Nowadays it is very common to hear that people consume dietary supplements. But, do we know what they are and how they work? Don’t worry, we’ll share with you all the information you need to know before to use these products.

What are the dietary supplements?

In FDA words “A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that contains a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet.” Now, what are the dietary ingredients? The dietary ingredients can be: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, among others.

Did you know? CBD, THC and active ingredients of drugs are not allowed in dietary supplements. These are some examples, but FDA has established the definition of a dietary supplement and allowed or prohibited some substances. And in case any product doesn’t comply with the established rules, FDA can take it off the market.

It may be of your knowledge that dietary supplements come in powders, capsules, liquids among others, but recently other forms and shapes, like gummies have gained popularity. Whatever the form, it’s correctly classified as a supplement if it’s orally ingested and not labeled as a conventional food.

Dose

The dosage of dietary supplements is regularly once a day although it may vary depending on the product. Another key point, is that a dietary supplement doesn´t require a prescription to be purchased, while there are other products, such as drugs, that do require consultation with a physician before in order to know the proper dosage.

Role of dietary supplements

Although the formula to a healthy diet is always to obtain nutrients through a healthy, adequate and sufficient diet, many times due to our lifestyle or some special condition we need a little help to meet the goal. This is the reason why, dietary supplements are responsible for increasing and complementing the nutritional intake or, supplying some of its components.

By definition, these products are not responsible for curing any disease. However, they are useful in so many cases to help us meet the nutritional requirements that our body demands to be healthy. Keep in mind that your health is the most important thing and that when it comes to illnesses, the best is to consult a health specialist.

Now you know… All that glitters is not gold! And you, which dietary supplements did you add to your diet?

Author: Nerissa Alvarez

Approved by: Betzabe Guido

References

Food and Drug Administration. (2015). FDA 101: Dietary Supplements.

Food and Drug Administration. (2019). Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements

Food and Drug Administration. (2019). Dietary Supplement Ingredient Advisory List

FTC.  (2001). Dietary Supplements: An advertising guide for industry.