Dietary Supplements: Make Sure You Get the Benefits
Our bodies depend on a steady supply of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for good health throughout our lives. Yet it can be challenging to get all the essential nutrients we need from food alone.
While dietary supplements cannot take the place of healthy eating habits, they can provide adequate amounts of essential nutrients when used responsibly. Dietary supplements can play a vital role in a healthy lifestyle, if you are a well-informed consumer. Here are some questions and answers on what you need to know to safely select and take dietary supplements.
What are dietary supplements?
Dietary supplements are products that contain vitamins, minerals, botanical or herbal ingredients, amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), and enzymes (complex proteins that speed up biochemical reactions). They are commonly sold in various forms, including tablets, capsules, powders, and liquids.
Dietary supplements are not medicines and they do not cure disease, but they are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Are dietary supplements safe to take?
Consumers should feel secure that dietary supplement manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their products, and must follow a number of standards meant to ensure quality in the manufacturing and labeling of their products.
Yet certain individuals may need them especially, including:
Women Who Are Pregnant or May Become Pregnant – Women who may get pregnant should consume 400 micrograms of folate on a daily basis, either from food or supplements, to safeguard against birth defects. Folate is a B vitamin, needed to produce genetic materials, including DNA. It’s available in prenatal vitamins that may also contain helpful levels of iron and calcium.
Older Adults – As we age we may need certain vitamins and minerals more than younger people. These could include calcium and Vitamin D, which are important for bone strength, Vitamin B-6 that helps form red blood cells, and Vitamin B-12 that helps maintain nerves and red blood cells.
People with Food Allergies or Restricted Diets – If you are vegan, have food allergies or an intolerance to lactose, or have difficulty digesting or absorbing nutrients, dietary supplements may provide you with important benefits.
