When buying vitamins, look for third-party certifications, and don’t rely on manufacturers’ claims.

Wish you took the blue pill? A government report warns of unsafe vitamins and supplements.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—If it’s sold on store shelves, it has to be safe, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case when it comes to dietary supplements, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published earlier this month.

At the end of 2007, the Food and Drug Administration instituted new rules for dietary supplement manufacturing. Among them were requirements that manufacturers start reporting customer complaints about adverse reactions (examples include nausea, rapid heart rate, headache, sleeplessness, itching, and rash), and that manufacturers comply with “current good manufacturing practices” meant to ensure product safety. In this report, the GAO found that the number of reported adverse reactions nearly tripled, from 298 in 2007 to 948 in 2008. The report also expressed concern that dietary supplements are inadequately labeled regarding safety and efficacy, which could leave consumers vulnerable to health risks.

THE DETAILS: The FDA doesn’t regulate the supplement manufacturing business the way it regulates the pharmaceutical industry. The supplement makers, not the FDA, are responsible for testing products to ensure their safety. However, it seems a lot of bad pills have been slipping through the cracks. For example, in December 2008 the FDA advised consumers to avoid a long list of weight-loss supplements containing undeclared ingredients that could trigger high blood pressure, seizures, depression, and suicidal thoughts. One even contained a suspected cancer-causing agent. Last month another popular weight-loss supplement, StarCaps, was found to contain bumetanide, a diuretic that can interfere with blood pressure medications. Analyses by the independent supplement-testing agency ConsumerLabs.com have found supplements contaminated with small levels of lead, and a recent test on vitamin K supplements revealed that one brand only delivered 70 percent of the amount claimed on its label.

WHAT IT MEANS:: The GAO report points out that the FDA is having a hard time keeping up with all the products and industries it’s tasked with overseeing, say scientists and industry officials. But you can protect yourself and make informed choices when purchasing vitamins and supplements, if you know what to look for.

Here are a few tips on buying safer supplements and avoiding harmful additives: