We've got recs — like our picks for the 8 best zinc supplements, recommended by RDs. Supplements can also be expensive, and they might not support your individual dietary and health needs. Vitamin B, which is made up of a group of eight vitamins, plays a vital role in allowing the body to use energy. It’s found in a number of foods, including nuts, seeds, and beans, but you can also add it to your diet through supplementation. Below are some of the more commonly used supplements and what current research has to say about them. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements To add supplement to a word list please sign up or log in. (supplement在剑桥英语-中文（简体）词典的翻译 © Cambridge University Press) “Prior to starting a supplement, consult your physician on the dosing,” says Kathy Nguyen, MD, a primary care sports medicine physician with Memorial Hermann Medical Group in Sugar Land, Texas. To make sure you're storing your supplements appropriately, always check the product packaging for specific instructions from the manufacturer. The implementation of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) for the dietary supplement industry in the United States was expected to help resolve some of these issues. Generally, supplements are intended to complement a healthy lifestyle, not replace behaviors such as a healthful diet, regular exercise, and sleep. Inconsistency in dietary supplement efficacy can often be traced to variability in product quality. A significant body of scientific evidence clearly supports the role of vitamins and minerals in maintaining good health, yet studies have called into question the safety and efficacy of the prolonged use of certain vitamins, particularly vitamin E. Claims related to health typically focus on assertions about the ability of particular ingredients in supplements to lower the risk for certain diseases or conditions. While dietary supplements are not intended to treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease, many consumers often view them as substitutes for conventional medications. Some dietary supplements can improve overall health and help manage some health conditions. Some dietary supplements can help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients if you don’t eat a nutritious variety of foods. Popular supplements include vitamins D and B12; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs such as echinacea and garlic; and products like glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils. Find general information and resources on dietary supplements below. Surveys have indicated that at least 15 percent of nutritional sports supplements may be adulterated with synthetic drug products. On rare occasions, dietary supplements may be adulterated with prescription medications or contaminated with heavy metals or pathogenic microbes. As a result, the general public often receives mixed signals from the supplement industry and the scientific community regarding the effectiveness of dietary supplements. FDA issues rules and regulations and oversees dietary supplement labeling, marketing, and safety. The manufacturer suggests the serving size, but your health care provider might decide a different amount is more appropriate for you.As a result, the general public often receives mixed signals from the supplement industry and the scientific community regarding the effectiveness of dietary supplements.It’s found in a number of foods, including nuts, seeds, and beans, but you can also add it to your diet through supplementation.Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.Avoid taking supplements past the expiration date, as they may lose their potency and expose you to potential risks not yet studied or regulated.In the United States, supplement regulation was outlined in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994.Generally, supplements are intended to complement a healthy lifestyle, not replace behaviors such as a healthful diet, regular exercise, and sleep.Manufacturers are permitted to say, for example, that a supplement promotes health or supports a body part or function (like heart health or the immune system). Many adults and children in the United States take one or more vitamins or other dietary supplements. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are presumed safe when consumed as recommended, but the burden of proof of safety, efficacy, and purity is shifted from the manufacturer to the FDA. For example, some felt that isolated amino acids should be considered unapproved food additives, certain botanicals would be more appropriately classified as drugs, and vitamin supplements should be limited to levels cited by the U.S. There are tens of thousands of studies on the potential health benefits of dietary supplements. If a magnesium supplement sounds like it may make sense for you, but you're not sure which one to buy, we can help.The definition of a dietary supplement according to the U.S.Supplements are easy to obtain as they don’t require a prescription, and are not strictly regulated so that manufacturers can quickly produce them without proof of their effectiveness or even safety.FDA is the federal agency that oversees both supplements and medicines, but FDA regulations for dietary supplements are different from those for prescription or over-the-counter medicines.A monthly update filled with nutrition news and tips from Harvard experts—all designed to help you eat healthier.Sign upFood and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulated dietary supplements as foods, not as drugs; however, they are regulated differently from conventional foods.They also produce multivitamins with caffeine.In the world of dietary supplements, it