Manufacturers may add vitamins, minerals, and other supplement ingredients to foods you eat, especially breakfast cereals and beverages. As a result, you may get more of these ingredients than you think, and more might not be better.
Taking more than you need costs more and might also raise your risk of side effects. For example, too much vitamin A can cause headaches and liver damage, reduce bone strength, and cause birth defects. Excess iron causes nausea and vomiting and may damage the liver and other organs. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing.
Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider. Many supplements have not been well tested for safety in pregnant women, nursing mothers, or children. If you think that you have had a bad reaction to a dietary supplement, let your healthcare provider know.
He or she may report your experience to the FDA. You should also report your reaction to the manufacturer by using the contact information on the product label. The FDA has established good manufacturing practices GMPs that companies must follow to help ensure the identity, purity, strength, and composition of their dietary supplements.
These GMPs can prevent adding the wrong ingredient or too much or too little of the correct ingredient and reduce the chance of contamination or improper packaging and labeling of a product. The FDA periodically inspects facilities that manufacture supplements. Several independent organizations offer quality testing and allow products that pass these tests to display a seal of quality assurance that indicates the product was properly manufactured, contains the ingredients listed on the label, and does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.
These seals do not guarantee that a product is safe or effective. They can help you determine which supplements, if any, might be valuable for you. The Federal Trade Commission also has a list of substances that have raised safety concerns.
Gaps in regulation have led to lapses in quality, even among mainstream brands. In some cases, supplements were filled with substances that could be harmful to those with allergies. Similar results were reached by researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada, who in DNA tested 44 herbal products from a dozen companies.
They found that only two of the companies had products without any substitution, contamination or fillers in their products. A handful of private, independent nonprofits have stepped in to partially fill gaps in regulation, inspecting some dietary supplements and reporting the results. The international public health nonprofit NSF International runs a similar program aimed at sports supplements. Two other organizations, ConsumerLab. Both groups provide general review information for free; full results are accessible to paid members.
ConsumerLab has also aggregated a long list of health warnings and recalls for more than a decade. Such instances are red flags that a product may be fraudulent in other ways, according to the FDA. So before taking a supplement, consider what is being offered. Is it being sold as a miracle cure? A magic pill? A wonder drug? Unlike the case with medicines, supplement makers cannot claim that their product can treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. Making such a claim automatically makes the product a drug, which would then be required to have the same proof of safety and effectiveness that the FDA requires for all drugs.
There are several organizations that provide quality testing and allow products to show a seal of quality assurance if they pass specific tests.
This seal usually means that quality standards were used when making the product. In contrast, supplements do not offer the same nutritional benefits. One observational study in 30, adults in the United States found that adequate intake of certain nutrients through food sources was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease, as well as death from any cause However, consuming the same nutrients in supplement form did not reduce the risk of death from heart disease or any cause Individuals with nutrient deficiencies or those at increased risk of inadequate nutrient intake, such as women who are pregnant, can benefit from taking supplements as recommended by a medical professional.
Whole foods contain more than just vitamins and minerals. A varied and balanced diet also provides other essential nutrients and important plant compounds for health. Supplements are meant to help fill gaps in your nutrient needs. In general, taking vitamin and mineral supplements is not necessary for healthy adults with adequate intakes of these nutrients.
There are also certain instances in which supplements may be indicated. Individuals who may benefit from supplements include 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 :.
Some nutrient deficiencies are also more common, for example, vitamin D Frequently wearing sunscreen, living far north or south of the equator, staying indoors, and having darker skin are all risk factors for being deficient in vitamin D Furthermore, older adults may not be as effective at synthesizing vitamin D due to biological changes in the skin that naturally occur with age As a result, vitamin D supplements are commonly recommended. Additionally, while prenatal vitamins are recommended during pregnancy and sometimes while breastfeeding, these populations should avoid herbal supplements unless a medical provider suggests otherwise Healthy children are generally able to meet their nutritional needs through a varied diet alone For example, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that partially and exclusively breastfed infants receive approximately IU of vitamin D daily through supplements until the baby starts consuming vitamin-D-fortified milk Additionally, children or teens who follow a strictly plant-based diet may be at an increased risk of deficiency in several critical nutrients, including vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D As a result, depending on the types of foods the child is consuming, supplements may be indicated While supplements are generally not necessary for healthy adults and kids, some populations may benefit from dietary supplements.
Always consult a medical professional before taking supplements. The Food and Drug Administration FDA does not evaluate the effectiveness, safety, or quality of dietary supplements — or the ingredients in them — before they enter the marketplace 1. This is important to realize, as it means that there is no guarantee the product contains what it claims to. Furthermore, a product may even contain varying amounts of the ingredients from batch to batch. While the FDA requires supplement manufacturers to adhere to Current Good Manufacturing Practices CGMP , which are intended to ensure the quality and safety of these products, compliance is not always enforced The best way to ensure the quality of a product is to look for one that has been certified by a third-party company.
However, some supplement manufacturers voluntarily choose to undergo testing to show their commitment to producing high quality products. Most products that have been certified by one of these third-party companies have been tested for one or more of the following 25 :.
This certification ensures that the product is free of more than substances that are banned or prohibited by most major sports organizations Vitamin and mineral supplements are subject to fairly limited regulation by the FDA. To ensure the safety and accuracy of a product, look for supplements that have been certified by a third-party testing organization.
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