ABSTRACT
The DSHEA is 30 years old and its place in providing legitimate protections for public health through relevant agency oversight has created a patchwork of legal and scientific requirements. In contrast, the European Union has rules on supplements and permitted ingredients. Given the context of a global supply chain for food ingredients any conflict between the legality of ingredients between the U.S/EU can inhibit the economic viability of international trade. The purpose of this review is to contrast these different systems of legislative oversight. The analysis of both markets demonstrates a fragmentation in what are considered legal food ingredients between country wide harmonization and state rules and related interpretation. There are many commonalities in this regard between the U.S/EU, from borderline medicinal classifications to their resultant preclusion from food use. However, the codified legal system existing within the EU and excessive guidance can be viewed as time consuming and inflexible, especially for placing new ingredients on the market. The US in contrast is in a holding pattern for legislative interpretation regarding NDIs, GRAS and possible drug preclusion laws. As we hit the anniversary of the DSHEA recent commentary from U.S./EU central authorities point to increased international co-operation in ingredient safety assessments but whether this results in friction-free access between markets is to be determined.
ABSTRACT
Beta-alanine in blood-plasma when administered as A) histidine dipeptides (equivalent to 40 mg . kg(-1) bwt of beta-alanine) in chicken broth, or B) 10, C) 20 and D) 40 mg . kg(-1) bwt beta-alanine (CarnoSyn, NAI, USA), peaked at 428 +/- SE 66, 47 +/- 13, 374 +/- 68 and 833 +/- 43 microM. Concentrations regained baseline at 2 h. Carnosine was not detected in plasma with A) although traces of this and anserine were found in urine. Loss of beta-alanine in urine with B) to D) was <5%. Plasma taurine was increased by beta-alanine ingestion but this did not result in any increased loss via urine. Pharmacodynamics were further investigated with 3 x B) per day given for 15 d. Dietary supplementation with I) 3.2 and II) 6.4 g . d(-1) beta-alanine (as multiple doses of 400 or 800 mg) or III) L-carnosine (isomolar to II) for 4 w resulted in significant increases in muscle carnosine estimated at 42.1, 64.2 and 65.8%.
