Things that You May Want to Take Note

What's the importance of product labeling? Do you have a habit of verifying information on product labels?

What's the importance of certification and approvals? Do you check whether the products that you buy are certified and approved as being safe for use?

What's the difference between a "pricier original product" vs a "cheaper counterfeit product"?

Read this report: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/09/health/oxyelite-pro-liver-damage/

Here are the things which caught my attention:

OxyElite Pro is sold nationwide. Because it is a dietary supplement, it did not have to be approved by the FDA before going to market.

My take: Not everything that is sold at the local stores are approved by FDA as being safe for consumption. Would you consume a product that is NOT labelled as safe?

USPlabs informed the FDA that counterfeit versions of OxyElite Pro have been circulating in the United States, according to an advisory issued by the FDA. The agency is investigating whether counterfeit products are linked to any of the hepatitis cases.

My take: Counterfeit products are definitely not certified or approved for safety. Even if a counterfeit version can copy 100% the quality of its original, when something is found to be wrong with the original, there is no way the counterfeit version can be warned of a potential hazard because of not being in radar.

In April, the FDA said it was using "all available tools at its disposal" to eliminate supplements containing the stimulant dimethylamylamine, or DMAA, from the market. The agency said DMAA can cause increased blood pressure, shortness of breath, chest tightening, cardiovascular problems and even heart attacks.

My take: Being in the radar of FDA, a product manufacturer can be immediately warned of any potential hazard in their products, thus action can be taken immediately to eradicate the hazard.

FDA spokeswoman Tamara Ward told CNN at the time that 11 companies had received warning letters from the FDA over the past year asking them to stop marketing products that contain DMAA. All but one -- USPlabs -- agreed to stop using DMAA in supplements.

My take: Track record says everything about a company. Would you still trust companies who ignored warnings from authorities?