Natural Causes: Death, Lies and Politics in America's Vitamin and Herbal Supplement Industry
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Consumer Rating: 
By: Dan Hurley
Format: Hardcover
From: Broadway
Pub. Date: November 2006
From: Broadway
Pub. Date: November 2006
Product Details:
Catalog: Book
Release Date: 2006-12-26
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 336
Ean: 9780767920421
Isbn: 0767920422
Catalog: Book
Release Date: 2006-12-26
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 336
Ean: 9780767920421
Isbn: 0767920422
ABOUT THE BOOK
EDITORIAL REVIEW
A riveting work of investigative journalism that charts the rise of the dietary supplement craze and reveals the dangerous—and sometimes deadly—side of these highly popular and completely unregulated products.
Over 60 percent of Americans buy and take herbal and dietary supplements for all sorts of reasons—to prevent illness (vitamin C), to ease depression (St. John’s wort), to aid weight loss (ephedra), to boost the memory (ginkgo biloba), and even to cure cancer (shark cartilage, bloodroot)—despite the fact that few of these “natural” supplements have been proven to be safe or effective. The vitamin and herbal supplement industry generates over $20 billion a year by selling products that promise to cure or fix, but are produced and marketed essentially without oversight. And while the media has been quick to sensationalize the benefits of supplements, few have taken a hard look at the dangers posed by many of the remedies flooding the market today. Award-winning journalist Dan Hurley breaks the silence for the first time in Natural Causes.
From the snake-oil salesmen of the early twentieth century, to rise of the health food movement in the sixties and seventies, Hurley charts the remarkable growth of an industry built largely on fraud, and reveals the backroom politics that led to the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which effectively freed the industry from FDA oversight. In unprecedented detail, he shows how supplement manufacturers have concealed the truth about dozens of untested treatments and the shocking rise in deaths, disfigurements, and life-threatening injuries caused by products deceptively promoted as “safe and natural.” Most importantly, he provides a telling look at why, in an age of unprecedented scientific advancement, we continue to buy and believe in remedies for which little evidence exists—and why the supplements we take to promote our health may be doing far more harm than good.
As Hurley shows, the dietary supplement craze may be one of the greatest swindles ever perpetrated on the American public—one that feeds billions of dollars each year into the pockets of lobbyists, politicians, and any charlatan who wants to slap a label on a bottle and tout it as the next big “natural cure.” Blending hard facts with spellbinding personal stories, Natural Causes is a must-read for anyone who has ever popped a multivitamin or an herb, and provides a hard-hitting, frightening look at a cultural trend that is out of control.
USER REVIEWS
"Natural Causes reads like a suspense novel, but it's all true . . . and scary. If you use vitamins or herbal supplements, or care about somebody who does, by all means buy this book. It will save you money in the long run, and maybe your health."
~ Written on 2008-08-27
~ Written on 2008-08-27
"Sensationalism sells books. It sold "Natural Cures" on TV direct media campaigns, and it sold this book - at least to me. Both are at extreme opposite end of the subject and both are misleading. Take your supplements. Do your research, don't over do it, just as you should not over do OTC meds and prescription meds.
I've been taking supplements for most of my life and exercising. At age 51 I look younger, feel better, work longer, and enjoy life so much more than those that have not followed this path. I would suggest that you continue to take basic supplements, avoid any Muscle and Body Building magazine recommendations (if you are stupid enough not to know that the results are from Steroids and not fat burners and whey, then uh, well you should read more). Be careful with herbs, but know that there are herbs that predate the pharmacy industry and are proven safe, effective and we know how they work. Look at Lunesta vs. Valerian for example. Do your research be smart, buy vitamins from a reputable store and a reputable company.
BMX Extreme sports are dangerous, but I still ride a bike. I have lifted for 35 years, but have never touched steroids. A few people died from taking ephedrine based supplements, it's speed people! Don't exceed the dose and don't take it if you think it's going to melt your beer gut away by itself! Pick up a "Pill Book" or another medical book and become informed about everything before you put anything in your body. Look up the top 10 prescribed pills and be amazed at comments like "not sure how they work", "they may increase X production, but also they may limit Y production" We just know they work.
