Dietary Supplement Research on the World Wide Web

The unique qualities of the World Wide Web can make it difficult to decipher reliable sources from poor ones. For example, a commercial web site may adopt the appearance of a scientifically based organization, with pictures of doctors and test tubes, references to clinical trials, graphics illustrating data, and alleged conclusions based on such data.
All web sites should clearly identify their purpose and source of funding. This information can usually be found at the bottom of the page or through a hyperlink labeled "About This Site" or "Mission." The web-site address can also provide some information: commercial web sites generally end in ".com," web sites affiliated with universities end in ".edu," and government-related web sites end in ".gov." Web-site addresses that end in ".org" or ".net" may be nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Advertisements featured on a specific web site might also allude to its motive.
The identity of a web site should always be clear. Because it is easy to link from one web site to another, it can be difficult for consumers to determine what site they are on and how they got there. Through a series of clicks, it is easy to navigate away from the original web site without noticing. For example, banner ads, which appear across the top of the web page, may show a calculator, such as one to calculate body mass index. However, when a consumer clicks on this ad to enter height and weight, he or she is redirected to a different web site that may or may not be affiliated with the previous one.
The date of material on the World Wide Web should also be clear. Responsible web-site operators regularly review and update their information to ensure accuracy. The date of the latest update can usually be found at the bottom of the web page. Information on web pages older than 3 to 6 months should be viewed as outdated.
Finally, how consumers are able to interact with a web site is important. At the bottom of most pages, you can contact the webmaster or web-site provider with questions or concerns. Web sites that ask you to sign in may do so to provide more tailored information or to sell your information to other commercial entities. Web sites may also contain "cookies" that track which other web sites you visit and use that information for commercial purposes.