In 1994, the United States Congress defined the term dietary supplement in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). A dietary supplement is a product intended for ingestion that, among other requirements, contains a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet. Multivitamins, vitamin D, echinacea and fish oil are some of the many dietary supplements available in stores or online. You may already be taking a supplement or considering using one.
Dietary supplements can be beneficial to health, but they can also pose health risks.It is important to talk to a healthcare professional to decide if a supplement is right for you. How do I know if I need a dietary supplement? Many products are marketed as dietary supplements, and it's important to remember that supplements include not only vitamins and minerals, but also herbs and other botanicals, probiotics, fish oil, and other substances. Some supplements can help ensure that you get the right amounts of essential nutrients or help promote optimal health and performance if you don't eat a variety of foods, as recommended by MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.However, dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. In some cases, dietary supplements can have unwanted effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other dietary supplements or medications, or if you have certain health conditions.
Don't self-diagnose any health problems. Work with your healthcare provider to determine the best way to achieve optimal health.Also check with your healthcare provider before taking a supplement, especially if you are taking any medications or other dietary supplements or if you have any health conditions. Where can I find out how much of each vitamin and mineral I need? For a list of all the vitamins and minerals and how much you need, check out the US free online tool. UU.
Just enter a few facts about yourself, including your age, height, and weight. You can also get a list of your daily calorie, protein, and other nutritional needs.It is essential to keep in mind that the amounts of vitamins and minerals you need include everything you get from food and beverages; you may or may not need a dietary supplement to reach these amounts. Talk to your healthcare provider to help you determine what supplements, if any, might be valuable to you. For more detailed information on each vitamin and mineral, read our vitamin and mineral fact sheets.
In addition, you can get good sources of information on how to eat well in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and in ChooseMyPlate.How can I learn more about a particular dietary supplement, such as whether it is safe and effective? Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of some dietary supplements (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids) is strong; however, evidence for other supplements (e.g., herbal products) is less clear. The manufacturer does not have to prove that the supplement is effective, unlike medications. The manufacturer may say that the product addresses a nutrient deficiency, supports health, or reduces the risk of developing a health problem, if true. If the manufacturer makes a claim, it must be followed by the following statement: This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.Supplements should not replace prescription drugs or the variety of foods important to a healthy diet. Also check with your healthcare provider before taking a supplement, especially if you are taking any medications or other dietary supplements or if you have any health conditions. Where can I find information on the use of dietary supplements for a particular condition or disease? Whatever your choice, supplements shouldn't replace prescription drugs or the variety of foods important to a healthy diet.What does the information label on a dietary supplement's supplement tell me? All products labeled as dietary supplements carry a complementary information label similar to the nutrition facts label found on food products. List the active ingredients and their quantities, as well as other added ingredients such as fillers, binders and flavorings.
It also provides a suggested serving size; however you and your healthcare provider may decide that a different amount is more appropriate for you. On the supplement information label, the amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as dietary fiber are listed as a percentage of the daily value or %DV. Each nutrient has a DV that applies to all people aged 4 and over. For example; if a supplement provides 50% of the recommended daily dose of calcium it provides approximately half of the daily calcium requirement.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a website that describes the nutrition facts label and DV in more detail.What is the difference between recommended daily dose and recommended daily dose for vitamins or minerals? Many terms are used to refer to how much of a particular nutrient (such as calcium or vitamin D) should be eaten or how much food or dietary supplement should be taken. The two most common are Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) and Daily Value (DV). The recommended daily doses of nutrients are recommended daily intakes for healthy people; they tell you how much of that nutrient you should consume on average each day. RDAs are developed by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine; they vary depending on age gender whether woman is pregnant or breastfeeding; therefore there are many different recommended daily doses for each nutrient.