Dietary supplements are hazardous and unsatisfactory, according to the food authority.

A review conducted by the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) discovered that almost 15% of protein powders, nutritional supplements used by athletes and bodybuilders, supplied in India were dangerous for consumption or substandard.
According to the regulator’s assessment, 4,890 out of 144,345 samples taken between 2021-22 were harmful for ingestion, and 16,582 were substandard, according to an official familiar with the situation who requested anonymity. Furthermore, the individual stated that over 11,482 samples contained labelling flaws and false information.
In light of the findings, the FSSAI filed 4,946 criminal prosecutions and several civil lawsuits. Doctors warn that taking dangerous protein powders, which are often used by young people to gain muscle growth, can injure the kidneys, liver, and heart, among other organs, and create other health problems. The FSSAI has issued specific guidelines to govern the manufacture and marketing of protein powders and other nutritional supplements in India.
The food regulator conducts drives across states on a regular basis to check food company owners, including protein powder makers.
In addition to criminal prosecutions, the authority has started civil actions in 28,906 instances, resulting in the punishment of 19,437 offenders and a penalty of 53.39 crore.
Dietary supplements have witnessed rising demand in recent decades, according to health experts, especially in India. Many young individuals, particularly sportsmen, utilise these products to gain muscle mass. Many of these so-called nutritional supplements, however, can be damaging to the body.
“We see young males with renal issues who want to have a macho body come to us. The majority of boys are between the ages of 20 and 30. When we inquire about their lifestyle, they explain us that they attend to the gym and eat protein powder as prescribed by their gym trainer. However, there is no direct correlation, but a frequent element in the usage of protein supplements is a lifestyle patterns”. Dr. H. Jauhari, chief of the kidney transplant department at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, advised such patients to discontinue use of the protein powders immediately.
The Indian dietary supplement industry is predicted to rise to 84,790 crore by 2027, up from 37,630 crore in 2021, according to researcher IMARC Group.