Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The quality of information on the internet relating to top-selling dietary supplements in the Czech Republic

  • Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background The purchase of dietary supplements (DS) via the Internet is increasing worldwide as well as in the Czech Republic. Objective The aim of the study is to evaluate the quality of information on DS available on the Internet. Setting Czech websites related to dietary supplements. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out involving the analysis of information placed on the websites related to the 100 top-selling DS in the Czech Republic in 2014, according to IMS Health data. Main outcome measure The following criteria were evaluated: contact for the manufacturer, recommended dosage, information on active substances as well as overall composition, permitted health claims, % of the daily reference intake value (DRIV) for vitamins and minerals, link for online counseling, pregnancy/breastfeeding, allergy information, contraindications, adverse reactions, and supplement-drug interactions (some criteria were evaluated from both points of view). Results A total of 199 web domains and 850 websites were evaluated. From the regulatory point of view, all the criteria were fulfilled by 11.3% of websites. Almost 9% of the websites reported information referring to the treatment, cure, or prevention of a disease. From the clinical point of view, all the criteria were only met by one website. Conclusions The quality of information related to DS available on the Internet in the Czech Republic is quite low. The consumers should consult a specialist when using DS purchased online.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. European Food Safety Authority. Food Supplements. 2017. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/food-supplements. Accessed 14 Aug 2017.

  2. Council for Responsible Nutrition. The Dietary Supplement Consumer. 2014. http://www.crnusa.org/CRNconsumersurvey/2014/CRN2014CCsurvey-infographic-pages.pdf. Accessed 5 Dec 2016.

  3. Harrison RA, Holt D, Pattison DJ, Elton PJ. Are those in need taking dietary supplements? A survey of 21 923 adults. Br J Nutr. 2004;91:617–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Marques-Vidal P, Pécoud A, Hayoz D, Paccaud F, Mooser V, Waeber G, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of vitamin or dietary supplement users in Lausanne, Switzerland: the CoLaus study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63:273–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Beitz R, Mensink GBM, Rams S, Döring A. Vitamin-und Mineralstoffsupplementierung in Deutschland. Bundesgesundheitsblatt—Gesundheitsforschung—Gesundheitsschutz. 2004;47:1057–65.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Buurma-Rethans E. Dietary supplement use in The Netherlands. Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. National Institute for Public Health and the Environment., Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. 2012. http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/nutrition_assessment/Oral_presentations/A3_Buurma.pdf. Accessed 22 Nov 2017.

  7. Pokladnikova J, Selke-Krulichova I. Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use in the general population in the Czech Republic. Forsch Komplementmed. 2016;23:22–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Zion Market Research. Global dietary supplements market will reach USD 220.3 Billion in 2022. 2017. https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/01/11/905073/0/en/Global-Dietary-Supplements-Market-will-reach-USD-220-3-Billion-in-2022-Zion-Market-Research.html. Accessed 21 Jun 2017.

  9. Commission of the European communities. Characteristics and perspectives of the market for food supplements containing substances other than vitamins and minerals. 2008. http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/docs/labelling_nutrition-supplements-2008_2976_f_wd1_en.pdf. Accessed 27 Dec 2015.

  10. Týden.cz. Czechs spend more than 500 CZK annually on food supplements on average. 2014. https://www.tyden.cz/rubriky/zdravi/zdravi/cesi-za-doplnky-stravy-utrati-prumerne-pres-pet-set-korun-rocne_312299.html. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  11. StemMark. Over-the-counter medicines are bought through the Internet by a large part of the Internet population. 2015. http://www.stemmark.cz/pres-internet-nakupuje-volne-prodejne-leky-jiz-velka-cast-internetove-populace/. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  12. ConsumerLab. Fish oil and multivitamins most popular supplements in consumerlab.com survey. 2012. http://www.consumerlab.com/news/Most-Popular-Supplements-Survey/2_5_2012/. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  13. European commission. Europeans becoming enthusiastic users of online health information. 2014. https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/europeans-becoming-enthusiastic-users-online-health-information. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  14. Wolters Kluwer Health. Wolters Kluwer Health Q1 Poll: Self-Diagnosis. 2012. http://wolterskluwer.com/binaries/content/assets/wk-health/pdf/company/newsroom/white-papers/self-diagnois-poll.pdf. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  15. Morris CHA, Avorn J. Internet marketing of herbal products. JAMA. 2003;290:1505–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Owens CH, Baergen R, Puckett D. Online sources of herbal product information. Am J Med. 2014;127:109–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Conesa-Fuentes MC, Hernandez-Morante JJ. Prospective analysis of the quality of Spanish health information web sites after 3 years. Inf Health Soc Care. 2016;41:417–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. IMS Health. 2016. https://websolutions.imshealth.com/EB2/User/Validate_UserID.aspx?TARGET=$SM$HTTP://customerportal.imshealth.com/portal/site/imsportal?_ga=1.76911325.993965754.1445500547. Accessed 1 March 2016.