is best to be a skeptic and take a “buyer beware” approach.Popular supplements include vitamins D and B12; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs such as echinacea and garlic; and products like glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils. Vitamin D, on the other hand, has gained popularity as a “miracle vitamin” that may play a role in preventing a variety of chronic diseases. Consumers, on the other hand, were expected to report suspected supplement-related adverse events directly to the FDA. In the United States, supplement regulation was outlined in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. This fact sheet by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) provides information that should not take the place of medical advice. dietary supplement Some supplements can increase the risk of bleeding or, if taken before surgery, can change your response to anesthesia. Many other supplements need more study to determine if they have value. The manufacturer suggests the serving size, but your health care provider might decide a different amount is more appropriate for you. Dietary supplements come in a variety of forms, including tablets, capsules, gummies, and powders as well as drinks and energy bars. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine whether dietary supplements are effective before they are marketed. There are independent nonprofit organizations that test supplements using criteria such as ingredients as listed on the label, potency, and purity. Consumer surveys show increased dietary supplement use among those with one or more health problems, and in those who report already having healthy lifestyles. The Dietary Supplement Label In short, products such as multivitamins, garlic tablets, fish oil capsules, probiotics, natural weight-loss aids, and certain types of energy drinks are examples of dietary supplements. In Australia and Canada, supplements and drugs are regulated similarly, and only ingredients deemed acceptable by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia or the Natural Health Products Directorate of Canada can be sold as dietary supplements. Labels on dietary supplements also serve as a mechanism by which manufacturers can make claims about their products. Supplement Your Knowledge: Dietary Supplement Education Initiative ConsumerLab.com tests and certifies supplements and allows viewing of the test results by consumers with an annual subscription fee. Examples are NSF International and USP United States Pharmacopeia, which after testing allow the supplement manufacturer to display an NSF or USP seal on the label. Yet the company still sells at least a dozen different products and has hired young celebrity brand ambassadors touting their own weight loss successes using Hydroxycut. The Act reduced FDA’s role to being reactive rather than proactive, meaning that it will only take action to investigate and remove a supplement from the market after receiving consumer reports of harm. The FDA also wanted more scientific evidence of benefit and safety. Prior to its enactment, there were numerous debates on how to classify new ingredients. Supplements are easy to obtain as they don’t require a prescription, and are not strictly regulated so that manufacturers can quickly produce them without proof of their effectiveness or even safety. (supplement在剑桥英语-中文（简体）词典的翻译 © Cambridge University Press)Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their health care provider.Manufacturers may add vitamins, minerals, and other supplement ingredients to foods you eat, especially breakfast cereals and beverages.Some supplements can increase the risk of bleeding or, if taken before surgery, can change your response to anesthesia.The Federal Trade Commission, which monitors product advertising, also requires information about a supplement product to be truthful and not misleading.Hydroxycut is the commercial name of a variety of weight loss and body building supplements that have come under fire from the FDA for containing harmful ingredients, but has continuously reformulated its contents to continue sales.Be cautious about taking dietary supplements, beyond a standard prenatal supplement, if you are pregnant or nursing. They also settled a class action lawsuit in 2017 that it had made false and misleading statements regarding the effectiveness of its supplements. They also produce multivitamins with caffeine. This usually occurs only after red flags appear with multiple people reporting serious medical harm, and it can take many months to undergo an investigation before the supplement is removed from the market. Dietary supplements are a multibillion-dollar industry, not only in the U.S. but worldwide. Supplements are not examined by the FDA prior to sale, and the FDA must prove a supplement is unsafe before banning its sale.Another concern has involved interactions between conventional medications and dietary supplements.Claims related to health typically focus on assertions about the ability of particular ingredients in supplements to lower the risk for certain diseases or conditions.Dietary supplement, any vitamin, mineral, herbal product, or other ingestible preparation that is added to the diet to benefit health.The FDA also wanted more scientific evidence of benefit and safety.Vitamin B, which is made up of a group of eight vitamins, plays a vital role in allowing the body to use energy.What’s more, some supplements may be harmful to your health if taken at improper doses or if mixed with certain prescription medicines or other drugs, and they may not contain the ingredients listed on the label.In the United States, dietary supplements must be labeled as such and must be intended for oral administration only, whether as tablets, capsules, powders, or liquids. HHS provides wellness information, personal health tools, and health news. USDA provides information on a variety of food and nutrition topics. These claims must be followed by the words, “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Welch holds a bachelor's degree from Fordham University and a master's degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, where she studied health and science reporting. She served as the health editor for CBSNews.com for several years as a reporter, writer, and editor of daily health news articles and features. She has written about health, science, and wellness for a variety of outlets, including Scientific American Mind, Healthline, New York Family, Oprah.com, and WebMD. