microsoft Word - Nutrient Deficiencies in US Children an

References

 

Yu, Z. et al. Trends in Calcium Intake among the US Population: Results from the NHANES (1999-2018). Nutrients 16, (2024). doi:10.3390/nu160507267

Bailey, A. D. L. et al. Nutrient Intake Adequacy from Food and Beverage Intake of US Children Aged 1-6 Years from NHANES 2001-2016. (2021). Nutrients 13, doi:10.3390/nu130308278

Wallace, T. C. et al. Choline: The Underconsumed and Underappreciated Essential Nutrient. Nutr Today 53, 240-253, (2015) doi:10.1097/NT.00000000000003029

Agarwal, A., Shaharyar, A., Kumar, A., Bhat, M. S. & Mishra, M. Scurvy in pediatric age group - A disease often forgotten? J Clin Orthop Trauma 6, 101-107, (2015). doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2014.12.003

Taksler, G. B., Cutler, D. M., Giovannucci, E. & Keating, N. L. Vitamin D deficiency in minority populations. Public Health Nutr 18, 379-391, (2015). doi:10.1017/S1368980014000457

Almeida, L. O. et al. Molecular advances in adenoid cystic carcinoma: Genetic and epigenetic insights. Arch Oral Biol 177, 106323, (2025). doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2025.10632312

About the Second Nutrition Report, (2024) https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition-report/about/index.html13Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, (2023) https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/

Kumar, J., Muntner, P., Kaskel, F. J., Hailpern, S. M. & Melamed, M. L. Prevalence and associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in US children: NHANES 2001-2004. Pediatrics 124, e362-370, (2009). doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0051

Anemia Prevalence: United States, August 2021–August 2023, (2024). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db519.htm
Second National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition in the U.S. Population 2012, (2012). https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition-report/media/Second-Nutrition-Report-Exec-Summary.pdf

Report Details U.S. Population Nutrition Status, (2012). https://myadlm.org/cln/articles/2012/june/nutrition-status

What We Eat In America, NHANES 2005-2006, 2009.

Ecologics, E. 14 Most Common Vitamin Deficiencies: 10% of the U.S. population has a vitamin deficiency; learn why the most prevalent deficiencies occur., https://www.hwhgroup.net/post/14-most-common-vitamin-deficiencies-10-of-the-u-s-population-has-a-vitamin-deficiency-learn-why

Tawfik, Y. M. K. et al. Absolute and Functional Iron Deficiency in the US, 2017-2020. JAMA Netw Open 7, e2433126, (2024) doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.3312621Bjarnadottir, A. 7 Nutrient Deficiencies That Are Incredibly Common, (2023) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-common-nutrient-deficiencies

CDC’s Second Nutrition Report: A comprehensive biochemical assessment of the nutrition status of the U.S. population, https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition-report/media/2nd-nutrition-report_508_at-a-glance.pdf

Larsen, Z. 11 common nutrient deficiencies in the U.S., (2025).https://www.singlecare.com/blog/common-nutrient-deficiencies/24Neustadt, J. Top Micronutrient Deficiencies, https://www.nbihealth.com/top-micronutrient-deficiencies/

Contact

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University of California, Davis

Davis, CA 95616

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Tel:  530-754-9548

Fax: 530-752-5582

e-mail:avgomes@ucdavis.edu

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