International researchers discussed the changing face of nutrition science and its relation to the food supplements industry and regulators.
“While health policy makers want absolutes, it is not always possible with science,” said Penny Viner, coordinator of the IADSA Scientific Group.
“Certainly regulators need to be cautious and depend on science, but science is not static, and what they depended on some years ago is not necessarily right any more. There is a need for more information for assessment purposes, and more interaction between the sector and regulators so that the right research is carried out.”
Topics covered included Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs); the need for more and better biomarkers; the meaning of homoestasis in relation to supplementation; the problems of obesity and micronutrient depletion; the need for more and better intake data; the need for carefully targeted research; the importance of risk assessment, and the need for dialogue between regulators and the industry.