Over recent years, serious question have been raised about the multi-billion dollar vitamin and supplement industry. Doctors and authorities have documented cases of deceptive claims and contamination, most notably a 2010 study that found trace amounts of hazardous heavy metals or pesticides in over 90% of the supplements tested. Less well known, many rigorous studies suggest supplemental vitamins can increase your risk of cancer, chronic disease and mortality. Many people are self-prescribing and consuming vitamins in pursuit of long-term health benefits, unaware they may be undermining the very thing they seek to ensure.

Through an extensive investigation, Supplements and Safety illuminates the public health issues within the booming supplement market, providing important information for individuals making their own health choices and catalyzing a larger conversation about the marketing, use and oversight of vitamins.

This FRONTLINE film explores the failure of U.S. regulators, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to monitor the industry and raises troubling questions about the quality and safety of vitamins and dietary supplements, and about whether their health claims can be proved.