Children and adults across the United States take one or more vitamins or other dietary supplements. As well as vitamins, food supplements can include minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and a variety of other ingredients. Dietary supplements are available in a variety of formats, including tablets, capsules, gummies, and powders, as well as drinks and energy bars. The most popular supplements are vitamins D and B12; minerals such as iron and calcium; herbs such as garlic and echinacea as well as supplements like probiotics, glucosamine, and fish oils. All of these are used to make body care products.

Effectiveness

Some dietary supplements are a great way to ensure you’re getting the proper amounts of essential nutrients in the event that you don’t eat a nutritious variety of foods. But they cannot take the place of the wide variety of food items that are important to healthy eating habits. To understand more about the components of a healthy diet it is recommended to read the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate is a great reference.

Certain supplements in the diet can enhance overall health and aid in managing certain health issues.

For instance:

• Vitamin D and calcium help maintain bone strength and decrease the loss of bone.
• Folic acid can reduce the risk of some birth defects.
• Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils may help patients suffering from heart disease.
• A mixture of vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein, and Zeaxanthin could slow the progression of vision loss for people suffering from AMD.

Numerous other supplements require further research to determine if these have any value. It is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not decide if dietary supplements have value before they are sold.

Safety and Risk

A lot of supplements contain active ingredients that can have powerful effects on the body. Be aware of the possibility of an adverse reaction, especially when using an unproven product.

You’re most likely to experience side effects from dietary supplements when you are taking them in large doses or as a substitute for prescription medications, or if you use numerous supplements. Certain supplements may increase the chance of bleeding, or, if used prior to surgery, could alter the body’s response to anesthesia. Supplements can interact with some medicines in ways that could cause problems. Here are some examples:

• Vitamin K can reduce the capability of blood thinner warfarin to prevent blood clotting.
• St. John’s wort can slow the breakdown process of many medications and lessen their effectiveness (including certain birth control pills, antidepressants anti-HIV medicines, heart medication, and transplant drugs).
• Antioxidant substances, like vitamins C and E, could reduce the effectiveness of some types of chemotherapy for cancer.

Manufacturers may add minerals, vitamins, and other supplement ingredients to food items including breakfast cereals and drinks. This means that you might get more of the ingredients you’re thinking it is, and more could be the best. Consuming more than what you require costs more and might also increase your chance of experiencing side consequences. For example, too much vitamin A can trigger problems with the liver and headaches as well as weaken bones and even cause birth defects. In excess, iron causes nausea and vomiting and may damage the liver and other organs.

Be wary of taking nutritional supplements if you’re either nursing or pregnant. Also, be cautious about providing supplements to children without the approval of the healthcare professional. Some supplements haven’t been well tested for safety in pregnant women, nursing mothers, or children.

If you think that you’ve experienced a negative reaction to any dietary supplement, inform your healthcare provider and let him or her know. They can report your experience to the FDA. You can also submit a report directly to the FDA by calling 800-FDA-1088 or filling out an online form external link disclaimer. Also, you should report your reaction to the manufacturer by utilizing the contact information provided on the label of the product.

Quality

The FDA has set up good manufacturing practices (GMPs) that businesses must adhere to in order to ensure the quality, purity, identity, and composition of their nutritional supplements. These GMPs are able to prevent the inclusion of the wrong ingredient (or excessively or too little of the proper ingredient) and reduce the chance of contamination, or incorrect packaging and labeling of products. The FDA periodically inspects manufacturing facilities for supplements.

Discuss with your healthcare provider

Be sure to inform your healthcare provider (including dentists, doctors, pharmacists, and dietitians) about any supplements to your diet you’re taking. They’ll be able to help you decide what supplements if any might be valuable for you.

Keep a comprehensive record of any dietary supplements or medicines you consume. The Office of Dietary Supplements website offers a helpful form “My Dietary Supplement and Medicine Record,” which you can print and fill out at home. For each item, write down its name, the dose you are taking, the frequency you consume it, and the reason you use it. This record can be shared with your healthcare providers to discuss what’s best for your overall health.