A dietary supplement is a vitamin or mineral or herb which helps to improve the health. It is necessary to get the approval from U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for using these supplements to treat diseases.
Vitamins and minerals nourish the body, these are generally derived by eating variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish etc. In some cases an individual may not get the nutrients needed for his body in such cases a multivitamin or supplement may be able to help. Dietary supplements are also useful to vegetarians, pregnant ladies, women who experience heavy menstrual periods and people who are suffering from stomach, liver, pancreas or gall bladder diseases.
There are wide range of dietary supplements available for different health conditions and some of the popular dietary supplements includes glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, probiotics, digestive enzymes, echinacea, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, kava, melatonin, phytoestrogens.
There are no specific rules for the production of these supplements, manufacturer is responsible for making sure supplements which are safe and effective and if there is any problem in the supplement after it has been sold, the supplement must be recalled. Generally vitamins and minerals are considered safe as long as they are not used in excessive amounts but some supplements made up of herbs may contain unlabeled ingredients and some times may contain toxic substances, such as arsenic, mercury, lead and pesticides. It is better to take these supplements based on doctor’s prescription and taking too much of a vitamin, mineral or herbal supplement can cause unwanted or dangerous side effects.