If you really need them, dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health. There are blood tests available to determine what you may need. Taking too many supplements can involve health risks. Kidney damage is one example.
Most people get enough nutrients by eating a wide variety of foods every day. However, if you have digestive disorders or kidney disease you may need to know what types of supplements you can tolerate. All supplements are not created equal.
Supplements span a wide spectrum. The supplement market is a multi-million dollar business. Nutritional supplements include a broad range of products. Some are available over the counter, while other require a prescription. Some supplements have a lot of protein and calories, the nutrients that help you gain weight. There are also bodybuilding supplements, and on the other end of the spectrum, weight loss supplements are quite popular. Supplements can be for single nutrients, such as vitamin D, C and E, iron, or multiple nutrients, such as a multivitamin. Herbal products also fall under the umbrella of nutritional supplements. Herbal supplements pose the most amount of problems.
Professional grade supplements cost more and are available through alternative medical doctors and practitioners.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. However, they have stepped in and taken products off the market when complaints are made against certain supplements.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 dramatically changed the way in which vitamins, herbs, and other supplements are regulated. Under DSHEA supplements are not required to have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval before their production or distribution, and no safety or efficacy studies are required before they are marketed.
Before choosing any supplement check with your doctor or practitioner. And don’t take them in huge quantities.
REFERENCE:
https://jamanetwork.com “Physicians’ Understanding of the Regulation of Dietary Supplements. Bimal H., et.al.
ConsumerLab.com
NSF International
U.S. Pharmacopeia
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.
