The Dietary Supplement Label Database: Recent Developments and Applications

Abstract

Objective: To describe the history, key features, recent enhancements, and common applications of the Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD). Background and History: Although many Americans use dietary supplements, databases of dietary supplements sold in the United States have not been widely available. The DSLD, an easily accessible public-use database was created in 2008 to provide information on dietary supplement composition for use by researchers and consumers. Rationale: Accessing current information easily and quickly is crucial for documenting exposures to dietary supplements because they contain nutrients and other bioactive ingredients that may have beneficial or adverse effects on human health. This manuscript details recent developments with the DSLD to achieve this goal and provides examples of how the DSLD has been used. Recent Developments: With periodic updates to track changes in product composition and capture new products entering the market, the DSLD currently contains more than 71,000 dietary supplement labels. Following usability testing with consumer and researcher user groups completed in 2016, improvements to the DSLD interface were made. As of 2017, both a desktop and mobile device version are now available. Since its inception in 2008, the use of the DSLD has included research, exposure monitoring, and other purposes by users in the public and private sectors. Future Directions: Further refinement of the user interface and search features to facilitate ease of use for stakeholders is planned. Conclusions: The DSLD can be used to track changes in product composition and capture new products entering the market. With over 71,000 DS labels it is a unique resource that policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and consumers may find valuable for multiple applications.

HLA‐B*35:01 and Green Tea–Induced Liver Injury

“…For this analysis, all cases of dietary supplement–related liver injury were reviewed for evidence from the medical history and product labels that green tea was taken. When the product label was not available, the ingredients were sought from the Dietary Supplement Label Database ( 30 ) or the Internet. All cases with suspected exposure were then re‐adjudicated specifically for green tea causality using the procedures established by the DILIN, in which three investigators review the narrative history and case‐report forms and score the likelihood that green tea played a role in causation, as 1 (definite, >95% likelihood), 2 (highly likely, 75%‐95% likelihood), 3 (probable, 50%‐74%), 4 (possible, 25%‐49%), or 5 (unlikely, <25%).…”

Development of a Sport Food Exchange List for Dietetic Practice in Sport Nutrition

“…In different countries or regions, there are usually food composition tables that collect nutritional information per 100 g of food [30]. In the same way, there are food databases for many types of sports DS [31,32], but there are no databases that collect sports DS nutritional information according to the size of the commercial container or the serving dose. The sport food exchange list compiled here achieves this, thus facilitating the adaptation of diet plans.…”

Development of A Sport Foods Exchange List for Dietetic Practice in Sports Nutrition

“…In different countries or regions, there are usually food composition tables that collect nutritional information per 100 g of food [26]. In the same way, there are food databases for many types of sports DS [27,28], but there are no databases that collect sports DS nutritional information according to the size of the commercial container or the serving dose. The sport food exchange list compiled here achieves this, thus facilitating the adaptation of diet plans.…”