Diet Supplements

The choice to use a dietary supplement can be a wise decision that provides health benefits.

However, under certain circumstances, these products may be unnecessary for good health or they may even create unexpected risks. The Food and Drug Administration, health professionals, and other health-related organizations receive many inquiries each year from consumers seeking health-related information, especially about dietary supplements. Clearly, people choosing to supplement their diets with herbals, vitamins, minerals, or other substances want to know more about the products they choose so that they can make informed decisions about them.

Given the abundance and conflicting nature of information now available about dietary supplements, you may need help to sort the reliable information from the questionable. The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has prepared these tips and resources to help you become a savvy dietary supplement user. The principles underlying these tips are similar to those principles a savvy consumer would use for any product.

Basic Points to Consider

• Do I need to think about my total diet?
  Yes. Dietary supplements are intended to supplement the diets of some people, but not to replace the balance of the variety of foods important to a healthy diet. While you need enough nutrients, too much of some nutrients can cause problems.
• Should I check with my doctor or health-care provider before using a supplement?
  This is a good idea, especially for certain population groups. Dietary supplements may not be risk-free under certain circumstances. If you are pregnant, nursing a baby, or have a chronic medical condition, such as diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist before purchasing or taking any supplement. While vitamin and mineral supplements are widely used and generally considered safe for children, you may wish to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving these or any other dietary supplements to your child. If you plan to use a dietary supplement in place of drugs or in combination with any drug, tell your health-care provider first. Many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects and their safety is not always assured in all users. If you have certain health conditions and take these products, you may be placing yourself at risk.
• Some supplements may interact with prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
  Taking a combination of supplements or using these products together with medications (whether prescription or OTC drugs) could, under certain circumstances, produce adverse effects, some of which could be life-threatening. Be alert to advisories about these products, whether taken alone or in combination. For example: Coumadin (a prescription medicine), ginkgo biloba (an herbal supplement), aspirin (an OTC drug) and vitamin E (a vitamin supplement) can each thin the blood, and taking any of these products together can increase the potential for internal bleeding. Combining St. John's wort with certain HIV drugs significantly reduces their effectiveness. St. John's wort may also reduce the effectiveness of prescription drugs for heart disease, depression, seizures, certain cancers, or oral contraceptives.
• Some supplements can have unwanted effects during surgery.
  It is important to fully inform your doctor about the vitamins, minerals, herbals or any other supplements you are taking, especially before elective surgery. You may be asked to stop taking these products at least two to three weeks ahead of the procedure to avoid potentially dangerous supplement/drug interactions--such as changes in heart rate, blood pressure and increased bleeding--that could adversely affect the outcome of your surgery.
• Who is responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements?
  Under the law, manufacturers of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe before they go to market. They are also responsible for determining that the claims on their labels are accurate and truthful. Dietary supplement products are not reviewed by the government before they are marketed, but the FDA has the responsibility to take action against any unsafe dietary supplement product that reaches the market. If the FDA can prove that claims on marketed dietary supplement products are false and misleading, the agency may take action against products with such claims.