Opinion: A Newbie In the Promised Land of Health and Wellness
Shutterstock
My first health and wellness conference at Eudemonia in Palm Beach, Florida, was full of great connections, interesting talks — and lots of supplements
Before the weekend of November 1st, 2024, I had never been to a health and wellness conference—which may surprise you, especially because I’ve been studying and writing about health and wellness for more than 10 years. But I can now safely say I’ve missed out on a massive trend and a great time.
I went to the Eudemonia Health and Wellness Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, over the November 1st weekend. I’ve never been in such a large crowd where everyone was so fit and active.
Courtesy of SHW Studios for the Eudēmonia Summit
The exercise classes held in the mornings were more crowded (with probably 2,000 attendees) than were the lectures in the afternoons. I did “The Dancer’s Blueprint: Fundamentals of Dance” one day, and participated in “Walking MindTravel Meditation” the next morning.
Health industry leaders abounded — famous YouTuber Adriene Mishler of Yoga with Adriene held classes, Soul Cycle had 35 or 40 bikes and completely full classes, and Jillian Michaels did double duty leading a live workout and later joining the very heated discussion onstage about weight-loss drugs.
I spoke with people from England, Korea, Texas, Georgia, New Jersey and lots of West Palm Beach locals. Every person I met at the conference espoused the health benefits of yoga, meditation, mental and physical exercise, stress avoidance and … supplements.
Conference Freebies: Did I Really Need All Those Supplements?
Supplements were brought up by nearly every presenter. Most presenters also sold supplements or had direct financial connections with supplement companies. Well, almost every presenter. James Gordon, M.D., seemed to be the exception. (More about him later).
The exhibit hall was also packed with supplement companies. As a member of the press, I received a sample bag filled with cognitive improvement supplements, several different brands of multivitamins, a body wash with botanical supplements, and an all-in-one optimized digestion powder.
I was also given an amino electrolytes powder boasting no sugar (but which did contain stevia and monk fruit, both sweeteners) and protein tablets, which promised 15 grams of protein in five tablets. That’s a lot of protein in five pills.
Want to feel more informed & empowered about medication decisions and whole-health alternatives?
No pharma ads. No political bias. Just straight up strong journalism.
Delivered directly to your inbox.
There were even more samples available on the exhibit floor. I picked up a can of microdosed cannabis and another can of adaptagenic mushrooms. I was handed a vagus nerve oil, and some organic instant coffee with lion’s mane and chaia mushrooms.
Courtesy of SHW Studios for the Eudēmonia Summit
But here’s an important caution: To use a supplement is to trust your health to a stranger who makes money when you take those pills/powders/injections/liquids. Many people don’t realize that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t approve or inspect supplements for safety or efficacy. Supplements are typically only removed from the market after they have caused enough harm to draw the FDA’s attention. Which means that useless supplements filled with inactive ingredients (that waste your money) are almost never identified by the agency. (By contrast, the FDA is responsible for approving prescription drugs for safety and efficacy before they are released to the market and keeps routine track of their effects on those who take them.)
Supplements can improve your life and help make you healthier. But before you buy, make sure your supplements are evaluated by an independent company. Look for companies like USP, ConsumerLabs or NSF International. While the laboratories don’t verify the claimed health benefits of the supplements, they do verify that the products meet quality standards and are accurately labeled.
Risks of Unregulated Supplements
Many studies have shown that supplement manufacturers sometimes fail to disclose certain ingredients, add in rogue ingredients, or fall short on the amounts of key ingredients claimed on the label.
One study reported in MedShadow found unapproved drugs listed right on supplement labels. How would you know that an ingredient is unapproved when it’s listed like any other ingredient? The same study found prescription drugs hidden in supplements and not included in the ingredients. And it found that many of the drugs they tested had very little or none of the main ingredients!
Another recent study, led by Pieter Cohen, M.D., an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance, looked into issues with sports enhancement supplements. Dietary supplement products were included in this case series if they were labeled as containing one of the following ingredients: R vomitoria, methylliberine, turkesterone, halostachine, or octopamine. All products were purchased online. Of the 57 products tested (which is a small sample of all the supplements available), “23 of 57 products (40%) did not contain a detectable amount of the labeled ingredient.” The study goes on to note that of the products that contained detectable amounts of the listed ingredient, “the actual quantity ranged from 0.02% to 334% of the labeled quantity.” And “six of 57 products (11%) contained a quantity of the ingredient within 10% of the labeled quantity.”