  19. The most commonly used search engines. 2016. www.vyhledavace.net/nejpouzivanejsi-vyhledavace-cr/. Accessed 1 March 2016.

  20. Černá M. Dietary supplements in the Czech Republic—survey results report. 2012. http://doplnky-stravy-v-cr.vyplnto.cz. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  21. Morrow JD, Edeki TI, El Mouelhi M, Galinsky RE, Kovelesky R, Noveck RJ, et al. American society for clinical pharmacology and therapeutics position statement on dietary supplement safety and regulation. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2005;77:113–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ashar BH, Miller RG, Getz KJ, Pichard CP. A critical evaluation of internet marketing of products that contain ephedra. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003;78:944–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kohout P. Celiac disease diagnosis and treatment. Interní Med. 2006;7–8:324–6.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Statista. Top 5 places where US adults purchased dietary supplements in 2014. 2016. https://www.statista.com/statistics/308349/top-places-to-purchase-dietary-supplements-among-us-adults/. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  25. Mintel. The rise of online dietary supplements in Germany. 2015. http://www.mintel.com/blog/personal-care-market-news/the-rise-of-online-dietary-supplements-in-germany. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  26. Roe B, Levy AS, Derby BM. The impact of health claims on consumer search and product evaluation outcomes: results from FDA experimental data. J Public Policy Mark. 1999;18:89–105.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Crocco AG. Analysis of cases of harm associated with use of health information on the internet. JAMA. 2002;287:2869–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Jordan MA, Haywood T. Evaluation of internet websites marketing herbal weight-loss supplements to consumers. J Altern Complement Med. 2007;13:1035–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kaplan YC, Demir Ö, Karadaş B, Kaplan MD. Online weight loss supplement market and public health: an analysis of Turkish websites marketing weight loss supplements. CMJ. 2012;34:138–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Nazeri A, Massumi A, Wilson JM, Frank CM, Bensler M, Cheng J, et al. Arrhythmogenicity of weight-loss supplements marketed on the internet. Heart Rhythm. 2009;6:658–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Stevens LJ, Kuczek T, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Arnold LE, Galland L. Mechanisms of behavioral, atopic, and other reactions to artificial food colors in children. Nutr Rev. 2013;71:268–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Stevens LJ, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Kuczek T. Amounts of artificial food colors in commonly consumed beverages and potential behavioral implications for consumption in children. Clin Pediatr. 2014;53:133–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Udo IA, Festus A. Concomitant use of dietary supplements and orthodox medicines among primary care patients’ due to non-communication with physicians in a tertiary hospital in Uyo. MRJMMS. 2016;4:266–71.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Moses GM, Mcguire TM. Drug interactions with complementary medicines. Aust Prescr. 2010;33:177–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Vamenta-Morris H, Dreisbach A, Shoemaker-Moyle M, Abdel-Rahman EM. Internet claims on dietary and herbal supplements in advanced nephropathy: truth or myth. Am J Nephrol. 2014;40:393–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. American Cancer Society. FDA regulation of drugs versus dietary supplements. 2015. http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/dietarysupplements/dietary-supplements-fda-regulations. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  37. Lee AH, Ingraham SE, Kopp M, Foraida MI, Jazieh AR. The incidence of potential interactions between dietary supplements and prescription medications in cancer patients at a veterans administration hospital. Am J Clin Oncol. 2006;29:178–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Peng CC, Glassman PA, Trilli LE, Hayes-Hunter J, Good CB. Incidence and severity of potential drug-dietary supplement interactions in primary care patients: an exploratory study of 2 outpatient practices. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164:630–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). Risk of concurrent use of prescription drugs with herbal and dietary supplements in ambulatory care. In: Advances in patient safety: new directions and alternative approaches (Vol. 4: Technology and Medication Safety). Rockville (MD); 2008.

  40. Czech Statistical Office. Population movement 2015. 2016. https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/cri/pohyb-obyvatelstva-4-ctvrtleti-2015. Accessed 14 Oct 2016.

  41. Sayakhot P, Carolan-Olah M. Internet use by pregnant women seeking pregnancy-related information: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016;16:65.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. John LJ, Shantakumari N. Herbal medicines use during pregnancy: a review from the middle east. Oman Med J. 2015;30:229–36.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Tamuno I, Omole-Ohonsi A, Fadare J. Use of herbal medicine among pregnant women attending a tertiary hospital in northern Nigeria. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2010;. https://doi.org/10.5580/2932.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was supported by Specific University Research SVV 260 417, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University in Prague. We acknowledge Edward Davies for English editing of the final version of the manuscript.

Funding

No specific funding was received.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

    L. Baudischova, J. Straznicka, J. Pokladnikova & L. Jahodar

Authors
  1. L. Baudischova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Straznicka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Pokladnikova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. Jahodar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Straznicka.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Baudischova, L., Straznicka, J., Pokladnikova, J. et al. The quality of information on the internet relating to top-selling dietary supplements in the Czech Republic. Int J Clin Pharm 40, 183–189 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-017-0564-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-017-0564-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation