Be wary of risky product claims - Consumer must take the lead as own FDA

Diet pills laced with anti-seizure medicine. Soda "fortified" with vitamins and minerals. "Sexual enhancement" supplements pumped up with illegal drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has started to crack down on these and other products recently — moves we applaud because this important agency has taken a lot of heat for not being tough enough (as in the blockbuster pain pill Vioxx being pulled from the market after it was linked with a 30 percent or more increase in heart attack risk).

In December, the FDA scolded Coca-Cola for making nutrition claims on its Diet Coke Plus, which contains a touch of magnesium, niacin, zinc and some B vitamins. This label violated a so-called jelly bean rule that says it's not appropriate to fortify snack foods. (Good point: Adding almost nothing to nothing is still nothing.) That's not a huge flex of muscle by the FDA, but it was a sign that the agency may no longer let iffy claims just slip by.

Later in the month, the FDA issued a nationwide alert about 69 over-the-counter diet pills, some containing prescription drugs. The agency has issued a similar alert for 27 sexual-enhancement drugs laced with chemicals it says are similar to the active ingredient in Viagra. Slipping prescription drugs into supplements is dangerous for many reasons. Quality control is poor at best. Trust us, we've visited such plants. In some cases, the doses are sky-high and side effects can be life-threatening.

The FDA says it's working to have the diet pills recalled — and will seize them and press criminal charges if manufacturers don't comply.

But despite the FDA outrage, there's no guarantee the dangerous products are off the market. We've found recalled sexual-enhancement supplements online in a matter of seconds. And plenty of "fortified" snack foods with zero benefit are on supermarket shelves.

The take-home message: You have to make your own smart decisions about products you buy; in essence, be your own FDA (without all the red tape).

How? Just ask yourself these five questions when considering a product:

1. Is this the best way to get the nutrients I need? Here's all most of us need to fill any gaps in our diet: a moderate-dose multivitamin, cut in half and taken morning and night, plus additional supplements for vitamin D (1,000-1,200 IU per day), calcium-plus-magnesium (600 mg calcium plus 200 mg magnesium twice a day) and B-12 (25 micrograms). If you like soft drinks, enjoy a no- calorie version once in a while, but there's no way they can make up for nutrients you should be getting every day.

2. Does the health claim make sense? FDA rules say products can't claim to treat or cure diseases, but marketers are sneaky. Be skeptical. Sorry, but as of now, you can't take a "miracle" weight-loss pill and eat what you want "without worry." And a cholesterol-lowering supplement won't make your numbers plummet in a few weeks. (There may be one in a couple of years, but we said that two years ago, too.)

3. Can I reach the same health goal by a safer route? Losing weight with a questionable product may bring on far more problems than the extra pounds did, especially if substances in the supplement interact with other medications you're taking. Eating smart (lots of fruits, vegetables and fiber) and exercising regularly might take a little longer, but it won't land you in the emergency room. Looking for a boost in the bedroom? Try this instead of what's at the corner store: Turn off the tube and spend more quality time cuddling, laughing and even exercising with your mate. Watching TV in the bedroom is associated with increasing rates of erectile dysfunction.

4. Is it really safe? Don't assume that over-the-counter drugs are harmless. Fact is, almost anything can be harmful when taken in large enough doses for a long enough time, especially when combined with other supplements or meds you may be taking.

5. Is it USP-verified? When we YOU Docs buy supplements, we look for the "USP verified" mark on the label. This means the United States Pharmacopeia, a reliable nonprofit science organization, has tested and verified its contents. It's the best evidence that a supplement actually contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the quantities claimed, and that it doesn't contain contaminants. You can find a list of supplements tested by the USP at www.usp.org.

The YOU Docs, Mike Roizen and Mehmet Oz, are authors of the "YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty." To submit questions and find ways to grow younger and healthier, go to www.RealAge.com, the docs' online home. Distributed by King Fea

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