| Food supplement regulation and the reasons for it | | | | based foods are all the body requires to sustain |
| are a vital area of knowledge for nutraceutical | | | | itself in a natural way. Sceptics of food |
| companies to understand and follow if they want | | | | supplements maintain that adequate protein, |
| to remain compliant in all aspects of their business. | | | | vitamins, fibre and carbohydrates can be found |
| Supplement regulation affects all aspects of | | | | from these food groups alone. |
| nutraceutical products (or food or dietary | | | | However, this argument may be plausible in the |
| supplements as they are commonly known by | | | | defence of healthy people, but as is widely known |
| consumers), including the research and production | | | | supplement regulation is there to ensure that |
| processes to labelling and marketing. Supplement | | | | irrespective of the supposed benefits of taking |
| regulation is often seen as a grey area by | | | | food supplements, that at the very least, the |
| consumers and some parts of the medical | | | | products won't harm individuals. |
| industries, however in the European Union, the | | | | Supplement regulation is also important because it |
| Food Supplements Directive of 2002 helps to | | | | protects those groups of people who suffer from |
| ensure that the products sold by the nutraceutical | | | | medical conditions to which additional dietary |
| industry are safe to consumers in terms of | | | | supplements can make a proven and positive |
| quality and also in terms of the recommended | | | | difference. Such conditions that therefore benefit |
| dosages that the supplements labelling describes. | | | | from supplement regulation might include medical |
| There is much continued debate about the | | | | problems like arthritis for example. For this |
| benefits to the human body when taking additional | | | | condition, food supplements like cod liver oil can |
| food supplements, and many commentators | | | | help improve body joints whilst additional Calcium |
| believe that a healthy well balanced diet of | | | | can help improve bone strength. |
| vegetables, dairy products, meat, fish and grain | | | | |