AFAA Supplement Policy

American Fitness, Jan, 2000

Policy Statement on the Sale Provision or Recommendation of Nutritional Supplements by AFAA Certified Fitness Professionals to Clients

Copyright [C] 1999 by AFAA, Sherman Oaks, California

As part of its mission, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) is committed to assisting AFAA certified fitness professionals in their provision of exceptional fitness related services to clients. In efforts to do so AFAA gathers and publishes information on a wide variety of topics so that relevant services might be better provided by such professionals to their clients.

Recently, a number of events have occurred, which in turn, have caused AFAA to develop this Policy Statement regarding the recommendation, provision or sale of nutritional supplements to consumers. The Policy Statement is intended to assist professionals in determining how they might, in the exercise of independent professional judgment, provide relevant services or products to their clients. However, by reason of the development and publication of this Policy Statement neither the authors nor AFAA shall be deemed to be engaged in the practice of any form of health care or law nor do they assume any duty toward clients of fitness professionals or fitness professionals themselves who consider the materials within this Policy Statement for adaptation to their professional practices. Fitness professionals considering these issues should consult their own individual medical and legal advisor for guidance.

As a starting point, fitness professionals must acknowledge that some manufacturers of nutritional supplements as well as others are presently encouraging health and fitness facilities and fitness professionals to sell a wide range of nutritional products to their employees and customers. Many facilities and professionals have undertaken to do so for a variety of reasons, including the enhancement of cash flows and ultimately profits. However, AFAA believes that the recommendation, sale or provision of such products must be based upon a number of factors.

The sale of nutritional supplements in the United States is big business, involving literally hundreds if not thousands of products sold to most adult Americans through a variety of retail and service establishments as well as over the Internet. The range of nutritional supplement products is extremely diverse. Sales of such products are at the multi-billion dollar level, presently pushing in excess of 56 billion in annual sales and perhaps as much as $14 billion in such sales.

Nutritional supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs and even hormones. There are thirteen (13) vitamins, fifteen (15) minerals and untold numbers of herbal and other similar products available for sale in this market. While vitamins and minerals may be the most studied and perhaps the best understood of all nutritional supplements, other such products are not as well studied or understood of all nutritional supplements, other such products are not as well studied or understood at least as of the close of this millennium.

As a general rule, vitamin and mineral supplements are not harmful unless taken in excessive doses when actual damage can result. Herb products, such as aspirin, have proven medicinal properties while many other herb products and even hormones are not yet well understood. Some such products, however, can be clearly harmful. Moreover, some nutritional products can be harmful when ingested along with other such products, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications or even foods or beverages. Those with certain health conditions should not ingest some nutritional products. In addition those who ingest some nutritional products may have increased surgical and anesthesia related risks. Consequently, health care provider advice, approval and monitoring of product use is necessary.

Generally, there is no legal requirement in the United States that requires nutritional supplements (as opposed to drug products) to be tested and/or approved for use by any governmental agency prior to their sale to consumers. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does have some regulatory authority and responsibility as to nutritional products, such supplements are only subject to regulation after such products are determined to be dangerous or to the extent that claims are made that such products cure, mitigate or treat various diseases.

Due to the present lack of presale regulation of these products, some such products may not be "pure" and some potentially, may not be as labeled. Since nutritional products are not sold on prescription by health care providers, a legal doctrine applicable in some state and known as the "learned intermediary doctrine" does not limit the duty of producers and manufacturers to warn consumers of adverse consequences associated with such products. Moreover, those who sell, provide or recommend such products necessarily do so with only limited information--at least when compared to the information which is available as to prescription drug products which are subject to extensive testing and research before being approved by the FDA for sale to consumers via prescription.