The two categories of supplements probably best known for hidden ingredients are energy and sexual enhancement supplements. Just the other day, the FDA withdrew two of them from the market.
The recalled products—ZoomMax and ZapMax—are marketed as dietary supplements to enhance male performance and energy. However, these supplements were found to be tainted with sildenafil and diclofenac, a prescription-based vasodilator used to treat erectile dysfunction (a.k.a Viagra), and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), respectively. Neither sildenafil nor diclofenac were listed on their packaging.
Tainted supplements such as these are not unusual. Here’s a list of hundreds of supplements marketed either for “energy” or “sexual enhancement” that the FDA has issued warnings about or taken off the market.
James Gordon, Making Ourselves “Needable,” and MedShadow’s Mission
Returning to the one Eudemonia presentation I attended that did not mention supplements was Dr. James Gordon’s presentation, “Mindfulness in Action: Transforming Trauma and Restoring Balance.” He and his organization operate internationally, providing aid in regions affected by war and famine. He talked about expressive meditations and how, all throughout history, warriors were welcomed home with dancing, feasting, and storytelling. All of this was to help them release the trauma and prepare them to re-enter society. After telling us difficult stories of trauma, Dr. Gordon insisted we all join him in full-body laughing. We stood and laughed as loudly as we could — shouting our laughter! And prepared to re-enter our society.
I’ll end this conversation about wellness retreats and supplements with my absolute favorite quote from the conference. In “Innovative Approaches for Mental Clarity,” Shai Efrai, M.D., was asked how to avoid cognitive decline. He said, “Make yourself needable—be needed by others. It will ensure your life has meaning and connection. All the rest will work out.”
I love the way this reflects my dedication to MedShadow Foundation. People deserve to be aware of the minimized and hidden risks of medications. At MedShadow, we empower individuals to make informed medical decisions for themselves and their families.
In other words, we are proud to be “needable” by so many of our site visitors and social media followers.
Want to Share Your Story?
If you’ve experienced side effects or medication issues related to this topic, we want to hear from you.
DISCLAIMER: MedShadow provides information and resources related to medications, their effects, and potential side effects. However, it is important to note that we are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content on our site is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Individuals dealing with medical conditions or symptoms should seek guidance from a licensed healthcare professional, such as a physician or pharmacist, who can provide personalized medical advice tailored to their specific circumstances.
While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented on MedShadow, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for any particular individual’s medical needs. Therefore, we strongly encourage users to consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding any health-related concerns or decisions. By accessing and using MedShadow, you acknowledge and agree that the information provided on the site is not a substitute for professional medical advice and that you should always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for any medical concerns.
Want to feel more informed & empowered about medication decisions and whole-health alternatives?
No pharma ads. No political bias. Just straight up strong journalism.
Delivered directly to your inbox.
We seek to create a world where there are safer medications for all and where all people are fully informed about their medication benefits and side effects, using our explanatory and investigative journalism to both inform and stimulate public discussion to drive toward solutions.
MedShadow.org is dedicated to empowering people with our evidence-based journalism about the safest ways to take over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription (Rx) medications.
We also seek to stimulate public discussion about potential improvements to drug research, manufacturing and distribution processes. and also to encourage the improvement of processes to ensure that we are all better protected.
As a result, we encourage other nonprofit newsrooms, mission-aligned outlets, and advocacy organizations to republish our original content under the following conditions:
You May Republish Our Articles for Free If:
1. We Are Credited Fully and Clearly
You must include the byline and credit MedShadow.org as the original publisher. Please include a link to the original article at the top or bottom of the piece. Use the following attribution:
This article was originally published by MedShadow, a nonprofit foundation that focuses on the safest ways to take over-the-counter and prescription medications.
2. Our Content Isn’t Edited Without Permission
You may make small changes for clarity, such as adjusting headlines, subheadings, or transitions, but you may not change the core meaning, tone, or intent of the article. For substantive edits, email us at republish@medshadow.org for review and approval.
3. You Do Not Sell Or Use Our Content Commercially
Our work is free to share, but it may not be sold, monetized, or repurposed for commercial gain. You may not republish our articles behind a paywall or in publications whose primary purpose is advertising or product promotion. You may not place drug or supplement advertising adjacent to our story.
