About 38 percent of all Americans use some form of natural remedy, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Taken in conjunction with conventional medicine and a healthy diet, dietary supplements can help consumers take an active role in disease prevention and overall good health. Let your physician know which supplements you are taking. Some dietary supplements can interfere with medication or affect those with certain health conditions.
Types
A number of agents are classified as dietary supplements. According to the FDA, supplements include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars and metabolites. Dietary supplements take a variety of forms as well. They are sold as tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, powders, tinctures and teas. Their doses vary. One manufacturer may sell an herbal product with very little of the advertised botanical, while another may sell a similarly labeled product that is highly concentrated.
Vitamins and Minerals
Many supplements promise to improve various health conditions but are not essential for good health. Vitamins and minerals differ in this regard from other supplements. Your body needs vitamins and minerals to keep functioning. The American Dietetic Association maintains that it is best to get vitamins and minerals from food, not supplements, when possible. People should eat a daily minimum of 2 cups of fruits and 2 ½ cups of vegetables. However, those on calorie-restricted diets, women of child-bearing age, elderly people and those who simply don't like fruits and vegetables often fall far short of that quantity. For those individuals, a well-formulated multivitamin supplement is a good alternative. Ask your doctor which vitamin and mineral supplements you should take.
Regulations
An explosion of information in books, on TV and on the internet constantly touts the value of new and established dietary supplements. A good phrase to remember when evaluating these claims is "Let the buyer beware." Unlike pharmaceutical companies, supplement manufacturers do not have to submit studies to the FDA to prove the safety and efficacy of their products. The FDA typically gets involved only after consumers complain about a product.
The Top Five Supplements
According to "Nutrition Business Journal," a trade publication that tracks the supplement industry, the top five best-selling supplements between 1999 and 2009 were multivitamins, sports powders, B vitamins, calcium and fish oil. Daily multivitamins are a healthy choice, as they can help fill in nutritional gaps on days when your diet isn't quite balanced. Sports powders are popular with athletes for strength and endurance. B vitamins are often used for stress reduction; calcium helps maintain bone health; and fish oil may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Consult a qualified health care professional for more information on the proper use of these and other supplements.
References
- FDA: Overview of Dietary Supplements
- Nutrition Business Journal: Top 100 Selling U.S. Supplements Sales & Growth: 1999-2009
- American Dietetic Association: Vitamins and Nutrients
- National Center fo Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States
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