In this interview at SupplySide Global 2025, Loren Israelsen, founder and president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), offered an assessment of the current state of the dietary supplement industry, including tariffs/supply chain disruption and evolving regulatory and policy landscapes.

Tariffs and Trade

Companies have mostly managed the tariff situation as effectively as possible given the uncertainty and volatility of global trade, he said. Frequent, unpredictable tariff-rate changes are creating instability though. He warned that India’s fragmented farming system could face disproportionate economic impacts, leading to shortages and price increases in Q1 2026.

For ingredients like vitamin D and folic acid, which are almost exclusively sourced from China, Israelsen emphasized that the U.S. needs strategic reserves of critical nutrients to safeguard public health.

Shutdown Impact

While the recent U.S. government shutdown ended after 43 days, the fallout was significant. Communication between trade associations and agencies such as FDA and NIH came to a halt, stalling discussions on critical DSHEA-related modernization efforts, and delaying key regulatory actions.

ODIs and GRAS

Israelsen advocated for revising the current list of Old Dietary Ingredients (ODIs) saying the current iteration is missing entire categories like prebiotics and mushrooms, which were clearly marketed before DSHEA’s passage.

A more comprehensive list would provide clarity for both FDA and industry, he said. Likewise, increased FDA oversight of Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) submissions could enhance submission quality and regulatory trust.

MAHA

Israelsen also addressed the MAHA movement led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., noting a current focus on food additives rather than dietary supplements. While optimistic about future alignment, he acknowledged that supplements are taking a backseat to higher-profile food policy issues, for now.

State Actions

Finally, Israelsen expressed surprise at FDA’s deference to state-level legislation on food policy reform, diverging from the agency’s historic stance on federal preemption.

Encouraging states to act, he said, was likely a political strategy to secure quick policy wins, though it may complicate future efforts to reunify national food and supplement labeling standards.

Discussion Topics:

• Impact of tariffs, supply chain instability, and sourcing diversification
• Potential shortages and price spikes from India’s small-farm economy
• U.S. dependency on Chinese-produced critical nutrients
• Effects of government shutdown on FDA and NIH communication
• Importance of expanding and updating the ODI list
• FDA oversight of GRAS submissions and improved quality control
• Challenges in NDI drug preclusion and IND authorization transparency
• Rise of state-level food legislation and implications for federal preemption