Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs and other products in pill form (pills or capsules), powder form or liquids like powdered drinks or juice.
Registered dietitians encourage people to get their nutrients through food first. Food provides a complex combination of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals which work synergistically together.
Dietary supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, though their claims may not undergo rigorous tests like drugs do. Therefore, claims on supplement bottles could be misleading.
Vitamins
Vitamins are vital nutrients, helping maintain tissue health and warding off diseases. You can get them through either diet or supplementation.
Vitamin supplements should never replace eating healthy and should only be taken on advice of a qualified doctor or dietitian. Vitamin supplements and minerals play a vital role in good health, yet taking too many can actually harm you.
Food-based sources of vitamins are often the best source of essential nutrients; however, certain people are unable to obtain enough from their diet alone due to restrictive dietary choices, health issues or pregnancy/nursing. Doctors may advise taking dietary supplements in order to prevent deficiencies; however these should not be advertised as cures and should be avoided by those suffering from liver disease, bleeding issues or cancer; also some supplements can interact with medications so it is essential that consumers read labels closely when purchasing supplements.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic elements found in soil and water that are consumed by plants or consumed directly by animals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium potassium and chloride. Calcium, phosphorus magnesium sodium potassium chloride are all minerals commonly consumed by either animals or plants and include calcium phosphate magnesium sodium potassium chloride chloride chloride chloride are all examples of minerals which humans require for survival such as iron iodine zinc while fluoride molybdenum are not considered essential elements.
Minerals possess well-ordered internal atomic structures and crystal structures. Their physical properties range widely and are classified by Carl Linnaeus’ 1735 classification system that used Greek and Latin binomial nomenclature based nomenclature of plant species – phylum, class, order, family tribe genus species.
Eat a balanced diet to get most of the minerals you require through foods from all of the USDA Daily Food Plan groups, but some essential minerals may only be available in smaller amounts and must be obtained through supplements. It’s important to remember that supplements aren’t regulated like vitamins; taking too many can be harmful.
Herbal Supplements
Herbal supplements consist of herbs and botanicals used medicinally for centuries by cultures around the world. Taken in capsules, tablets, gel caps, powders or liquids form, they have long been utilized to address issues including anxiety and sleep issues, depression and memory/thinking skills deficits. Although not regulated as pharmaceutical drugs they should be seen as complementary treatments that work alongside existing medical therapies – before considering taking herbal supplements it is vitally important to do your own research to determine their safety, validity of claims, dosage effectiveness as well as side effects such as contraindications with other medications and reasonable pricing before beginning use.
Herbal supplements may reduce the absorption and effectiveness of certain prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including irinotecan, cyclosporine, digoxin, warfarin, and antidepressants. Therefore it is wise to inform your physician of any herbal products you are considering taking or currently using; USP has quality standards — monographs, general chapters and reference standards — specifically created to ensure these health products are safe, effective and of superior quality.
Whole Food Supplements
Whole food supplements are composed of concentrated whole food components rather than synthetic ones, providing more bioavailable vitamins, minerals and compounds as well as phytonutrients and cofactors that may otherwise be difficult to come by with isolated ingredients alone. They may contain enzymes, activators and other factors that work in concert to support natural body processes.
Organic or whole food supplements often have greater “food recognition”, while being less processed than their traditional counterparts. Such supplements may even carry labels as either organic or whole food supplements for easier identification.
While dietary supplements can help meet your nutritional needs, they should never replace eating a well-rounded diet. For advice on choosing one that meets your health and nutrition goals, contact an expert healthcare provider. To be aware of potential side effects or report a problem with a supplement visit our resources page.
