TRC Healthcare announced that New Jersey-based retailer The Vitamin Shoppe® is sharing this wealth of information about dietary supplements with consumers through their new partnership. Health Enthusiast associates at The Vitamin Shoppe's over 700 stores across the nation can use the Natural Medicines database to help consumers make informed choices about dietary supplements, without being influenced by advertising hype or commercial interests. The Natural Medicines database provides a robust resource that indexes evidence-based healthcare research to help shed light on safe and effective use of dietary supplements.

The addition of Natural Medicines by The Vitamin Shoppe comes at a time of intense interest in dietary supplements. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than half of American adults consumed dietary supplements as part of a wellness routine between 2017 and 2018. Some consumer surveys suggest that natural medicines and dietary supplement use could be as high as 80%.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration closely regulates marketing claims that could potentially mislead consumers. Customer-focused retailers like The Vitamin Shoppe are using the Natural Medicines database to promote transparency and better health by guiding consumers toward credible research. Natural Medicines allows searchers to find peer-reviewed studies drawn from 1,400 natural medicine monographs.

The regularly-updated information can help consumers avoid risks from products that aren't compatible with certain prescription drugs and health conditions.