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports research and provides educational materials on dietary supplements.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine whether dietary supplements are effective before they are marketed.Yet the company still sells at least a dozen different products and has hired young celebrity brand ambassadors touting their own weight loss successes using Hydroxycut.Create healthy, balanced meals using this visual guide as a blueprint.We've got recs — like our picks for the 8 best zinc supplements, recommended by RDs.These GMPs can prevent adding the wrong ingredient (or too much or too little of the correct ingredient) and reduce the chance of contamination or improper packaging and labeling of a product.The implementation of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) for the dietary supplement industry in the United States was expected to help resolve some of these issues.However, as long as the product does not contain a new dietary ingredient (one introduced since October 15, 1994), the company does not have to provide this safety evidence to FDA before the product is marketed. Keep a complete record of any dietary supplements and medicines you take. Tell your health care providers (including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and dietitians) about any dietary supplements you’re taking. You are most likely to have side effects from dietary supplements if you take them at high doses, or instead of prescribed medicines, or if you take many different supplements. Products sold as dietary supplements come with a Supplement Facts label that lists the active ingredients, the amount per serving (dose), and other ingredients, such as fillers, binders, and flavorings. Dietary supplement labels may include certain types of health-related claims. Supplement companies are responsible for having evidence that their products are safe, and the label claims are truthful and not misleading. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their health care provider. Talk with Your Health Care Providers Always be alert to the possibility of a bad reaction, especially when taking a new product.Supplements can also be expensive, and they might not support your individual dietary and health needs.They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases.Labels on dietary supplements also serve as a mechanism by which manufacturers can make claims about their products.This fact sheet by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) provides information that should not take the place of medical advice.“It is best for any product to avoid extremes of temperature such as freezing or high heat conditions,” says Lara Zakaria, PharmD, a registered pharmacist and a certified nutrition specialist based in New York City.Hydroxycut removed ephedra from its formulas but included other ingredients such as Garcinia cambogia (or its derivative hydroxycitric acid), green tea extract, caffeine, and “proprietary mixtures” of undisclosed botanicals.Structure/function claims describe the effects of products on the body; however, manufacturers are not permitted to make assertions about their products’ effects on specific diseases.Many adults and children in the United States take one or more vitamins or other dietary supplements. As seen time and again, DSHEA has not protected consumers from experiencing harmful side effects from dietary supplements, in most cases due to products containing higher dangerous amounts of advertised ingredients or including ingredients not listed on the label. What resulted was the creation and passing of DSHEA, and these once debated ingredients would now fall under the umbrella of dietary supplements with much less regulatory oversight than food additives and drugs. What’s more, some supplements may be harmful to your health if taken at improper doses or if mixed with certain prescription medicines or other drugs, and they may not contain the ingredients listed on the label. In other countries, the definition of a dietary supplement may or may not be as inclusive as that adopted in the United States. Structure/function claims describe the effects of products on the body; however, manufacturers are not permitted to make assertions about their products’ effects on specific diseases. More than 50 percent of the U.S. population uses some type of dietary supplement on a regular basis. FDA monitors the marketplace for potential illegal products that may be unsafe or make false or misleading claims. However, supplements can’t take the place of the variety of foods that are important to a healthy eating routine. Hydroxycut is the commercial name of a variety of weight loss and body building supplements that have come under fire from the FDA for containing harmful ingredients, but has continuously reformulated its contents to continue sales. With 1,000 new supplements entering the U.S. market annually along with an understaffed regulating body, close evaluation of each product is not possible by the government. In 1994, the FDA passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) with the intent of providing consumers with access to safe supplements and information about their intended use. While certain supplements hold some evidence-backed results, others market promises unfounded by science. In the European Union, supplement regulation often follows a case-by-case basis, depending upon the individual country and the available safety evidence for the ingredient. The Federal Trade Commission, which monitors product advertising, also requires information about a supplement product to be truthful and not misleading. