Dietary supplements are not FDA-approved and may pose health risks. When selecting supplements from this category, look for ones with third-party certification such as US Pharmacopeia’s Dietary Supplement Verified program or NSF International, to help identify products which meet quality and purity standards.
Registered dietitians recommend eating a varied, balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and legumes before turning to supplements as a nutritional solution. When necessary though, supplements can fill any nutritional gaps that may exist in our diets.
Multivitamins
Dietary supplements often provide our bodies with essential vitamins and minerals not easily available from food sources, making supplements such as multivitamin and mineral (MVM) products (often known as multis or multiples) an increasingly popular source of nutrition. A multivitamin typically meets the Recommended Daily Allowance or Adequate Intake amounts for multiple nutrients across multiple categories, while others are tailored specifically to age/sex demographics or nutritional needs such as reduced iron.) This industry boasts billion-dollar sales volumes with products offering wide ranging formulas.
Studies on multivitamin use reveal that they don’t significantly lower risk for heart disease, cancer or premature mortality; but they can help people avoid nutritional deficiencies; for example taking them can offset any deficiencies caused by bariatric surgery.
Calcium
Calcium is vital in creating and maintaining strong bones as you age. Additionally, calcium plays an essential role in blood clotting, heart rhythm regulation and nerve transmission as well as hormone secretion. Most calcium can be found in bones and teeth with any leftover being distributed among blood vessels and soft tissues in our bodies.
Multiple randomized clinical trials suggest that higher intakes of calcium through diet or supplementation reduces risk for high blood pressure; however, due to limitations of study design these findings cannot be concluded on definitively (131).
Food sources of calcium include dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt as well as dark green vegetables. Beverages, snacks and breads containing calcium also contain smaller amounts; when taking calcium supplements most must be taken with food in order to be broken down by stomach acid in order to be absorbed into your system.
Iron
Iron is an essential nutrient for both adults and children’s wellbeing, found in plants, animals, soil, air and even rocks on the moon.
Women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding or regularly use tampons and pads can develop iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Pregnant women have increased iron needs as they prepare to give birth.
Iron deficiency increases a woman’s risk of low birthweight and premature delivery, as well as her infant developing low iron stores and cognitive difficulties. Most individuals should aim to take no more than 100 mg daily as taking more may cause constipation, diarrhoea, and upset stomach symptoms in long-term use. Furthermore, FDA requires all oral supplements containing 250 mg or more elemental iron to be sold with childproof packaging as accidental ingestion was the leading cause of fatal poisoning deaths among U.S. children from 1983-2000.
Beware of Miracle Claims
Accurate supplement information is crucial to maintaining safety and optimizing effectiveness in today’s competitive supplement market, where misinformation could lead to toxicities, food-drug interactions, adverse health impacts and financial losses.
Most dietary supplements do not undergo FDA pre-approval, making claims that one product will “cure” an illness questionable. Also be wary of websites which immediately request your contact or credit card details as these could be fraudulent sites.
Professional organizations/journals such as the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN) and National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) can be relied upon as reliable sources for nutrition-related information. Consumer-based platforms like Informed-Choice or Informed-Sport provide independent certification programs for dietary supplements [74], providing global recognition that they meet labeling requirements while being free from banned substances and meeting label requirements.
Consult Professionals
Supplements may help boost health and well-being when taken as part of a balanced diet, yet before beginning any new supplement regimen that promises specific outcomes or treats illness it is wise to consult a professional first as excessive intake of certain vitamins or minerals can have harmful side effects as well as interact with prescribed medications.
Recent survey results demonstrate that both providers and patients agree that supplement-related topics should be discussed during regular provider visits. We aim to investigate ways medical professionals can encourage this discussion and guide patients towards making informed decisions about which supplements are safe and effective; physicians could for instance utilize structure/function claims to educate their patients about how a particular ingredient affects the body.
