Dietary supplements can be defined as any substance which enhances or supplements a person’s nutrition, such as vitamins, minerals, herbs or protein. Examples include vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies.
Supplements come in pill, tablet, liquid or gel forms and may be taken to treat clinical deficiencies or enhance exercise performance. They can also serve to fortify and strengthen an individual’s diet.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic molecules (or groups of related molecules called vitamers) essential to human metabolism in small amounts, usually obtained through food or supplements. Unfortunately, most vitamins cannot be produced or synthesized by our bodies and must therefore be acquired through foods or supplements.
There are 13 essential vitamins, and they play an integral part in cell functions, growth and development, building healthy bones, preventing diseases and strengthening immunity. Eating a variety of nutritious food can meet most or all of our vitamin needs through our diets.
Dietary supplements may not be subject to as strict a regulatory environment as prescription drugs are, but quality control standards still exist for them. When shopping for supplements that fall within Current Good Manufacturing Practices regulations (CGMP), you can rest assured that it contains exactly what its label promises. Speak to your healthcare provider before beginning to take any dietary supplements to make sure it’s right for you and avoid potential side effects.
Minerals
Minerals are naturally-occurring solid substances found throughout nature. To be considered a mineral, the substance must exist in solid form (although liquid or gaseous forms may also form minerals). Each mineral possesses its own distinct chemical formula and displays characteristic crystal structures typical of inorganic materials.
Mineral crystal structures reveal how its atoms are packed together in an orderly and repetitive fashion, with seven main crystal structures found among minerals: isometric, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, triclinic and hexagonal.
The body relies on key minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc for numerous functions including bone health, nerve function, blood sugar regulation and DNA synthesis. They’re also crucial to muscle contractions and thyroid functioning – though large doses could potentially exceed recommended limits – for instance it would be wise not to combine taking vitamin A supplements along with calcium supplements simultaneously.
Herbs
Herbs are fragrant and aromatic plants like basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley that are used for flavoring food as well as medicinal use. You can find herbs used as perfume ingredients or garden plants.
Herbal supplements are dietary supplements made up of plants like flowers, roots, leaves or seeds and often sold under names like herbal medicine, phytomedicine, botanicals or natural products.
Herbal and botanical supplements do not undergo the same rigorous testing requirements as over-the-counter and prescription medications, so it’s wise to consult a health care professional before taking them. Furthermore, when shopping for nutritional supplements it is wise to select products tested by trusted organizations like NSF International, US Pharmacopeia or Underwriters Laboratory that guarantee purity and potency – these groups ensure that a product contains what its label states it does.
Other Ingredients
Supplements are products designed to add “dietary ingredients” into a person’s daily intake in order to support vitamins, minerals, herbs or amino acids (1). Supplements come in many forms such as capsules, tablets, gummies or liquids – often part of Complementary and Alternative Medicine or CAM which refers to practices outside conventional medical systems (3).
Unfortunately, many nutritional supplements contain potentially hazardous additives like Titanium Dioxide which is a carcinogen, Magnesium Stearate which has been linked with kidney damage, and Talc which has been linked with asthma. Unfortunately, consumers remain unaware of this and as a result ASA complaints have increased significantly (4). If you wish to avoid such additives it’s wise to purchase products certified as third party tested and with Certificates of Analysis from companies such as NSF, USP, ConsumerLab or Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG).
