It is often hard to see how the government can regulate what we do and do not do. In the world of what we put into our bodies, there are several things that come into play. First of all, the government can regulate what we put into our bodies if these are things that are deemed illegal substances. Here in the United States the Food and Drug Administration is the watchdog. Some of the substances that are regulated might be more harmful than others, and indeed some of the substances that are not regulated by the

FDA might be more harmful than the ones that are. However it is hard to draw the line when it comes to FDA regulations regarding things such as vitamin and mineral supplements.

      Usually, FDA can regulate things that we put into our bodies that are labeled drugs.     Because most of the vitamin and mineral supplements that we can get to put into our bodies are labeled simply under the food category, they can get away with not being regulated.

        What this means for you is that you are not going to be able to rely on the government when it comes to making sure that the nutritional supplements you are putting into your body are safe. When it comes to most drugs, you can know that the FDA has tested them and has deemed them safe for you to consume. However, when supplements and vitamins are labeled food, this means that the manufacturer of them is responsible for how safe they are. This means that you are going to have to put your trust and faith in the company that made the supplements to make sure that it is safe for you to take.

      The fact remains that when a vitamin and nutritional supplement is sold, there really is no regulation that says that it has to have been tested and been proven to be safe, or even useful. It also means that if there are illnesses or injuries that result from taking certain supplements, the manufacturers are not responsible for telling the public the details.

      What it means for you is that when you are deciding to use vitamin and mineral supplements, it is up to you to make sure that you are using them correctly. You have to take responsibility to make sure that what you are putting into your body is safe, because no one else is going to do it for you. If you have any questions about what kinds of supplements that you should be taking, you should consult your doctor and create a plan for your best possible nutritional information.

     A simple blood test can help you learn what your present vitamin needs may be.

Another more recent test is a simple DNA test that can indicate what diseases you may be predisposed to for more information on these tests go to vitamin and mineral supplements

Here is some Regulation information I copied from Wikipedia about dietary supplements

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements as a category of foods, and not as drugs. While pharmaceutical companies are required to obtain FDA approval which involves assessing the risks and benefits prior to their entry into the market, dietary supplements do not need to be pre-approved by FDA before they can enter the market.[13] Instead, manufacturers and distributors who wish to market dietary supplements that contain a “new dietary ingredient” (defined as “a vitamin; a mineral; an herb or other botanical; an amino acid; a dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing total dietary intake; or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any of the above dietary ingredients” not marketed before October 15, 1994) must notify the FDA beforehand. The notification requires information indicating the ingredient is safe, and the ingredient cannot be marketed (sold or delivered for sale) for seventy-five days following filing the information. During this time agency reviews the information for adequacy and safety concerns; fifteen days after the period (ninety days after the information was filed) the FDA posts nonproprietary information on their website. Listing the information means the ingredient can be marketed, but does not mean it is necessarily safe.[14] On September 24, 2007 the FDA has implemented a “current good manufacturing practices” policy to ensure dietary supplements “are produced in a quality manner, do not contain contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled” and covers the manufacturing, packaging, labeling and storing of supplements, with requirements for quality control, design and construction of manufacturing plants, testing of ingredients and final products, record keeping and complaints processes.