Millions of Americans depend on vitamin and supplement products, such as pills, capsules, tablets, gummies, powders and drinks for nutrition from natural or synthetic sources.
However, unlike drugs, supplements do not go through rigorous testing before hitting the market, making it essential that consumers understand any associated risks.
Vitamins
Vitamins are vital nutrients that our bodies require in order to function normally, and can be found both in food and dietary supplements. Diet is usually the best source of vitamins; specifically foods rich in Vitamin A (carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and dark green vegetables) and Vitamin D (salmon, fortified milk). Furthermore, B6 forms red blood cells while maintaining healthy nervous systems; Folic acid helps during pregnancies and prevents certain birth defects.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E) tend to remain in the body longer, since the body stores them with fat. Water-soluble vitamins degrade quickly in your system and are flushed out through urine.
Consult a health care professional before making decisions regarding dietary supplements. Many supplements may interact with medications, have unwanted side effects or be harmful if taken in high amounts.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances found naturally and possessing specific chemical composition. Solid in form, minerals possess highly ordered inner atomic structures called crystal structures which contain multiple layers.
Mineral compounds often have distinctive physical properties such as cleavage and symmetry that set them apart from non-mineral substances. Minerals are further divided into groups according to their crystal structures – for instance a group of minerals with regular layerings of atoms like talc or mica are considered silicate minerals.
Essential minerals must be obtained through diet. These include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium chloride and magnesium as essential constituents; other mineral requirements can include iron zinc iodine copper chromium fluoride in smaller quantities.
Some minerals have important industrial uses, including aluminium, lithium, tin and gold. Others have been transformed into beautiful gemstones like sapphire, ruby and emerald; still others are employed in construction as sand and gravel, brick clay, limestone or silica sand.
Herbs
Herbs add more than flavor and color to food; they also help increase its nutritional value by providing antioxidants and essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
Herbal medicines can be consumed fresh or dried and sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas or extracts. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), herbal remedies are considered dietary supplements rather than drugs and do not undergo safety testing procedures that apply to pharmaceutical drugs.
Herbs come in various forms: woody (rosemary and thyme) or soft (basil, coriander and parsley). Based on the strength of flavor they offer, herbs can be divided into three categories. Strong flavors (bay leaf and cinnamon), medium flavors (fennel seeds and leaves cumin mustard) and delicate flavors (tarragon, chervil chives). Each herb offers its own distinctive fragrance; try different ones until you find something you enjoy. Be wary that some herbs interact negatively with prescribed or over-the-counter drugs – these interactions could even become dangerous.
Nutraceuticals
Dietary supplements provide consumers with access to essential vitamins, minerals and herbs necessary for good health. Furthermore, dietary supplements have also proven successful at treating and preventing many diseases and health conditions.
Supplements available over-the-counter include vitamin C and D, fish oil, melatonin, ginseng, echinacea calcium iron probiotics folic acid supplements that may pose known or unknown risks – it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider first about them as there may be both known and unknown risks associated with taking these dietary aids.
Nutraceuticals are dietary supplements with bioactive properties that exceed those found in regular nutrition, and go beyond providing only essential nutrients. Nutraceuticals are designed to enhance human health and are often marketed with claims about disease prevention, diagnosis or treatment properties (ceuticals) that have not necessarily been supported by clinical studies. In the US, any label suggesting such claims must include the statement: “This product has not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”.
