Dietary Supplement Insights: Benefits, Risks, and Safe Use Explained

Monthly Newsletter from the National Institutes of Health NIH, a part of the United States Department of Health and Services.

August 2013

In this Issue:

Explore Our Latest Insights into Dietary Supplements: Vitamins, Minerals, Botanicals, and Beyond

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When you're reaching for that bottle of vitamin C or fish oil pills, you may wonder how effective they'll be and if they are safe. The first question to consider is whether you even need them at all.

More than half of the US population takes one or more dietary supplements dly or occasionally. Supplements do not require a prescription and can come in various forms like tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, etc., ming to enhance health through nutrient intake.

These include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other substances inted to supplement diets for specific nutritional benefits or to treat specific conditions. The article below will delve into the world of dietary supplementswhat they are, how they're regulated, their potential benefits and risks, as well as tips on safe use.

The mn points we'll cover:

Understanding Dietary Supplements

Regulation by the FDA

Deciding whether to take dietary supplements

Safe Use of Supplements

Let's start with understanding what dietary supplements actually entl.

Dietary supplements encompass a wide array of products that people often turn to for extra health support beyond their diet alone.

Vitamins and minerals are common types in this category, med at filling gaps in the nutrient intake due to poor diets or health conditions that restrict food consumption.

Herbs and botanicals form another significant group. Many traditional herbal remedies originate from plants and are used for various health concerns like stress relief, sleep enhancement, and digestive support.

The FDA regulates dietary supplements under a separate category compared to conventional drugs. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of their products before they reach consumers.

But let's delve deeper into deciding whether you should consider taking any dietary supplement at all:

Before taking any dietary supplement, consider these factors:

• Potential health benefits

• Any potential risks or interactions with other medications

• Dosage guidelines

A key part of making informed decisions about supplements is being aware that their effects might vary significantly from person to person.

Regulation of Dietary Supplements by the FDA plays a crucial role in ensuring consumer safety. The agency oversees manufacturers' responsibilities concerning ingredient purity, label accuracy, and product quality, but it does not review every supplement for its effectiveness prior to market release.

This means supplements can be on the market even if their benefits have not been fully proven through extensive clinical trials.

As dietary supplement users, we share the responsibility of seeking reliable information about their efficacy and safety from credible sources like government agencies, professional organizations, or peer-reviewed articles.

So how do you make wise choices when it comes to dietary supplements?

Here are some tips:

• Check product labels for essential detls like ingredients, dosages, warnings.

• Look up indepent quality tests that offer seals of approval on the packaging or online resources.

• Review the latest news about specific supplement safety through websites like NCCAM's health alerts.

For additional information and personalized advice on dietary supplements,

1. Visit the Office of Dietary Supplements' fact sheets at ods.od.nih.govfactsheets

2. Explore NIH's updated app, My Dietary Supplements MyDS, for mobile devices.

3. Refer to our wellness toolkits at www.nih.govwellnesstoolkits.

   that deciding on dietary supplements should be a well-informed process involving you and your healthcare provider. Balancing potential benefits agnst any risks is key.

Wise Choices: Safe Use of Supplements

• Share detls about dietary supplements with all your health care providers.

• Follow the label instructions carefully, even if they are labeled 'natural.'

• Do not exceed recommed dosages.

To Stay Informed:

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For those seeking more resources on health topics:

Visit the NIH website at Health.nih.gov

Explore wellness toolkits designed to promote healthy living

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