FDA Censorship Could Impact Preterm Births

Don’t let FDA stifle free speech and suppress the scientific evidence that vitamin D helps prevent preterm births. Action Alert!
As we reported recently, Ocean Spray’s petition for a qualified health claim for cranberry products and reduced risk of urinary tract infections demonstrates the horrible track record FDA has in allowing free speech about the benefits of foods and supplements. The agency now has a chance to approve a health claim for vitamin D in reducing the risk of preterm births. Will the agency allow this information to be communicated to consumers, potentially saving thousands of lives, or will it once again protect drug industry monopolies by stifling free speech about cheap, safe, and effective food and supplements?
The role of vitamin D in preventing preterm births is well established scientifically. Recently, the Medical University of South Carolina, in partnership with GrassrootsHealth, found that pregnant women who maintain vitamin D levels of 40-60 ng/ml experience a 60% reduction of preterm birth risk, with zero safety issues.
This information could alleviate a lot of suffering. In 2016, one in ten babies were born prematurely in the US, costing $12.7 billion annually and creating an increased risk of death, breathing and intestinal issues in the short-term, and potentially leading to long-term developmental delays. Vitamin D is an inexpensive and safe preventative method. To us, this seems like a no-brainer, but the FDA has fought tooth and nail against many legitimate health claims for food and food supplements. In our article last week on the qualified health claim for cranberries, we mentioned that currently approved claims for supplements have largely been the result of court victories over the FDA.
Our friends at the Organic & Natural Health Association (ONHA) have petitioned the FDA to allow a health claim for vitamin D describing its role in reducing preterm births. We hope the FDA will let the science speak for itself and grant ONHA’s petition—but we must hold the agency’s feet to the fire.
Action Alert! Write to the FDA and Congress in support of ONHA’s petition. Please send your message immediately.

7 comments

  2. I agree with just about everything anh-usa has to say and I try to consistently support most action alerts. But I cannot agree with encouraging food companies to promote the health benefits of their products. Historically all we get is confusion about what’s “natural” or “our peanut butter doesn’t have any cholesterol” (of course, no peanut butter has cholesterol but many are loaded with sugar and salt or extra vegetable oil) and so on and on ad nauseum. And, Ocean Spray products are full of sugar, except the raw c’berries, and people prepare them with tons of sugar.
    If people want to know the health benefits of their food, there are many better sources in books, magazines, librairies and online. Many large supermarkets have a dietitian or nutritionist on staff. If people aren’t interested enough to seek out information they will either ignore what is advertised or take it as a gospel truth.
    Disclaimer:This does not mean I, in any way, support the fda’sattacks on supplements or healthful foods. But, I don’t support a bureaucracy to determine what ‘claims” are valid.

    1. Vitamin D claims would be a supplement claim not a food claim…unless it was extended to foods high in D such as what is added to milk and is naturally occurring in certain foods ~ but that opens up a can of worms because you can’t quantify how much of a vitamin is in any individual product. Loss can occur due to light, temperature, time, etc. I think food claims could be helpful if they were worded correctly and disclaimers made for things like sugar in cranberry juice. There are unsweetened cranberry juices on the market and they are not as tart as one might imagine. I sold supplements for years and though we weren’t allowed to make claims, if someone had a UTI and wanted to try cranberry I suggested capsules. BTW, blueberry has similar and possibly even superior properties, I don’t know why that isn’t generally known. There have been studies and people are more likely to eat them plain.

      1. Your one on one advice is exactly what I meant. People interested will find information without reading food claim labels. Claims about what nutrients do in your body seem different than those that claim healing powers for nutrients. Nutrients “heal” becasuse one’s illness/symptomis caused by the lack thereof. Saying vitamin C and bioflavanoids protect capillaries from damage is different than saying they protect from stroke altho one may be derived from the other
        Thanks for the blueberry tip. Opening up a can of worms is exactly what would happen if food companies were allowed to make claims.

    1. You must use it in conjunction with K2, magnesium, and boron to avoid it binding to the wrong parts of the body and calcifying instead of benefiting the body when used properly. (And I feel like I’m missing another vitamin or mineral you must use with Vitamin D. Sorry.)

    2. Many things in high quantities are harmful. Use your judgment and not that of bureaucrats whose interest is in pharmaceutical drugs. And DO take K2 MK7 with your D3.

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