Navigating the world of dietary supplements can be overwhelming. Store shelves and online retailers offer a vast array of products, including multivitamins, vitamin D, echinacea, and fish oil. You may already be taking a supplement or considering incorporating one into your daily routine. While dietary supplements can offer certain health benefits, it's crucial to understand their potential risks and how to use them safely.
Understanding Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements are designed to complement your diet, not replace conventional food. It's important to differentiate supplements from drugs. Any product intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent diseases is generally classified as a drug, even if marketed as a dietary supplement. Supplements are available in various forms, such as tablets, capsules, soft gels, gel caps, powders, bars, gummies, and liquids.
Common types of supplements include:
- Vitamins: Multivitamins or individual vitamins like vitamin D and biotin.
- Minerals: Calcium, magnesium, and iron.
- Botanicals or Herbs: Echinacea and ginger.
- Botanical Compounds: Caffeine and curcumin.
- Amino Acids: Tryptophan and glutamine.
- Live Microbials: Probiotics.
Potential Benefits of Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements can contribute to overall health and help you meet the recommended daily intake of essential nutrients. For example, calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong bones, while fiber supports bowel regularity. While some supplements have well-established benefits, others require further research. Remember that supplements should not replace a balanced diet rich in diverse foods.
A registered dietician can help you identify the gaps in your diet and determine a supplement regimen that fits your needs.
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Risks and Precautions
Before taking any dietary supplement, consult a healthcare professional, such as a doctor, nurse, registered dietician, or pharmacist, to discuss the potential benefits and risks. Many supplements contain ingredients that can significantly affect the body. Some supplements can interact with medications, interfere with lab tests, or pose risks during surgery. A healthcare professional can help you determine if a supplement is right for you.
Be aware of potential adverse reactions or side effects when taking dietary supplements, especially if you:
- Combine multiple supplements.
- Mix supplements with medications.
- Take excessive amounts of a supplement.
- Use supplements as a substitute for prescribed medications.
If you experience any adverse effects, discontinue use immediately, seek medical attention, and report the event to the FDA.
Regulation of Dietary Supplements
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 defines "dietary supplement" and outlines the FDA's authority over these products. It's important to note that the FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold to the public. Dietary supplement companies are responsible for ensuring that their products meet safety standards and comply with the law.
Dietary supplement labels must include a Supplement Facts panel with information such as serving size, servings per container, a list of all dietary ingredients, and the amount per serving of each ingredient. This information can help you make informed decisions about which supplements, if any, are appropriate for you. You can also contact the manufacturer for additional product information.
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Follow these guidelines when using dietary supplements:
- Take supplements only as directed on the label.
- Be aware that some ingredients can be harmful in high doses, with prolonged use, or when combined with certain drugs or foods.
- Do not use dietary supplements as a substitute for prescription medications or a healthy diet.
- Do not assume that "natural" products are always safe.
- Be cautious of exaggerated claims. Sound health advice is typically based on long-term research, not isolated studies.
- Be wary of claims that seem too good to be true.
The Importance of Reporting Adverse Events
The FDA encourages both consumers and healthcare professionals to report any adverse events experienced while taking dietary supplements. Reporting adverse events helps the FDA identify potentially dangerous products and take appropriate action, such as removing them from the market.
You can report adverse events to the FDA through their website or by calling 1-888-INFO-FDA. Adverse events can also be reported to the product's manufacturer or distributor using the contact information on the product label. Dietary supplement firms are required to report serious adverse events to the FDA within 15 days of receiving them.
Essential Daily Supplements
Supplements are meant to fill in the gaps of your overall diet. Even if your nutrition is on-point, most people still need supplements. In order to feel our best we need to have optimal levels of nutrients, not just enough to prevent deficiencies.
Here are some essential daily supplements that most people can benefit from:
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- Multivitamin: A multivitamin or prenatal multivitamin provides a solid foundation for ensuring you are getting the nutrients you need daily and fill in the gaps of the vitamins and minerals you may be missing that day. When choosing a multivitamin or prenatal, it should include vitamin A, folate, B vitamins including vitamin B6 and B12, vitamin D3, chromium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for keeping the heart and brain healthy and also reducing inflammation. We need omega fatty acids for maintaining healthy hair and skin, elevating our mood, nourishing the brain, and supporting healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding. It’s ideal to get a 1:1 ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s in your diet. The three key omega fatty acids include ALA, EPA, and DHA. EPA and DHA are the most easily absorbed and come mainly from fish and animal products. ALA comes from plant foods, but it needs to be converted into either EPA or DHA in order for the body to use.
- Probiotics: Probiotics are the supplemental live bacteria and microorganisms that help keep the proper balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Think of probiotics as the fertilizer that keeps your gut alive and flourishing. Food sources of probiotics include miso, tempeh, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut and yogurt.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential to support proper immune function, gut health, brain health, and hormone balance since it acts as a hormone in the body to regular calcium and phosphorus. Most individuals who spend a majority of their day inside and/or wear sunscreen outdoors are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. If you aren’t getting at least 20 minutes of unprotected sunlight per day or depending how far north you live, you may need to supplement, especially during the winter months. For those looking to maintain their vitamin D levels, 1000 IUs per day in the summer (with enough sun exposure) and 2000 IUs per day in the winter should be sufficient.
- Turmeric: Adding in a turmeric supplement is a bonus to your essential daily supplements. Turmeric is one of the most extensively researched spices and well known to help support optimal inflammation response in the body. It’s also amazing for supporting brain and heart health.
Factors Influencing Supplement Needs
Several factors can influence an individual's need for dietary supplements:
- Standard American Diet (SAD): The typical American diet is often low in fiber, essential vitamins, and minerals from fruits and vegetables, while being high in processed foods, sugar, refined grains, and inflammatory vegetable oils.
- Mineral and Nutrient Loss: The nutrient content of foods has decreased due to soil depletion. The longer food travels and sits in the grocery store, the more nutrients are lost.
- Stress and Environmental Toxins: Stress and environmental toxins can deplete nutrients, increasing the body's needs.
- Medications: Many medications can deplete nutrient stores or interfere with nutrient absorption.
- Phase of Life: Nutrient needs vary at different stages of life.
- Individual Health: Digestion, hormones, health conditions, and genetics all play a role in determining nutrient needs.
- Food Preferences or Intolerances: Individuals following restrictive diets may need supplements to compensate for missing nutrients.
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