Experts Warn of Health Risks from Unregulated Botanical Dietary Supplements in Germany

Scientists, doctors, and consumer advocates in Germany have issued a joint warning about significant health risks associated with botanical dietary supplements. In a letter sent to the German Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Food, and Economic Affairs, the experts called for urgent regulatory reforms to improve consumer safety. They highlight that current laws only require manufacturers to register supplements containing plant, algae, fungi, or lichen-based ingredients with the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety. However, no mandatory safety evaluations or official testing of these products are conducted prior to market entry, leaving consumers exposed to potentially harmful substances that they cannot identify.

Andreas Hensel, President of the Society for Phytotherapy and head of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry at the University of Münster, emphasized that over 30,000 such supplements were registered in Germany in 2025 alone. He criticized the inadequate legal framework, which leads to frequent disputes between state testing authorities and manufacturers, ultimately risking consumer health. The experts urged for manufacturers to provide accurate and understandable product information and for continuous testing of raw materials and finished products using recognized analytical methods.

The experts also pointed out that other countries such as Switzerland, France, and Belgium enforce much stricter documentation and safety requirements for botanical supplements. They called for stronger regulation in Germany, including rigorous scrutiny of health claims and improved consumer information to mitigate the currently unchecked health hazards posed by these widely available products.