4. Photos, Graphics, and Multimedia Are Not Used Without Permission
Only the text of the article is available for republication. Images, graphics, and videos may not be reused without explicit written permission, unless they are clearly marked as Creative Commons licensed. Contact us if you’d like to request reuse of a visual asset.
You May Not:
Use our content to promote a product, service, or political candidate
Republish only part of an article or create derivative works without permission
Add affiliate links, advertising overlays, or lead generators
Translate the article without written permission
Contact Us
If you’re unsure whether your intended use falls within these guidelines, or would like to discuss a formal syndication or licensing arrangement, please email: republish@medshadow.org
We want our journalism to reach as many people as possible, especially those making critical decisions about medications and health.
Article HTML
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Before the weekend of November 1st, 2024, I had never been to a health and wellness conference—which may surprise you, especially because I’ve been studying and writing about health and wellness for more than 10 years. But I can now safely say I’ve missed out on a massive trend and a great time.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I went to the <a href="https://eudemonia.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eudemonia Health and Wellness Summit</a> in West Palm Beach, Florida, over the November 1st weekend. I’ve never been in such a large crowd where everyone was so fit and active.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {"id":862,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"left"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full"><img src="https://medshadow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/KYP_9863edit-300x200-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-862"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Courtesy of SHW Studios for the Eudēmonia Summit<br></figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The exercise classes held in the mornings were more crowded (with probably 2,000 attendees) than were the lectures in the afternoons. I did “The Dancer’s Blueprint: Fundamentals of Dance” one day, and participated in “Walking MindTravel Meditation” the next morning.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Health industry leaders abounded — famous YouTuber Adriene Mishler of <a href="https://youtube.com/@yogawithadriene?feature=shared" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yoga with Adriene</a> held classes, <a href="https://www.soul-cycle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Soul Cycle</a> had 35 or 40 bikes and completely full classes, and <a href="https://www.jillianmichaels.com/letsgo?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADPUkUe4nDDg5FwhgBLqvfnaZhnRB&gclid=Cj0KCQiA88a5BhDPARIsAFj595gOq5q6MIFlu1uPanvK92LYyz9mURJpOb6JimIm1LFOqedpWLBwG_UaAh1MEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jillian Michaels</a> did double duty leading a live workout and later joining the very heated discussion onstage about weight-loss drugs.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I spoke with people from England, Korea, Texas, Georgia, New Jersey and lots of West Palm Beach locals. Every person I met at the conference espoused the health benefits of yoga, meditation, mental and physical exercise, stress avoidance and … supplements.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conference Freebies: Did I Really Need All Those Supplements?</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Supplements were brought up by nearly every presenter. Most presenters also sold supplements or had direct financial connections with supplement companies. Well, almost every presenter. <a href="https://jamesgordonmd.com/book/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Gordon, M.D.</a>, seemed to be the exception. (More about him later).</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The exhibit hall was also packed with supplement companies. As a member of the press, I received a sample bag filled with cognitive improvement supplements, several different brands of multivitamins, a body wash with botanical supplements, and an all-in-one optimized digestion powder.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I was also given an amino electrolytes powder boasting no sugar (but which did contain stevia and monk fruit, both sweeteners) and protein tablets, which promised 15 grams of protein in five tablets. That’s a lot of protein in five pills.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>There were even more samples available on the exhibit floor. I picked up a can of microdosed cannabis and another can of adaptagenic mushrooms. I was handed a vagus nerve oil, and some organic instant coffee with lion’s mane and chaia mushrooms.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {"id":863,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img src="https://medshadow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HKP07612-300x200-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-863"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Courtesy of SHW Studios for the Eudēmonia Summit<br></figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>But here’s an important caution: To use a supplement is to trust your health to a stranger who makes money when you take those pills/powders/injections/liquids. Many people don’t realize that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t approve or inspect supplements for <a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/it-really-fda-approved#:~:text=The%20FDA%20doesn't%20approve%20dietary%20supplements.,action%20to%20protect%20the%20public." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">safety or efficacy</a>. Supplements are typically only removed from the market after they have caused enough harm to draw the FDA’s attention. Which means that useless supplements filled with inactive ingredients (that waste your money) are almost never identified by the agency. (By contrast, the FDA is responsible for approving prescription drugs for safety and efficacy before they are released to the market and keeps routine track of their effects on those who take them.)