⛔ Red — banned or high-risk ingredients
Auto-flagged from PHIG regulatory data. Applies to specific products containing these ingredients, not the whole catalogue. Flags show countries named in the source data.
GDM prevention — 4 g/day from first trimester in high-risk women [2]
Dog owner not warned about xylitol toxicity — potentially fatal to dogs [1]
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Banned April 2023 following DTU risk assessment. All products withdrawn.
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HIGH RISK — see overview [1]
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loss at ≥3 g/day [1]. || Australia :: Glucomannan TABLETS banned due to choking hazard [2]. || United States :: Dietary supplement [1]. ||
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ates (FDA) :: Dietary supplement. Picamilon (GABA + niacin) banned as supplement (2015) [1]. || Japan :: GABA is a popular functional food i
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Hepatotoxicity cases including liver failure — limit 6 months [1]
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Banned in herbal medicines due to PA hepatotoxicity risk.
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Not approved for OTC sale as supplement.
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Banned in supplements.
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dards. Drug interaction warnings required [2]. || France :: Banned from sale as a supplement (2000) due to drug interaction concerns [3]. ||
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HIGH RISK — see overview [1]
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Patient on digoxin consuming licorice tea — hypokalemia → digoxin toxicity → fatal [1]
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France banned TiO₂ in food from January 2020, first EU country.
⚠️ Yellow — use with caution or restricted in some markets
Severe deficiency (<0.50 mmol/L) causes secondary hypocalcemia and hypokalemia that will not correct until magnesium is repleted first [1].
Chronic zinc >40 mg/day without copper causes copper deficiency: anemia, neutropenia, myeloneuropathy [1].
Granulomatous diseases (sarcoidosis, TB) — unregulated extra-renal CYP27B1 can cause life-threatening hypercalcemia even at standard doses [2][21]
Sensory neuropathy from chronic high-dose B6 (>200 mg/day) — presents as numbness, ataxia. Can be irreversible. Often self-prescribed by patients for PMS or carpal tunnel [3]
Nitrous oxide anesthesia in subclinically B12-deficient patients can precipitate acute combined degeneration — always check B12 before elective procedures using N₂O [5]
Iron supplementation in iron-replete patients may increase cardiovascular and cancer risk — always document deficiency before prescribing [1].
Wernicke encephalopathy: classic triad (confusion, ophthalmoplegia, ataxia) is present in only 16% of cases — any ONE element in an at-risk patient warrants IV thiamin [5]
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ood. Dietary supplement [1]. || European Union :: Novel food ingredient [1]. || South Korea :: Dietary supplement. || Ma
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fe). Dietary supplement [1]. || European Union :: Novel food/dietary supplement. Available throughout EU [1]. || WHO ::
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supplement. GRAS as food ingredient. No specific liver warning requirement (unlike EU) [1]. || European Union (EFSA) ::
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Not approved as food supplement. Classified as pharmaceutical.
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as food supplement. No authorized health claims. Novel food status in some jurisdictions [1]. || Japan (MHLW) :: Long h
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Hydroxyanthracene derivatives under assessment.
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Coumarin TDI 0.1 mg/kg BW/day. Cassia type exceeds limits at typical supplement doses.
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High caffeine warnings mandatory on products >150 mg/L.
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Union :: Available as food supplement. Subject to novel food regulation in some contexts [1]. || United States (FDA) ::
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Tongkat Ali products must be registered. Adulteration alerts issued.
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d health claims. Classified as a food supplement (novel food category in some jurisdictions) [2]. || Japan (MHLW) :: Col
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Hemp seed oil approved as food (2010) but subject to THC testing.
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ent. Dietary supplement [1]. || European Union :: Novel food ingredient (leaf). Available as supplement [1]. || India (F
Company & ownership
Verified public business information, provided for transparency. We publish facts only.
NOW (NOW Foods) was founded in 1968 by Elwood Richard and remains family-owned by the Richard family — described as the largest independent, family-owned manufacturer in the US health-food-store channel. Manufacturing in Bloomingdale IL, Sparks NV, and Ontario Canada.
| Established | 1968 · Illinois, United States |
| Ownership | Independent, family-owned (Richard family) |
| Parent corporation | NOW Health Group, Inc. (independent) |
| Public / private | Private (family-owned) |
| Headquarters | Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA |
| Employees | ~1,500 |
| Market / revenue | NOW Health Group total sales ~$800 m (2023, incl. Puresource & Fruitful Yield divisions) |
Sources: https://www.nowfoods.com/about-now/history-family-ownership | https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/top-company-profile/now/ | https://www.wholefoodsmagazine.com/articles/5482-company-profile-now