Vitamins, apart from other nutrients, are a vital part of everyone's diet. The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that there are 13 vitamins that all people absolutely need: vitamins A, C, D, E, K and eight B vitamins. Though the federal Food and Drug Administration plays a key role in supervising vitamin products, it does not determine what vitamins you should take.
FDA and Vitamins
The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, is responsible for ensuring the safety of the food and drugs sold in the United States. The agency, though it does play a supervisory role over vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements, does not make recommendations about what vitamins people should ingest. The agency's role is primarily one of regulation of the food and drug industries and investigating products for health risks.
USDA and Vitamins
Though the FDA does not make any recommendations about either the type or amount of vitamins and minerals people should ingest, the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, has established a series of guidelines that let people know what their daily recommended intake of vitamins should be. The USDA developed these guidelines based on the age of the person, their sex and the individual vitamins or nutrients, with different people requiring different amounts.
FDA Approval
Vitamins and minerals are considered "dietary supplements" under the federal Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. The law permits dietary supplement manufacturers to sell their products without prior approval by the FDA. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring any product sold to the public is safe and fit for human consumption. The FDA retains the ability to remove products that it investigates and finds to be unsafe.
Caution
The director of the FDA's Division of Dietary Supplement Programs advises consumers to be savvy when it comes to purchasing vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements. Many dietary supplements contain ingredients other than vitamins and minerals, such as untested botanicals, herbs and other ingredients. Consumers should always read the product labels of any product they're considering and should consult with a health care provider to discuss how to achieve optimal health.
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