Nutritional and Dietary Supplement

Under Canadian regulations there are two categories of supplements, both commonly used by athletes. “Nutritional supplements” include food products that are meant to help correct a diet that may be inadequate in energy and/or essential nutrients (e.g., sport drinks for fluid, energy bars for energy, etc.).

Nutritional supplements are generally used as food and are therefore regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) through the Food and Drug Act. Although the food labels of nutritional supplements have to be approved, the CFIA does not monitor the purity of every nutritional supplement on the market.

As a result, there is a risk that a nutritional supplement may not be 100% pure and that it may contain ingredient(s) that are not declared on the food label. Currently, nutritional supplements in Canada are not required to have a DIN (drug identification number) as would a pharmaceutical product. “Dietary supplements” include vitamins, minerals, herbal and homeopathic preparations.

Since January 1, 2004, Health Canada has been implementing new Natural Health Products Regulations to regulate the safety, quality, and effectiveness of dietary supplements available to Canadians. As these supplements meet Health Canada’s accreditation standards they will receive a licensing number along with a designation such as DIN (drug identification number), DIN-HM (DIN with homeopathic medicine) or NPN (natural product number) to assure consumers that these supplements have met standards for safety, quality, and health claims. However, none of these designations will guarantee that a dietary supplement meets the World AntiDoping Agency’s criteria.

Labelling requirement when health claims for Nutritional and Dietary supplement.

Four rules of compulsory information must be provided on the labelling:

1. a statement indicating the importance of varied and balanced diets and a healthy lifestyle.
2. the quantity and pattern of consumption required to obtain the claimed beneficial effect.
3. where appropriate, a statement addressed to persons who should avoid using the food and
4. an appropriate warning for products that are likely to present a health risk if consumed in excess.

Capella Innovation can currently analyse qualitative and quantitative ingredients analysis at our laboratory.