Vitamins are safe, many herbs are safe. If you are trying to regulate a mood with herbs, be careful. Sensationalism sells books, be it Barack Husein Barry Obama or Vitamins.
It's true it's a business. There is a profit motive duh! So buyer always beware and don't take everything on the aisle, just as you wouldn't take everything on the cold formula aisle. "
~ Written on 2008-08-18
I've been taking supplements for most of my life and exercising. At age 51 I look younger, feel better, work longer, and enjoy life so much more than those that have not followed this path. I would suggest that you continue to take basic supplements, avoid any Muscle and Body Building magazine recommendations (if you are stupid enough not to know that the results are from Steroids and not fat burners and whey, then uh, well you should read more). Be careful with herbs, but know that there are herbs that predate the pharmacy industry and are proven safe, effective and we know how they work. Look at Lunesta vs. Valerian for example. Do your research be smart, buy vitamins from a reputable store and a reputable company.
BMX Extreme sports are dangerous, but I still ride a bike. I have lifted for 35 years, but have never touched steroids. A few people died from taking ephedrine based supplements, it's speed people! Don't exceed the dose and don't take it if you think it's going to melt your beer gut away by itself! Pick up a "Pill Book" or another medical book and become informed about everything before you put anything in your body. Look up the top 10 prescribed pills and be amazed at comments like "not sure how they work", "they may increase X production, but also they may limit Y production" We just know they work.
Vitamins are safe, many herbs are safe. If you are trying to regulate a mood with herbs, be careful. Sensationalism sells books, be it Barack Husein Barry Obama or Vitamins.
It's true it's a business. There is a profit motive duh! So buyer always beware and don't take everything on the aisle, just as you wouldn't take everything on the cold formula aisle. "
~ Written on 2008-08-18
"This book begins with the story of a woman whose nose was eaten off when she used a bloodroot paste sold by Kevin Trudeau's former company. Think about that the next time you see his infomercials on television. You will never look at a vitamin store the same way again. People have a mystical image of supplements, a highly dangerous view when you consider that they are almost unregulated and only 'tested' by the developers who profit from selling them. Naivete is very dangerous, and it's often emotion, rather than knowledge, that governs people's acceptance of supplements. Read this book and learn--even if it is uncomfortable, it's better to be honest than to pretend ignorance is bliss."
~ Written on 2008-06-27
~ Written on 2008-06-27
" This is an important book and quite thoroughly debunks much that I have long considered bogus or at least clearly not proven. I am especially disappointed at the millions spent on phony FDA studies. There are important remedies to be studied - some of which I have seen proven through use, such as marijuana for chemo patients.
But I feel uneasy after reading the book. After all, many or most drugs in use started out as "herbal remedies," with new ones being searched for from the Amazon to the Arctic. How can it be that NONE of them are worth anything?
It is also worth noting that there have been no clinical trials to prove that aspirin is "safe and effective." Does that mean it is unproved?
I cannot help but think that real, honest, examination of alternative remedies have been and are discouraged by people and industries who would stand to lose if cheap, effective alternatives were readily available.
"
~ Written on 2007-12-11
But I feel uneasy after reading the book. After all, many or most drugs in use started out as "herbal remedies," with new ones being searched for from the Amazon to the Arctic. How can it be that NONE of them are worth anything?
It is also worth noting that there have been no clinical trials to prove that aspirin is "safe and effective." Does that mean it is unproved?
I cannot help but think that real, honest, examination of alternative remedies have been and are discouraged by people and industries who would stand to lose if cheap, effective alternatives were readily available.
"
~ Written on 2007-12-11
"Are you aware that currently no government agency is responsible for testing dietary supplements to assure their purity and potency? Did you know that today over 60% of Americans buy and take one or more herbal or dietary supplements? Would it anger you to learn that you have probably been spending your hard earned money on products that simply don't work? And would you be concerned if you discovered that the American media has expended precious little energy to uncover the truth about these products?
"Natural Causes" explodes many of the myths surrounding the multi-billion dollar vitamin and supplements industry. Author Dan Hurley makes a compelling case for tightening the screws on these companies and demanding more regulation and much more accountabilty.
