Key definitions:
In the US, according to the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994, dietary supplements were defined as a type of food meant to supplement the diet but could not be represented as conventional foods. Broadly speaking, this includes vitamins, minerals. herbs, concentrates, metabolites, extracts or combinations. Unlike drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure disease so they have much lower requirements for proven safety and effectiveness. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements once they have been released to the market by monitoring products for false health claims, long-term adverse effects and impurities. With the number of online health stores that sell various supplements skyrocketing, regulatory agencies will probably be challenged every day to measure and maintain these quality standards.
Where's the science at?
Dietary supplements appear to be an attractive way of overriding nutritional deficiencies, especially if adequate amounts of a nutrient cannot be obtained through the diet. There are also some emerging compounds within the wellness market which don’t have fully developed food-based doses yet. However, findings from scientific studies don’t necessarily support the idea that dietary supplements hold the answers to all our ailments. Worse, some studies also suggest that taking high doses of certain supplements could increase the chance of developing particular diseases for some individuals. More importantly, there is also the question of how much of a supplement that is taken orally is absorbed into the bloodstream. This can ultimately make popping supplement pills a waste of money. Only good research could tell you this, and for many dietary supplements out there, this information is unfortunately unavailable.
The role of the baseline:
Science is increasingly telling us that our individual differences are important determinants of how we respond to external stimuli. This is also true for how much dietary supplements we need. It is therefore very important that we know our baseline nutritional status to gauge whether our current diet is creating a particular nutrient deficit. This will also help individuals and their healthcare providers quantitate the exact dosage of a particular supplement required. For example, older adults and people who are pregnant may have a higher need for specific nutrients and must be considered in the conversations preceding supplement use.
Cross-reactivity with other drugs and foods
Many plant and herb extracts are sold as supplements and are often pursued by patients who have been recently diagnosed with disease. The supplement market’s promises are flashy but again, science tells you that this is a bad idea, especially if you are already taking conventional drugs for your diagnosis. Just because we need vitamins for our wellbeing, it does not mean that taking particular vitamins (or other members in the supplement family) in huge doses won’t do us any harm!
So, should I stop taking my multivitamin gummies?
Not necessarily but it’s important that you tread with caution. Remember that the manufacturer might be making claims that are not backed by randomized control trials which are essentially the gold standard of scientific studies. Consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before starting a dietary supplement regimen. You can find important points to pay attention to if you are using or planning to use dietary supplements At the end of the day, the best alternative to taking dietary supplements for an average healthy individual is to eat a well-balanced diet according to your nutritional requirements.