Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an outspoken advocate for dietary supplements — and a prolific user himself — but his affinity for vitamins and herbal products has yet to deliver meaningful wins for the $69 billion industry in Washington.
Kennedy, who launched his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative after joining the Trump administration, has focused on questioning vaccines, targeting artificial food dyes, and cutting federal research grants rather than advancing long-sought supplement industry priorities.
Despite warm reception from Trump officials, neither the administration nor the GOP-led Congress has eased regulations on supplement labeling, expanded consumer access, or granted manufacturers greater freedom to promote health claims. In fact, tariffs on imported ingredients and new food safety policies have complicated matters for supplement makers.
“They listen to us, but we’re not seeing action,” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, which represents supplement companies.
Popular but Controversial
Dietary supplements — spanning vitamins, herbal extracts, and food-derived products — are increasingly popular, with celebrities and influencers helping drive sales. Joe Rogan has pitched cognition-enhancing capsules, while CMS chief Dr. Mehmet Oz once touted a “miracle” weight loss cure. Kennedy himself has promoted raw milk and freeze-dried organ meat capsules alongside wellness influencers.
Yet experts warn that evidence often lags behind marketing. “Most supplement use is not supported by strong evidence — it’s supported by advertising,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen, a Harvard Medical School physician.
Unlike prescription drugs, supplements do not require FDA approval for safety or effectiveness before reaching consumers. Labels cannot legally claim to cure or prevent disease, though enforcement varies widely. Some states are even considering banning weight-loss and muscle-building supplements for minors due to safety risks.
Industry Frustrations
Industry leaders say Kennedy’s MAHA campaign has raised expectations but produced little. Advocates hoped for expanded tax breaks, Medicare coverage for supplements, and relaxed FDA rules on health claims. Instead, tariffs have disrupted supply chains, forcing companies like Herbalist & Alchemist to stockpile ingredients such as Rhodiola due to looming trade restrictions.
“The uncertainty is disruptive for an industry,” said CEO Beth Lambert.
Supplement groups continue to lobby aggressively. A July industry gathering featured Kennedy aide Calley Means, who founded a startup to secure tax benefits for supplements, as keynote speaker — a move seen as a gesture of goodwill toward manufacturers.
Push for Policy Change
Among the industry’s biggest goals: allowing supplement purchases through Medicare, SNAP, and health savings accounts. Advocates argue that well-established nutrients like vitamin C should be treated as essential health expenses.
Others are pressing the FDA to loosen its tight approval process for health claims, which currently requires broad scientific consensus and has yielded approval for only a dozen claims. The Alliance for Natural Health is preparing a petition asking the agency to recognize more than 150 new claims.
But critics warn that expanding claims could mislead consumers. “If we’re tolerating bad actors, we’re contributing to the problem,” said Jim Emme, CEO of NOW Health Group, who urged stronger enforcement against fraudulent or unsafe products sold online.
A Political Window
With Trump administration officials weighing reforms and Kennedy’s team open to dialogue, industry leaders see a fleeting opportunity. “We’ve got a window … who knows how long these administrators are going to be in there?” Emme said.
For now, the supplement industry remains in a holding pattern: hopeful, but waiting for Kennedy’s rhetoric to translate into policy.