Around the turn of the 20th century the self-treatment movement was experiencing somewhat of a revival in this nation. As Dan Hurley correctly points out the tug-of-war between traditional medicine and natural alternatives seems to be somewhat cyclical. We can all recall images of the "snake oil" salesmen peddling all sorts of elixers and other concoctions from the back of their wagons. These hucksters made all sorts of fabulous claims for their homemade tonics. In response to all of this Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. The act required that medicines containing opiates and certain other drugs must say so on their labels. Later amendments to the act also required that the quantity of each drug be truly stated on the label, and that the drugs meet official standards of identity and purity. Finally, the government had a handle on the industry.
Fast forward now about 90 years. Once again, interest in "natural" medicine and treatments was on the rise. Seems that there was a huge potential market for new "natural" remedies, treatments and supplements. There was a lot of money to be made. Aided by a number of prominent politicians a group of manufacturers led by one Gerry Kesser somehow managed to convince the Congress to pass a piece of legislation called DSHEA in 1994. Passage of the "Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act" would essentially create a whole new category of so-called "natural" products that were simply not subject to regulation of any kind. Over the next dozen years tens of thousands of new products would flood the market making all sorts of wild claims. We have all seen the ads in newspapers and magazines and on television. And despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of these products fail to produce the promised results the American people continue to purchase them in ever increasing numbers. What's more, testing has shown that many of these products are contaminated with dangerous metals such as lead and that the ingredients listed on the label are frequently incorrect. It is somwhat disconcerting to think that large numbers of Americans have turned their backs on traditional medicine and rely on the advice of a clerk at the health food store to treat what ails them. This is a very dangerous situation that has had serious consequences over the years and Hurley presents numerous examples throughout the book.
At the conclusion of "Natural Causes" Dan Hurley proposes a series of 13 steps that would largely correct this situation. This is definitely a conversation that the country needs to have. I found "Natural Causes" to be a real eye-opener. Highly recommended reading! "
~ Written on 2007-07-26
"Natural Causes" explodes many of the myths surrounding the multi-billion dollar vitamin and supplements industry. Author Dan Hurley makes a compelling case for tightening the screws on these companies and demanding more regulation and much more accountabilty.
Around the turn of the 20th century the self-treatment movement was experiencing somewhat of a revival in this nation. As Dan Hurley correctly points out the tug-of-war between traditional medicine and natural alternatives seems to be somewhat cyclical. We can all recall images of the "snake oil" salesmen peddling all sorts of elixers and other concoctions from the back of their wagons. These hucksters made all sorts of fabulous claims for their homemade tonics. In response to all of this Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. The act required that medicines containing opiates and certain other drugs must say so on their labels. Later amendments to the act also required that the quantity of each drug be truly stated on the label, and that the drugs meet official standards of identity and purity. Finally, the government had a handle on the industry.
Fast forward now about 90 years. Once again, interest in "natural" medicine and treatments was on the rise. Seems that there was a huge potential market for new "natural" remedies, treatments and supplements. There was a lot of money to be made. Aided by a number of prominent politicians a group of manufacturers led by one Gerry Kesser somehow managed to convince the Congress to pass a piece of legislation called DSHEA in 1994. Passage of the "Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act" would essentially create a whole new category of so-called "natural" products that were simply not subject to regulation of any kind. Over the next dozen years tens of thousands of new products would flood the market making all sorts of wild claims. We have all seen the ads in newspapers and magazines and on television. And despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of these products fail to produce the promised results the American people continue to purchase them in ever increasing numbers. What's more, testing has shown that many of these products are contaminated with dangerous metals such as lead and that the ingredients listed on the label are frequently incorrect. It is somwhat disconcerting to think that large numbers of Americans have turned their backs on traditional medicine and rely on the advice of a clerk at the health food store to treat what ails them. This is a very dangerous situation that has had serious consequences over the years and Hurley presents numerous examples throughout the book.
At the conclusion of "Natural Causes" Dan Hurley proposes a series of 13 steps that would largely correct this situation. This is definitely a conversation that the country needs to have. I found "Natural Causes" to be a real eye-opener. Highly recommended reading! "
~ Written on 2007-07-26