Health Benefits of Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplement is becoming a hot topic for discussion because of the health benefits it promises.



People take vitamins and minerals supplement to improve over all health, as dietary supplements or in case of any deficiency of that particular vitamins or minerals.

Dietary supplements are products that intend to supplement a diet and contain vitamins, minerals, herbs and other substances to improve diet.



Dietary supplements can be in the form of capsules, pills, powders or liquid form.



All dietary supplement products are regulated by FDA before they are sold in market and action is taken by them against those products that make false claims and are not safe to use.

Dietary supplements are becoming a part of conventional medicine or complementary and alternative medicine. Some of the dietary supplements play important role in maintaining health. Folic acid vitamin when taken by a pregnant lady helps to prevent birth defects in her baby and a good regime of zinc and vitamins help to taper down the progression of age related macular degeneration (eye disease).

There are various dietary supplements available in the market that makes various claims like

1. Health claim describing a relation between foods with dietary supplement ingredient and preventing or reducing risk of a particular health condition.
2. Structure or functional claims describes how the product can affect the organ/system of the body.
3. Nutrient claim describes the amount of nutrient or dietary substances like vitamins, minerals and herbs in the product.

Points to remember while taking a dietary supplement

1. Inform your physician about any dietary supplement you use, and also talk to him if you are pregnant, lactating or have any health related problems.
   
   
   
   This will help him to guide you in the right direction. Dietary supplements taken with weight loss diet should also be informed to your physician.
2. In case of any side effects, discontinue taking that supplement.
3. Can the supplement interact with any food or drugs you are consumed.
4. Always take recommended doses only and never take larger doses.
5. Read the label for contents on the dietary supplement before taking it.
6. Remember that by law any dietary supplement product cannot claim that it can treat a condition or cure a disease.
7. Dietary supplements cannot be replaced with healthy foods in diet; they can just be products that can be added to a well balanced diet containing whole foods.
8. Knowledge and affordability of that supplement.

The best way of taking your daily doses of vitamins, minerals and other essential components of food is including a healthy balanced meal in your daily diet.