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulated dietary supplements as foods, not as drugs; however, they are regulated differently from conventional foods. In addition, dietary supplements must not include chemical compounds that have been approved as drugs or licensed as biologics, unless the compound was previously marketed as a dietary supplement or a food. FTC regulates health and safety claims made in advertising for dietary supplements. In addition to vitamins, dietary supplements can contain minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and many other ingredients. Manufacturers must follow GMPs to ensure the identity, purity, strength, and composition of their products. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” Manufacturers are permitted to say, for example, that a supplement promotes health or supports a body part or function (like heart health or the immune system). If a magnesium supplement sounds like it may make sense for you, but you're not sure which one to buy, we can help. “It is best for any product to avoid extremes of temperature such as freezing or high heat conditions,” says Lara Zakaria, PharmD, a registered pharmacist and a certified nutrition specialist based in New York City. This means the product has undergone third-party testing for quality and purity. Always consult your physician to see if you should be taking a supplement before you do. Substantiation of health claims for most botanical dietary supplements, however, remains less convincing.In other countries, the definition of a dietary supplement may or may not be as inclusive as that adopted in the United States.Classification of a product as a dietary supplement depends on its intended use, details about which can sometimes be derived from information on the product label.You should also report your reaction to the manufacturer by using the contact information on the product label.FDA issues rules and regulations and oversees dietary supplement labeling, marketing, and safety.If you think that you have had a bad reaction to a dietary supplement, let your health care provider know. When choosing a dietary supplement, check the label for a mark from one of the independent organizations that test these products for quality and safety. Although uncommon, some botanical dietary supplements (e.g., Saint-John’s-wort) can render conventional medications less effective, and other supplements may increase the toxicity of certain drugs. Many dietary supplements may not contain the exact amount of specific ingredients that are claimed on the label. Substantiation of health claims for most botanical dietary supplements, however, remains less convincing. In other countries, however, certain dietary supplements, especially botanical formulations, and drugs were regulated similarly, and only those supplements that had been proved safe were sold without a prescription. You can share this record with your health care providers to discuss what’s best for your overall health. They can help you determine which supplements, if any, might be valuable for you. These GMPs can prevent adding the wrong ingredient (or too much or too little of the correct ingredient) and reduce the chance of contamination or improper packaging and labeling of a product. You should also report your reaction to the manufacturer by using the contact information on the product label. Supplements can also interact with some medicines in ways that might cause problems. However, as long as the product does not contain a new dietary ingredient (one introduced since October 15, 1994), the company does not have to provide this safety evidence to FDA before the product is marketed. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Many supplements have not been well tested for safety in children and in women who are pregnant or nursing. Many supplements contain active ingredients that can have strong effects on the body. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) established LiverTox, an online resource for evidence-based information on drug and supplement-induced liver injury. In the world of dietary supplements, it is best to be a skeptic and take a “buyer beware” approach. From 2004 to 2021, a total of 79,071 adverse events related to the use of dietary supplements were reported to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Critics of DSHEA believe that it caused a new wave of poor-quality dietary supplements to enter the market. Most of their current formulations are high in caffeine (containing the equivalent of 2-3 cups of coffee) from green coffee or green tea extracts and added caffeine, as well as a variety of other ingredients like chicory extract, apple cider vinegar, capsaicin, and plum. Hydroxycut removed ephedra from its formulas but included other ingredients such as Garcinia cambogia (or its derivative hydroxycitric acid), green tea extract, caffeine, and “proprietary mixtures” of undisclosed botanicals. Supplements are not examined by the FDA prior to sale, and the FDA must prove a supplement is unsafe before banning its sale. But the supplement industry and consumers reacted strongly to these potential regulatory restrictions, with public debates arguing over consumers’ freedom to access dietary supplements. Best practices for selecting and storing dietary supplements depend on the types and forms you take. