Vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements may supplement a healthy eating pattern without replacing it completely. They do not fall under the purview of pharmaceutical regulation but should still be considered part of an overall plan to stay fit.
Your health needs should primarily be fulfilled by eating whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and low fat or non-fat dairy. Supplements may help fill nutritional gaps or support health conditions; such as folic acid for pregnant women.
Dietary supplements
Dietary supplements are products designed to promote health and well-being, such as vitamins, minerals, herbal and botanical ingredients, amino acids and other compounds. Supplement users tend to report better overall health than nonusers as well as having health insurance and following a healthy diet with regular physical activity – although dietary supplements should never replace a varied diet of whole foods.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees dietary supplements but does not oversee them as closely as drugs. Instead, FDA monitors claims made about certain products that could constitute medicine such as treating, mitigating, preventing, or curing diseases. When shopping for supplements be on the lookout for seals from third-party testing organizations that verify they meet certain manufacturing standards.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic molecules (or complexes of molecules) necessary for the normal functioning of our organism in small quantities; examples include vitamins A, C and the B-complex vitamins.
Up until the 1930s, most Americans obtained most of their vitamins through food sources. After WWII, however, the government started fortifying certain food items with specific nutrients to prevent deficiencies; such as adding iodine to salt for goiter prevention or adding folic acid to grain products to reduce birth defects.
Supplements should never replace eating nutritious food and taking too many can even be harmful.
Minerals
Minerals are substances found in rocks. Some minerals also occur naturally within living organisms and play an essential role in maintaining our health and diets, with electrolytes such as minerals acting to transmit nerve impulses and release energy from food as electrolytes; additionally, minerals play an essential part in bone formation processes as well as maintaining acid-base balance balance within our bodies.
Though mineral deficiencies are relatively rare, those at risk should take steps to ensure they receive enough through diet or supplementation that has been cleared by medical authorities and given at predetermined dosage levels.
Minerals must have an established chemical composition and distinct crystal structure; if a compound occurs naturally with differing crystal structures, each form is considered its own mineral species (for instance quartz and stishovite). Minerals are classified into major and trace mineral groups.
Herbal supplements
Herbal products (or botanicals) are plant-based supplements used to maintain or enhance health. They can be consumed directly, applied topically (such as gels) or taken in extract form as extracts or dried herbs. Many over-the-counter and prescription medicines contain ingredients made from plants; these medicines must however adhere to stringent FDA regulations in terms of purity of ingredients used.
As with pharmaceutical medications, herbal supplements may also produce harmful side effects or interact with certain medications – for instance ginkgo biloba has been linked with liver damage while St John’s Wort can reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants and cancer agents.
Consumers can look for certification seals from trustworthy organizations to identify high-quality herbal supplements, helping lower the chances of heavy metal contamination or other issues.
Other supplements
As long as your diet includes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains in moderation, supplements may not be necessary. When in doubt about taking any medications or taking supplements to address specific medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure or pregnant or breastfeeding women; always consult your healthcare provider first before taking supplements. Anne Harguth is a registered dietitian specializing in family and community health, nutrition and weight management; her work has been published widely within peer reviewed journals.
