Dietary supplements (also referred to as dietary ingredients) encompass vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and fish oil capsules among other things. They come in all sorts of forms from pills and capsules to powders and gummies – with tablets often taking the lead when it comes to accessibility and use.
Before taking any supplements, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider and note that they should not replace a nutritious diet which includes an array of food groups to stay well.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds our bodies need in small doses for various metabolic processes. While vitamins can play an essential role in overall health, supplementation cannot replace eating healthily. Vitamin supplements may provide additional support for people who have certain medical conditions or deficiencies; however excessive dosing could result in toxicities.
Dietary supplements come in liquid, gummy and pill forms and may include herbs or botanicals, amino acids, minerals, fatty acids or other ingredients. Registered dietitians tend to recommend using dietary supplements only as a last resort when you have already attempted to meet your vitamin and mineral needs with food alone.
Foods may also contain numerous other healthy substances, including antioxidants, dietary fiber and phytochemicals.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances with a defined chemical composition and ordered atomic structure, found throughout all geological environments ranging from igneous rocks, sedimentary rock layers, metamorphic layers, as well as organically produced rocks such as pearls or oyster shells (which actually contain the mineral aragonite).
Most individuals can obtain all of their essential minerals through diet alone and do not require supplementation, while certain people may require specific minerals in order to remain healthy.
People rely on iron for hemoglobin production, which carries oxygen from the lungs throughout their bodies. Iron can be found naturally in many foods like milk, beans, nuts, whole grains, spinach, kale and some fruits as well as available as dietary supplements.
Herbs
Herbs can add depth of flavour, aroma, and appearance to low-fat and low-salt dishes while offering additional health benefits like reduced cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Herbals differ from spices by being composed of nonwoody plant leaves (except laurels ) while spices may consist of buds, stems, roots, seeds or bark – although this distinction isn’t always obvious.
Herbs contain phytochemicals with numerous health-promoting benefits. Thyme, ginger and sage can all help lower cholesterol levels while garlic, cinnamon and cypress tree extract contain anti-clotting effects to lower blood pressure. There are also herbal supplements available which may assist in managing specific ailments – however before taking any of them you should first consult your physician as some herbs can be toxic at high doses and potentially interact with medications prescribed to you.
Amino acids
Amino acids are organic compounds that serve as the building blocks for proteins. You’ll typically find amino acids in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs and dairy; or sold in nutritional supplements with vitamins and minerals to support health goals such as sleep or athletic performance.
Amino acid supplements come in the form of tablets, capsules or powder to mix with water to form drinks. They may include all nine essential amino acids or may combine BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine and valine) with creatine for additional effectiveness.
Supplements may be essential for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet, with nutritionists or healthcare providers able to assess a person’s dietary habits and recommend appropriate supplements.
Other ingredients
antioxidants, probiotics and fatty acids can all play an integral role in making supplements more effective, with the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements offering numerous fact sheets and resources on these products (both English and Spanish versions available) to health professionals as well as consumers alike.
FDA regulates dietary supplements and ingredients to ensure their safety, with accurate labeling that doesn’t mislead consumers. They monitor products that may be hazardous in the marketplace and work with companies to resolve problems once they arise. If you experience an adverse reaction while taking dietary supplements, both yourself and your healthcare professional should report this incident so they can help identify potentially hazardous items on the market and take steps to remove them from circulation.