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Supplements can improve your life and help make you healthier. But before you buy, make sure your supplements are evaluated by an independent company. Look for companies like USP, ConsumerLabs or NSF International. While the laboratories don’t verify the claimed health benefits of the supplements, they do verify that the products meet quality standards and are accurately labeled.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Risks of Unregulated Supplements</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Many studies have shown that supplement manufacturers sometimes fail to disclose certain ingredients, add in rogue ingredients, or fall short on the amounts of key ingredients claimed on the label.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>One <a href="https://medshadow.org/brain-boosting-supplements-may-contain-unapproved-drugs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study reported in MedShadow</a> found unapproved drugs listed right on supplement labels. How would you know that an ingredient is unapproved when it’s listed like any other ingredient? The same study found prescription drugs hidden in supplements and not included in the ingredients. And it found that many of the drugs they tested had very little or none of the main ingredients!</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Another <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2807343" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recent study</a>, led by <a href="https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/21925" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pieter Cohen, M.D</a>., an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance, looked into issues with sports enhancement supplements. Dietary supplement products were included in this case series if they were labeled as containing one of the following ingredients: R vomitoria, methylliberine, turkesterone, halostachine, or octopamine. All products were purchased online. Of the 57 products tested (which is a small sample of all the supplements available), “23 of 57 products (40%) did not contain a detectable amount of the labeled ingredient.” The study goes on to note that of the products that contained detectable amounts of the listed ingredient, “the actual quantity ranged from 0.02% to 334% of the labeled quantity.” And “six of 57 products (11%) contained a quantity of the ingredient within 10% of the labeled quantity.”</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The two categories of supplements probably best known for hidden ingredients are energy and sexual enhancement supplements. Just the other day, the FDA withdrew two of them from the market.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The recalled products—<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/boulla-llc-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-zoommax-and-zapmax-capsules-due-presence-undeclared" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ZoomMax and ZapMax</a>—are marketed as dietary supplements to enhance male performance and energy. However, these supplements were found to be tainted with sildenafil and diclofenac, a prescription-based vasodilator used to treat erectile dysfunction (a.k.a Viagra), and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), respectively. Neither sildenafil nor diclofenac were listed on their packaging.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Tainted supplements such as these are not unusual. <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud/tainted-sexual-enhancement-and-energy-products" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Here’s a list</a> of hundreds of supplements marketed either for “energy” or “sexual enhancement” that the FDA has issued warnings about or taken off the market.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">James Gordon, Making Ourselves “Needable,” and MedShadow’s Mission</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Returning to the one Eudemonia presentation I attended that did not mention supplements was Dr. James Gordon’s presentation, “Mindfulness in Action: Transforming Trauma and Restoring Balance.” He and his organization operate internationally, providing aid in regions affected by war and famine. He talked about expressive meditations and how, all throughout history, warriors were welcomed home with dancing, feasting, and storytelling. All of this was to help them release the trauma and prepare them to re-enter society. After telling us difficult stories of trauma, Dr. Gordon insisted we all join him in full-body laughing. We stood and laughed as loudly as we could — shouting our laughter! And prepared to re-enter our society.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {"id":864,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"left"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full"><img src="https://medshadow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Su-photo-300x225-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-864"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I’ll end this conversation about wellness retreats and supplements with my absolute favorite quote from the conference. In “Innovative Approaches for Mental Clarity,” <a href="https://aviv-clinics.com/about/shai-efrati/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shai Efrai, M.D.</a>, was asked how to avoid cognitive decline. He said, “Make yourself needable—be needed by others. It will ensure your life has meaning and connection. All the rest will work out.”</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>I love the way this reflects my dedication to MedShadow Foundation. People deserve to be aware of the minimized and hidden risks of medications. At MedShadow, we empower individuals to make informed medical decisions for themselves and their families.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>In other words, we are proud to be “needable” by so many of our site visitors and social media followers.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
What is unbiased drug-safety journalism worth to you?
We think it’s invaluable — and hope you agree. Our work is made possible by donations from readers like you.
What is Unbiased Drug-Safety Journalism Worth to You?
We think it’s invaluable — and hope you agree. Our journalism is made possible by donations from readers like you.
As a nonprofit, we don’t take a dime from pharmaceutical or supplement companies. That means we can report on the benefits, risks, and alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter drugs free from corporate pressure or influence.
Shedding Light on the Risks
& Benefits of Medications
republish this story
