What Are Dietary Supplements?

Before the United States congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994, the term "dietary supplement" referred to products made of one or more of the essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and protein. DSHEA expanded the definition stating that herbs, or other botanicals (except tobacco), and any dietary substance that can be used to supplement the diet were to be included in the definition.

This has lead to many new dietary supplements, for example:

herbs and other botanicals
amino acids
extracts from animal glands
fibers such as psyllium and guar gum
compounds not generally recognized as foods or nutrients such as enzymes and hormone-like compounds

This new definition has meant that many substances that the FDA formerly classified as drugs or unapproved food additives have become readily available as dietary supplements. For example, the synthetically manufactured prohormones melatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) that exert drug-like effects on the body are now classified as dietary supplements.

What to consider before taking supplements
Questions to ask yourself before taking supplements:

1. Do I need this supplement?
2. Do I know that this supplement is safe?
3. Does this supplement interact with any drug or food I am consuming?
4. Do I know that this supplement works?
5. Can I afford this supplement?
6. Do I know enough about this supplement?

Thousands of dietary supplements are on the market. Many contain vitamins and minerals to supplement the amounts of these nutrients we get from the foods we eat. There are also many products on the market that contain other substances like high-potency free amino acids, botanicals, enzymes, herbs, animal extracts, and bioflavanoids.

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) review of the safety and efficacy of these products is significantly less than for drugs and foods. Be cautious about using any supplement that claims to treat, prevent or cure a serious disease. The FDA has approved only a few claims for labeling, based on a review of the scientific evidence (for example, claims about folic acid and a decreased risk of neural tube birth defects). A recent court case effectively prevents the FDA from regulating health claims on dietary supplement labels. Read carefully and think critically about the claims you see on the packages.

Some dietary supplements may be harmful under some conditions. For example, many herbal products and other "natural" supplements have real and powerful pharmacological effects that can cause harmful reactions in some people or can cause dangerous interactions with prescribed or over-the-counter medicines. It does not necessarily mean that supplements marketed as "natural" are safe and without side effects.

If you have any doubts about the supplement you are taking or thinking of taking, it is vital that you consult your physician.
When you consult a physician about a supplement, the name of the preparation is not enough. In most cases the other ingredients in the supplement must also be evaluated to determine if the product is safe for you. Provide your physician with a list of the entire ingredients on the label and any information you can find about the supplement such as advertisements or brochures. To make things easy, just bring along the supplement package or bottle to your meeting with the physician.

As the supplement market contains some useless and some potentially dangerous dietary supplements, it is a good idea to seek the advice of a physician if you are:

Chronically ill
Taking prescription or over the counter (OTC) drugs
Pregnant or potentially pregnant
Breastfeeding
Under age 18
Age 65 or older
Unsure about taking the supplement after analyzing the label
Unsure if you need the supplement or not

What everyone should know before taking supplements

Step into any health food store, drug store, supermarket or discount store and you will be bombarded with dietary supplements that promise health benefits. The truth is that the government has had very little control over what is put onto the food supplement market since the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was passed by congress and signed by the President in 1994.

The DSHEA places supplements in a special category somewhere between food additives which, by law, require testing, and drugs that, also by law, require rigorous testing for efficacy, safety and potency. The end result is that supplements are not subject to these requirements. Instead DSHEA provides the following guidelines...

Manufacturing Guidelines
Supplement Facts Labeling and Health Claims
Spotting Fraudulent Claims
Supplement Safety
Current Guidelines in Dietary Supplements

Debbie Wilburn is County Agent/Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Hall (770)535-8290 and the Forsyth (770)887-2418 County Extension Service.