“Mel Gibson vitamins” likely refers to Mel Gibson’s interest in health supplements and vitamins, which he has discussed in interviews. Gibson has worked with Dr. Neil Riordan, a researcher known for stem cell therapy, and has shared his enthusiasm for supplements that support health, longevity, and wellness.
In interviews, Gibson has mentioned his use of specific vitamins and alternative health therapies, emphasizing personal health as a priority, especially as he’s aged. While he hasn’t endorsed a specific brand or line of vitamins, his general interest in health has sparked public curiosity about the specific supplements he might use.
In the early 1990s, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considered implementing stricter regulations on dietary supplements, which led to significant public and industry pushback. A notable moment in this opposition was a 1993 advertisement featuring actor Mel Gibson. In the ad, Gibson portrayed a character who was raided and arrested by FDA agents for possessing vitamin C supplements, dramatizing concerns that the FDA’s proposed actions could criminalize the use of common vitamins.
This advertisement was part of a broader campaign that culminated in the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994. The DSHEA established a new regulatory framework for dietary supplements, classifying them as foods rather than drugs. Consequently, supplement manufacturers were no longer required to obtain FDA approval before marketing their products, allowing for greater consumer access to supplements without the need for prescriptions.
While the DSHEA facilitated the availability of dietary supplements, it also shifted the responsibility for ensuring product safety and efficacy from the FDA to the manufacturers. As a result, the FDA’s role became more limited, focusing primarily on post-market surveillance and enforcement actions against products that were found to be unsafe or mislabeled after they had already entered the market.
