The US FDA defines a dietary supplement as any finished product that contains the “dietary ingredients” and is intended to supplement the diet.
The dietary ingredients could be herbal extracts, vitamins, minerals (like zinc, mg, etc), amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandular, and metabolites.
Dietary supplements come in many different forms like tablets, capsules, bars, soft gels, liquids, and powders.
Please note that dietary supplements are not in the drugs and medicines category and that’s the reason they are regulated under a different set of regulations by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
The most popular dietary supplements in America are vitamins and minerals. People take them for their health benefits, like preventing disease or boosting the immune system; they also hope that these nutrients will help with everyday life challenges such as pain management during pregnancy, mental clarity, for beautiful skin and lustrous hair. Other popular choices include amino acids that help promote joint health by strengthening connective tissue; enzymes responsible, Vitamin D and B12, minerals like calcium, magnesium, Zinc, and Iron among other things.
This section of our website covers different supplements, their ingredients, benefits, dosage, side effects, and real customer reviews. We publish authentic and high-quality content written and reviewed by licensed Pharmacists and medical practitioners.
Nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts you are taking to supplement your diet are considered dietary supplements. Let’s have look at the different categories of supplements and commonly used products;
How To Select The Best Supplement For Your Need?
An ideal supplement must possess the following features;
Supplement Facts
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act require that all supplement labels carry information about what’s in them. However, some people might be more sensitive than others regarding certain ingredients, so you should always ask your healthcare provider for advice on the proper serving size before taking any product as directed.
Only take supplements after reading the label first! Not all ingredients are listed on their labels, so check if there are any unfamiliar or unnecessary additives. For example, a low-quality supplement could have added chemicals that block your body’s ability to absorb nutrients – this means they’ll go to waste rather than being used by cells in need (which is why it pays off researching what goes into each product).
Always Check The Dose Of Each Ingredient Per Serving
You must choose the correct dose for yourself when taking a supplement to improve your health. The balance can sometimes be delicate between getting enough and overdoing things with supplements — too much of anything is never good.
Is it Safe To Use?
Side effects from dietary supplements can vary depending on what you’re taking them for and how much. Some people experience bad reactions when switching from prescribed medicine, while others have the opposite problem due to using several different kinds at once or in high doses; some might even react negatively just because their body doesn’t tolerate it well enough! Suppose a product doesn’t work as expected. In that case, it’s essential to contact your doctor or health care professional immediately so they may advise switching products – primarily if multiple items are being used simultaneously, which could result in an adverse reaction, confusing users about their purpose.
For example, there are many benefits of vitamin K to the body, but it can reduce how well warfarin works in preventing blood clots. Antioxidants such as veggies or vitamins C & E might also decrease the effectiveness of cancer chemotherapy drugs depending on the treatment plan type – so be cautious.
Quality
Good manufacturing practices (GMPs) are critical for dietary supplements’ identity, purity, and composition. The FDA has established these GMPs to ensure that a company is not adding wrong ingredients or too much/little of what’s listed on their label. They also reduce chances of contamination through improper packaging methods like leaking containers which can pose potential safety hazards to consumers who use them, believing it’ll help with weight loss goals when having adverse effects. In addition, a few independent organizations like Consumer Lab and U.S. Pharmacopeia provide quality testing services, ensuring products pass these rigorous standards before earning an official seal.
Price
There are many supplements out there, and they can be costly. For example, the price of a high-quality multivitamin might not fit your budget every month so make sure you find something affordable and follow cGMP protocols before buying it.