Information On Herbs, Vitamins & Minerals

Herbs are plants and plant parts used for healing, while vitamins and minerals are necessary nutrients that the body cannot do without. Though dissimilar, herbs, vitamins and minerals are commonly used as ingredients in dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are often helpful, but the use of dietary supplements can also pose risks. Use herbs, vitamins and minerals under the supervision of a qualified health professional.

Herbs

Plants and plant parts have been used throughout recorded history as both preventives and treatments for disease. Although many associate herbs with complementary and alternative medicine, the mainstream pharmaceutical industry continues to use botanical ingredients as well as synthetic chemicals. For example, the powerful anti-cancer drug taxol is derived from the bark of the yew tree. Herbalists tend to use herbs in their more natural forms, while pharmaceutical companies usually isolate their chemical compounds. According to the American Botanical Council, 2009's three best-selling herbal supplements sold in grocery and drug stores were cranberry, used for urinary infections; soy, often used for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms; and saw palmetto, used to alleviate prostate enlargement.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds necessary in minuscule quantities for human health. With a few exceptions, they cannot be produced in the body and must be obtained through dietary means. The American Dietetic Association advises that eating a varied diet based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat milk products and healthy fats renders vitamin supplements unnecessary for most people. Supplements can be useful in certain circumstances, however. People with certain digestive diseases, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant, nursing mothers and older adults may need additional vitamins. Consult a qualified health care provider before adding vitamin supplements to your daily regimen.

Minerals

Dietary minerals are needed in small quantities for human health, but unlike vitamins, minerals are inorganic elements that originate in the earth. There are two types of dietary minerals. The macrominerals, which consist of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur, are needed in amounts of 100 milligrams or more per day and are present in large quantities in the body. In fact, according to "Essentials of Nutrition and Dietetics for Nursing," a nursing textbook, the human body contains 2.5 pounds of calcium, the most abundant macromineral. Trace minerals, the second type, are just as essential as macrominerals for human health, but the body requires them in much smaller quantities. Minerals are necessary for building tissue and for the regulation of biochemical processes. A varied healthy diet contains the minerals most people need. However, women in particular may benefit from calcium supplements to help prevent osteoporosis. Ask your physician if mineral supplements are appropriate for you.

Dietary Supplement Regulation

Herbs, minerals, vitamins and other substances used in dietary supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration under a different set of rules than those used to regulate pharmaceutical drugs. Before they are marketed, drugs must undergo rigorous clinical trials, and their manufacturers must submit proof of their efficacy and safety. If the FDA is not satisfied that a drug is safe, it is not sold to the public. The standards for herbs, vitamins and minerals are much laxer. Supplement manufacturers do not generally need to seek approval before marketing their products. This puts considerable responsibility in the hands of consumers. Research the herbs, vitamins and minerals you plan to use, and rely on your physician's advice about which are appropriate for you.