Vitamin Recalls: Why They Happen, and What to Do if Your Products are Affected

For any number of reasons, manufacturers voluntarily recall vitamins or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) orders vitamin recalls.

From 2014 to 2024, more than 83,000 FDA-regulated products were recalled, the agency says. Most recalls involve yanking FDA-regulated products from the market that violate the agency’s rules. In some cases, a product that’s found to have violated FDA rules may need a fix that doesn’t require removing the product from distribution.

What triggers vitamin recalls?

Various safety issues can prompt a vitamin recall. Here are three examples:

• A packet of multivitamins for women contains a fish allergen that isn’t listed on the label.
• A bottle of zero-sugar multivitamins for kids contains sugar, which isn’t listed on the label.
• A bottle of iron supplements is not child-resistant. Supplements that contain iron are supposed to be sold in child-resistant packaging. Young kids run the risk of being fatally poisoned if they consume iron supplements.

“Recalls are important because they protect the public from products that may cause injury, illness or even death,” the FDA says.

Vitamin recalls usually are initiated after a manufacturer discovers safety issues and reports them to the FDA, the FDA determines on its own that a product poses safety risks or consumers lodge formal complaints about a potentially harmful product.

Examples of vitamin or dietary supplement recalls

Here are three recent vitamin or dietary supplement recalls, according to the FDA:

• In 2023, EuroPharma voluntarily recalled its 60-count Terry Naturally BioActive Vitamin B and 60-count EuroMedica Active B Complex because they may have contained a milk allergen that wasn’t disclosed on the label. The FDA says the recall has been completed.
• In 2024, GNMART voluntarily recalled its 60-count Force Forever tablets for joint pain. An FDA analysis found the product contained diclofenac and dexamethasone, neither of which was listed on the label. Diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory drug known as an NSAID, and dexamethasone is a corticosteroid for treatment of inflammatory conditions. Neither of these ingredients was listed on the label.
• In 2024, 123herbals voluntarily recalled its 30-count Vail-Bon Jie Yang Wan capsules. The product was tainted with two drug ingredients, dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine. The FDA said Vail Bon Jie Yang was an unapproved new drug.

What procedures is a manufacturer supposed to follow for a vitamin recall?

The Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership outlines the following steps that a vitamin manufacturer (or any maker of an FDA-regulated product) should follow in a recall scenario:

• Verify that the product is defective.
• If the manufacturer detects a defect, it should notify the FDA as soon as possible.
• Adhere to the FDA’s recall guidelines.
• Launch a recall, either voluntarily or at the FDA’s direction. In a recall, consumers might be told to return the defective product to the seller in exchange for a refund, for instance.
• Inform customers, employees, distributors and other stakeholders about the recall.
• If a vitamin poses a health hazard, make sure the defective product is immediately pulled from store shelves and online stores.

What should you do if you’ve got recalled vitamins?

If you’ve purchased vitamins that have been recalled, you should:

• Confirm that your vitamins are included in the recall. Check the brand name, product type, UPC (universal product code), lot or batch code, and expiration date to see whether they match those of the recalled vitamins.
• If your vitamins are part of the recall, stop using them right away.
• Take note of the reason for the recall, such as a potentially dangerous allergen that isn’t listed on the label.
• Read the recall notice to see what you should do with the vitamins. For instance, you may be instructed to return the vitamins to the seller for a refund or may be advised to safely dispose of the vitamins.
• Reach out to your health care provider if you consumed any of the recalled vitamins. In addition, report any harmful effects you’ve suffered to the FDA.
• Contact the vitamins’ manufacturer if you have questions. The manufacturer has likely set up a special phone number or email address (or both) to handle questions about the recall.
• Visit the FDA’s or manufacturer’s website for any new details about the recall.

How can you keep up to date about vitamin recalls?

If you’re in possession of recalled vitamins or you want to track vitamin recalls:

• Visit the FDA’s recall database.
• Subscribe to recall alerts emailed by the FDA.
• Monitor news media for information about vitamin recalls.