38-32: Dietary Supplements & Herbal Products Overdose

Unlike prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements do not require FDA approval and do not undergo the same premarketing evaluation of safety and efficacy as drugs, and purveyors may or may not adhere to good manufacturing practices and quality control standards. Supplements may cause illness as a result of intrinsic toxicity, misidentification or mislabeling, drug-herb reactions, or intentional adulteration with pharmaceuticals. If you suspect a dietary supplement or herbal product may be the cause of an otherwise unexplained illness, contact the FDA (1-888-463-6332) or the regional poison control center (1-800-222-1222), or consult the following online database: https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements.

Table 38–7 lists selected examples of clinical toxicity from some of these products.