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns. Another concern has involved interactions between conventional medications and dietary supplements. The definition of a dietary supplement according to the U.S. They include herbals, protein powders, hormones, vitamins and minerals, and probiotics to name a few, and cater to people’s desires to be healthier and look and feel better. Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing. National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports research and provides educational materials on dietary supplements. FDA has established Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) that companies must follow to help ensure the identity, purity, strength, and composition of their dietary supplements. If you think that you have had a bad reaction to a dietary supplement, let your health care provider know. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements, beyond a standard prenatal supplement, if you are pregnant or nursing. Manufacturers may add vitamins, minerals, and other supplement ingredients to foods you eat, especially breakfast cereals and beverages. Here’s a closer look at the potential health benefits, identified risks, and everything else you should know about dietary supplements. Whether dietary supplements provide measurable health benefits has long been a topic of scientific debate. Classification of a product as a dietary supplement depends on its intended use, details about which can sometimes be derived from information on the product label. Even though supplement ingredients may exhibit either health benefits or occasional undesirable side effects, they—unlike drugs—are not evaluated for safety or efficacy prior to their release onto the market. A monthly update filled with nutrition news and tips from Harvard experts—all designed to help you eat healthier.Sign up Create healthy, balanced meals using this visual guide as a blueprint. Use healthy oils (like olive and canola oil) for cooking, on salad, and at the table. Surveys of supplement usage in other countries indicate that between 40 and 60 percent of Asian respondents use dietary supplements, and about 30 percent of consumers in Europe and Latin America report regular use of these products. In the United States, dietary supplements must be labeled as such and must be intended for oral administration only, whether as tablets, capsules, powders, or liquids. Dietary supplements are used worldwide and represent a broad category of ingestible products that are distinguishable from conventional foods and drugs. FDA is the federal agency that oversees both supplements and medicines, but FDA regulations for dietary supplements are different from those for prescription or over-the-counter medicines. Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know For each product, note the name, the dose you take, how often you take it, and the reason for use. For example, too much vitamin A can cause headaches and liver damage, reduce bone strength, and cause birth defects. As a result, you may get more of these ingredients than you think, and more might not be better. Always be alert to the possibility of a bad reaction, especially when taking a new product. To learn more about what makes a healthy eating routine, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate are good sources of information. Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact They include herbals, protein powders, hormones, vitamins and minerals, and probiotics to name a few, and cater to people’s desires to be healthier and look and feel better.These claims must be followed by the words, “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.Dietary supplements are used worldwide and represent a broad category of ingestible products that are distinguishable from conventional foods and drugs.Although uncommon, some botanical dietary supplements (e.g., Saint-John’s-wort) can render conventional medications less effective, and other supplements may increase the toxicity of certain drugs.On rare occasions, dietary supplements may be adulterated with prescription medications or contaminated with heavy metals or pathogenic microbes. Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. Our list of the best magnesium supplements, recommended by experts, is a great place to start. Avoid taking supplements past the expiration date, as they may lose their potency and expose you to potential risks not yet studied or regulated. As with all medicines, store them in a place where children can’t reach them, in a place that’s not too hot or cold. They may be able to advise you, such as whether it’s better to choose an isolated supplement or multiple supplements in combination. The FDA relied on a MedWatch program, through which health care providers reported adverse events that occurred with supplements. Once a dietary supplement has been marketed, it is the FDA’s responsibility to prove that the product is not safe in order to restrict its use or remove it from the market. Dietary supplement, any vitamin, mineral, herbal product, or other ingestible preparation that is added to the diet to benefit health. If FDA finds a dietary supplement to be unsafe, it may remove the product from the marketplace or ask the manufacturer to voluntarily recall the product.