Vitamins, Diet and Sports Nutrition

BETHESDA, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday advised consumers not to purchase or use three separate sexual enhancement products that are being promoted as dietary supplements because they contain undeclared and unapproved prescription-only ingredients. 

WASHINGTON — Lower levels of vitamin D may predispose smokers to developing tobacco-related cancer, according to research published last week by Clinical Chemistry, the journal of the American Association of Clinical Chemistry. Consequently, study authors suggested that vitamin D blood tests and supplements have the potential to improve smokers’ health.

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — New Chapter on Wednesday voluntarily recalled a limited number of packages of its 90-count Probiotic Elderberry dietary supplement because it may contain an undeclared allergen - soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product, the company stated.  

The one lot of affected New Chapter Probiotic Elderberry was distributed nationwide. It reached consumers through retail stores, mail order and direct delivery.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Government Accountability Office on Monday advised the Food and Drug Administration to establish a time frame on New Dietary Ingredient guidance, as well as guidance clarifying whether a liquid product may be labeled and marketed as a dietary supplement or as a conventional food with added ingredients. Those two guidelines will help the agency use adverse event reports in overseeing dietary supplement products, the GAO stated.

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Robinson Pharma last week introduced its Unique IS-2 Probiotic Softgel in collaboration with B&D Nutritional Ingredients and Unique Biotech USA. The new product is a shelf-stable, guaranteed-yield probiotic softgel that delivers the Unique IS-2 Bacillus coagulans strain, a trademarked bacterium which has demonstrated high resistance to extreme temperature and humidity.

SAN DIEGO — Cardium Therapeutics earlier this week announced its To Go Brands operating unit has expanded its VitaRocks kids' vitamins product line and that retail distribution has been expanded into select Target stores.

The VitaRocks products are inspired by a popping pellet candy that is popular with kids and represents a next-generation, easy-use delivery platform for multivitamins and nutrients, dietary supplements, and potentially over-the-counter medicines for children as well as adults, Cardium Therapeutics suggested. 

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Wednesday announced it is taking its annual executive conference to Utah for the first time in its 40-year history. 

Both The Workshop: CRN’s Day of Science and The Conference: CRN’s Annual Symposium for the Dietary Supplement Industry, will be held in tandem Sept. 18-21 at the Montage Deer Valley resort in Park City, Utah. Tyler Whitehead, general counsel at Utah-based Nu Skin Enterprises, and a long-serving director on CRN’s Board, will serve as 2013 conference chair.

NAPLES, Fla. — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Wednesday officially elected James Mackey, SVP U.S. region head for Merck Consumer Care, as the association's chairman. Paul Sturman, president and general manager Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, will serve as immediate past chairman.