There are supplements on the market which claim to shrink tumors, cure insomnia, help weight loss or prevent severe memory loss; these are not allowed under federal law as there is no proof of their efficacy.
Always consult your physician prior to taking a dietary supplement, since he or she knows your medical history and can determine if the supplement could interact with any medications you’re currently taking or cause an allergic reaction.
Vitamins
Most people get all of the vitamins they require through food alone, but dietary supplements can provide additional ones. Available as pills, powder or liquid form and with single vitamins or proprietary blends of nutrients like herbs, amino acids or enzymes they provide extra support and bolster overall wellness.
Most vitamins are water soluble, which means they dissolve quickly in your system and are flushed out through urine. Fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K are stored in liver tissue and other fatty tissues of the body for storage purposes.
Some individuals with specific health conditions or at certain life stages (for instance pregnant women and older adults) may need vitamin supplements. But it is always a good idea to consult your physician prior to beginning a supplement regimen; they will advise how much should be taken.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic solids found naturally that have a specific chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, usually inorganic but some could even be organic.
There are over 4000 known minerals. Rocks are composed of minerals such as feldspar, quartz, mica and silicates. Some minerals exhibit special physical characteristics that set them apart, including hardness, lustre, colour streaking cleavage fracture parting specific gravity radioactivity magnetism.
Minerals can also be classified by their chemical makeup, for instance as sulfides, oxides, carbonates or halides. Some natural solid substances that don’t possess characteristic crystal structures – like opal and obsidian – are known as mineraloids.
Herbs
An herb is a plant used for both culinary purposes and natural medicine, such as seasoning food or medicinal treatments. Herbs are green non-woody perennial or annual plants, such as basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme and dill; often confused with spices; however herbs contain medicinal properties while spices simply offer flavor enhancement.
Herbal products such as teas, syrups, oils and tinctures may contain medicinal claims while not being subject to regulation like prescription drugs are. Therefore, some herbs may cause side effects in pregnant or breastfeeding women, infants and children; some can interact with conventional medications; therefore it should only be taken under supervision by healthcare providers.
Amino Acids
Nine amino acids–histidine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine–are classified as essential and must be obtained through diet alone. Amino acid supplements may help promote muscle growth and repair while simultaneously improving mood and increasing energy levels.
Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), FDA regulates dietary supplements. This involves inspecting manufacturing establishments, reviewing new dietary ingredient notifications and regulatory submissions related to supplements, investigating complaints against supplements sold commercially in the U.S. market and monitoring for imported products that conform with U.S. standards.
Supplement manufacturers must list all ingredients, with their sources, in their Supplement Facts panel on their label. Any additional information must be listed under “Other Ingredients.”
Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals are dietary supplements which contain concentrated doses of the bioactive agents found in food, which have been demonstrated to provide numerous health benefits in human and animal studies.
Nutraceuticals combine nutrition and pharmaceuticals, creating an effective tool for disease prevention and treatment. Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates once famously said, ‘Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.
Nutraceuticals and dietary supplements both aim to improve health; however, their purposes, composition, claims, and regulations differ considerably. Dietary supplements fall under DSHEA as food rather than drugs and can only make claims regarding nutrition intake while nutraceuticals must abide by stricter manufacturing and safety standards compared with dietary supplements; nutraceuticals come in the form of tablets, gel caps, soft gelatin capsules, suspension and emulsion drinks or pills.
