FSSAI plans stricter regulation of protein supplements due to health concerns: report

As reported by The Economic Times (ET), citing sources, the government is reportedly preparing for a radical crackdown on the widespread sale of protein supplements, powders and shakes that either do not have authorized medical certificates or contain misleading information.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is poised to implement stricter regulations on protein supplements, based on a large-scale study revealing disturbing trends. The study found a proliferation of products flooding store shelves, gyms and e-commerce platforms, often with questionable health claims and inaccurate nutritional information.

The report further suggests that upcoming enforcement measures could result in the ban of many products that do not comply with the revised guidelines.

“There are many protein products in the market that are more harmful than beneficial. The idea is to bring in stringent norms so that they do not harm public health,” an FSSAI official told ET.

“Mislabeling of protein products is common and of great concern. What else constitutes such products? We do not know. “If one’s regular diet is not sufficient to meet protein requirements, protein supplements can be taken, but in limited quantities, as per medical regulations and recommendations,” Dr. Ambrish Mithal, chairman of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Max Healthcare, told ET.

In a cautionary tale shared on X on April 12, Kunal Bahl, co-founder of Snapdeal and Titan Capital, shared his personal experience: “I tried a very well-known national brand, assuming it would be safe. It gave me serious health issues within 6-8 weeks. Luckily, the condition reversed once I stopped. Please be very careful.”

The rise in fitness awareness has sparked growth in the protein supplement market, and an increasing number of manufacturers are capitalizing on this trend. Major e-commerce platforms like Healthkart and Amazon stand out for their variety of ‘high-performance’ protein powders at prices ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,800 for 2-3 kg jars.

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