Category:Vitamins and Supplements

From Pharmacy Drug Guide

Vitamins and other nutrient-based products are taken to supplement the diet and help ensure proper health. Some supplements are taken for specific health benefits, while others are taken to prevent a deficiency of one or more nutrients. Multivitamin supplements may be consumed to ensure proper overall nutrition.

There are 13 types of vitamins that the body needs to develop and function properly. These are vitamins A, C, D, E, K, along with the B-vitamin family, which consists of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate.^[1] The body also needs an assortment of minerals. Some are macrominerals, meaning larger volumes are necessary. Others are trace, as only slight amounts are needed. Macrominerals include phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, sulfur and chloride. Trace minerals include iron, selenium, cobalt, copper, manganese, iodine and fluoride.^[1]

"Supplements" is a broader category that can refer to any product sold to supplement the diet. Supplements may contain vitamins, minerals, herbs or other types of plants. To be classified as a supplement, a product must be taken orally and contain one or more dietary ingredients.^[2]

Contents 1 About Vitamins and Supplements 2 Vitamin And Supplement Safety 3 Vitamins And Supplements Video 4 References

About Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins and supplements are distinct from drugs and foods, according to government classifications. Therefore, they are not regulated in the same manner. In addition, makers of supplements are not permitted to state that their products are cures for any specific medical conditions. If a label states an intended function (like "supports heart health"), it must also add a disclaimer such as "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA."^[2] Such statements are often seen on diet pill packaging, as the vast majority have not been proven to work.

In general, experts believe that healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet do not need to take any vitamins or supplements. However, those who restrict their calorie intake or do not include enough variety in the diet, as well as pregnant or postmenopausal women and people with certain medical conditions, may require supplements for optimal health.^[3]

All supplement products are required to be labelled with a name, the word "supplement," a quantity, name and location of the seller/manufacturer, and dosage instructions. They must also list serving size, percentage of recommended daily value of applicable ingredients, scientific and common names of plants, and the amount of each ingredient per serving. The latter requirement is often sidestepped with "proprietary blends," which can contain many ingredients while only listing a net weight. This can make it difficult to determine the actual amount of an active ingredient. While ingredients in proprietary blends are listed in highest to lowest order by weight, there is usually no indication of how much of each ingredient is included.^[2]

Vitamin And Supplement Safety

Vitamins and supplements may be minimally regulated, and as such consumers may need to take certain precautions when starting a supplement regimen. Consumers are encouraged to check for the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) label on supplement packaging to ensure that certain quality standards have been met. Also, medical experts advise against consuming any supplement that has unusually high doses of any specific vitamin or nutrient. Although the nutrient may be healthy in normal doses, consuming too much of it may cause adverse effects.^[3]

The FDA maintains records of vitamin and supplement products that have been reported to cause health problems or are under any type of regulatory investigation. Warnings about specific products may be posted on their official website.^[3]

Vitamins And Supplements Video

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DietarySupplements
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/supplements/NU00198/NSECTIONGROUP=2