Dietary supplements are products such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and other compounds which claim to promote overall health. You’ll often find these in pill, powder or gum form; healthcare professionals may suggest them for those with specific conditions or dietary restrictions.
Dietitians (RDs) advise that eating a varied and healthful diet may reduce or eliminate the need for supplements.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds produced by our bodies that we utilize in small doses for various metabolic processes. People may take large doses of vitamins thinking it will provide more health benefits; however, taking too much of certain vitamins such as Vitamin C may cause the build-up of an orange/yellow pigment known as Keratin in their bodies while excessive intake of fat-soluble vitamins A or E could accumulate in liver tissue and be harmful.
Registered dietitians recommend getting vitamin supplements via food, as this provides an array of different nutrients and phytochemicals that work together to support good health. But supplement use may be necessary due to poor dietary choices or specific medical concerns.
Supplements are unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration like prescription drugs, so they may contain untested ingredients or interact with certain medications. Therefore, seeking advice from your doctor before beginning to take supplements is of utmost importance.
Minerals
Minerals are natural substances that play an integral part in supporting our bodies, from nerve impulse transmission and energy release from food to relieving stress. Dietitians typically recommend getting vitamins and minerals primarily through eating healthy food choices; however, mineral supplements may prove helpful to some individuals.
Minerals have highly ordered internal atomic structures that manifest themselves physically as crystals. Their chemical composition can also be expressed using specific formulae; for instance, geological quartz contains SiO2. Similar solids that resemble minerals in terms of composition and location but lack distinct crystal structure are known as mineraloids; examples include ice and liquid mercury.
Minerals can be distinguished from one another by using their physical properties, including hardness, lustre and streak to identify one mineral over the next. Their cleavage or breakability helps further distinguish one material from another while their color or other distinguishing features may also serve as identification tools.
Herbs
Herbs are plants used for culinary, medicinal or aromatic use. Historically, herbs were also employed for religious rituals and ceremonies.
People still use herbs today as an ingredient to add spice and perfumes, and to preserve food. Many herbs also possess powerful phytochemicals such as antioxidants that may have therapeutic benefits on the body.
Though herbal supplements have become increasingly popular, their safety and efficacy remain unclear. Research is limited, often producing conflicting results; additionally, dietary supplements do not fall under FDA jurisdiction and do not undergo the same stringent testing requirements as pharmaceutical drugs.
Given these constraints, it’s crucial that you work with a healthcare provider who can assess any herbal remedies or dietary supplements that you might be contemplating using. Certain herbs and supplements may interact negatively with certain prescription medicines; MSKCC guidelines advise against taking herbal or dietary supplements during cancer treatments without first consulting your provider first.
Other Ingredients
Dietary supplements contain concentrated versions of nutrients found in food such as vitamins and minerals that may not be easily accessible through diet alone, such as herbs, botanicals or probiotics. While food regulations vary from food regulations, FDA regulates dietary supplement ingredients through standard good manufacturing practices; additionally it encourages healthcare professionals to report any adverse events related to dietary supplements that they take in order to identify potentially dangerous products more quickly and take necessary action against them.
Consult a health care provider about dietary supplements that may be beneficial to you. They can assist in identifying suitable supplements and can recommend high-quality ones that suit your individual needs and monitoring any potential side effects from new supplements; the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) also has fact sheets about various vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals and probiotics which you might find beneficial.
