DIET SUPPLEMENTS
Dietary supplements are not only vitamins and minerals. They also include other less-familiar substances, such as herbals, botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and animal extracts. Some dietary supplements are well understood and established, but others need further study. Whatever your choice, supplements should not replace the variety of foods important to a healthful diet.
Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not pre-approved by the government for safety or effectiveness before marketing. Also, unlike drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. But some supplements can help assure that you get an adequate dietary intake of essential nutrients; others may help you reduce your risk of disease. Some older people, for example, are tired due to low iron levels. In that case, their doctor may recommend an iron supplement.
At times, it can be confusing to tell the difference between a dietary supplement, a food, or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. This is because supplements, by law, come in a variety of forms that resemble these products, such as tablets, capsules, powders, energy bars, or drinks. One way to know if a product is a dietary supplement is to look for the Supplement Facts label on the product.
You and your health care professionals (doctors, nurses, registered dietitians, pharmacists, and other caregivers) are a team working toward a common goal -- to develop a personalized health plan for you. Your doctor and other members of the health team can help monitor your medical condition and overall health, especially if any problems develop. Although they may not immediately have answers to your questions, these health professionals have access to the most current research on dietary supplements.
There are numerous resources that provide information about dietary supplements. These include TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, store clerks, friends, family, or the Internet. It is important to question recommendations from people who have no formal training in nutrition, botanicals, or medicine. While some of these sources, like the Web, may seem to offer a wealth of accurate information, these same sources may contain misinformation that may not be obvious. Given the abundance and conflicting nature of information now available about supplements, it is more important than ever to partner with your healthcare team to sort the reliable information from the questionable.
Reliable information on dietary supplements may be obtained from: National Institutes of Health, DHHS: National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine: http://nccam.nih.gov/ (Clearing house), 1-888-NIH CAM, Office of Dietary Supplements: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov (Sources: National Institutes of Health, Library of Medicine and US FDA/CFSAN, 2008)
See Also:
Diet Types
Diet: High Fiber
Diet: Atkins
Diet: Meat Consumption
Diet: Mediterranean
Diet: TABB (Trim & Beautiful Bodies)
Diet: Vegetarian
Diet: Low Fat
Diet: Stomach Shrinkage
Diet: Zone Diet
Diet: Zone Diet & Athletes
Diet: Chonic Fatigue
Diet: Low Sodium
