Dietary supplements are products containing vitamins, minerals, herbs or botanicals to promote overall health. While not regulated like pharmaceutical drugs, dietary supplements cannot make claims that treat, diagnose or cure diseases.
Some healthcare professionals may recommend taking dietary supplements in order to address specific conditions or deficiencies in specific nutrients (for instance vitamin D or folic acid during pregnancy). It is essential that all dietary supplements and medicines taken are tracked.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds your body uses in small amounts for various metabolic processes, and most people can get enough from a healthy diet alone. However, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, alcohol consumers, and people with malabsorption issues such as diarrhoea or coeliac disease may require vitamin supplements.
Supplements can provide essential vitamins if your diet is less-than-ideal. They come in liquid, gummy or powder form as well as pills; when purchasing such a product it is important to read its label so you know exactly which type and dose are included in it.
Notably, high doses of certain vitamins may be detrimental. This is particularly true of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D and E which may accumulate in your system and become toxic over time. Furthermore, too much vitamin can interfere with certain medications working properly – so be sure to speak to a healthcare provider regarding which ones you should take and in what amounts.
Minerals
Minerals are solid inorganic substances found naturally. Usually crystalline with regular patterns and repeated structures, their study is known as mineralogy; scientists who specialize in studying minerals are known as mineralogists.
Minerals possess many characteristics that scientists use to classify them, including color, texture, crystal shape and habit. But one of the most striking properties of minerals is cleavage: when one mineral breaks apart into smaller pieces with distinct surface patterns and translucency qualities.
Calcite is an example of a mineral with good cleavage. Mineralogists also rely on chemical composition as an important characteristic for identifying minerals; every mineral has a unique combination of chemical elements that define its identity – for instance, quartz (silicon dioxide) contains silicon and oxygen as its chemical formula.
Herbs
Herbs are plants used in cooking for their flavor; annual varieties like thyme and oregano, perennial varieties like rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) or sage (Saturecaria verbenacea), biennial species like parsley or even trees like bay laurel (Laurus nobilis). Herbs may be fresh or dried when added directly into dishes for cooking purposes.
Herbal supplements are composed of plant parts such as leaves, roots, flowers, seeds and oils that contain naturally occurring phytochemicals – natural chemical compounds responsible for many of their health benefits.
Herbal remedies can be an effective means of treating anxiety and depression, but should never replace medical advice provided by professionals such as doctors. When taking any herbal products or supplements it’s important to inform them as some can interact with certain medicines – Memorial Sloan Kettering’s About Herbs database can assist in helping determine whether a particular herb or supplement could be helpful, harmful, or even toxic for you.
Other Products
Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs or botanicals, amino acids and fish oils that can be purchased over-the-counter in various forms including tablets, capsules, powders drinks or energy bars.
Some dietary supplements can be toxic, even deadly, when taken in large doses or over extended periods. To get all of the essential vitamins and minerals that we require for proper functioning of our bodies, the most efficient approach is through eating healthily with a varied and varied diet plan.
Supplement use is a widely practiced practice, yet it’s important to remember that these products aren’t medicines. Dietary supplements don’t need to undergo rigorous safety or efficacy testing prior to being sold and they’re not subject to similar regulation as pharmaceutical drugs; thus it may be easy for companies to make false or misleading claims about their product. While FDA does monitor dietary supplements and can remove them from the market if necessary, Good Manufacturing Practices must also be observed by manufacturers so as to ensure the final product remains safe and efficacious.
