Dietary Supplements
Step into a health foods store and you’ll likely be greeted by rows and rows of bottles filled with nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals and herbs. Figuring out which supplements you need (or don’t need) to take can be challenging, to say the least. Time spent doing a little research with the Web sites recommended in this guide can help you sort through the myriad options available.
Expand All Guide SectionsWhat are Dietary Supplements?
Use the Web sites in this section to learn what a dietary supplement is, answer some frequently asked questions about supplements and discuss the use of supplements for certain groups of people, such as pregnant or elderly individuals.
Dulcinea's Insight
- A simple search for “dietary supplements” or “nutritional supplements” yields dozens of results about specific companies that sell these products. Use a critical eye when deciding whether to apply any health advice these individual companies offer.
- The findingDulcinea Health Web Guide suggests resources that can help you evaluate a Web site’s credibility.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of dietary supplements …
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
answers some frequently asked questions about dietary supplements, such as what they are, what the word “natural” means on a supplement’s label and where to find science-based information on a supplement.
The Dietary Supplements Labels Database
compiles records of the ingredients in dietary supplements so that users can compare the contents of various products.
To understand dietary supplement labels and health claims …
NSF International
explains how to understand dietary supplement labels, and discusses the NSF’s certification system for helping to ensure that a dietary supplement is safe to use. NSF International is part of the World Health Organization.
Nutrition.gov
contains a section of articles related to health claims made about the effectiveness of dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements for specific groups of people …
The American Academy of Pediatrics
contains a collection of articles and audio files about child nutrition, including information about specific nutrients kids need, such as calcium and iron.
MyPyramid.gov
explains the importance of prenatal and nutritional supplements for pregnant and nursing mothers. Fortified foods are also discussed here.
The Food and Drug Administration
offers key tips to older people who use dietary supplements. Learn why it’s best to talk to a medical provider about dietary supplement use, the FDA’s role in regulating supplements and what to do if you have a reaction to a supplement.
The Cleveland Clinic
discusses dietary supplements in terms of sports nutrition.
Mayo Clinic
examines the claims and safety concerns of dietary supplements that are commonly used for weight loss.
The American Heart Association
has some pointers for vegetarians wondering what type of nutritional supplements they may need.
Herbal Supplements
Herbs are plants that are consumed or used for their therapeutic properties. Read on to learn about the types of herbal supplements available, and what factors you should consider when deciding whether to take herbs.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Many dietary supplement Web sites include information about vitamins and minerals, herbs and other supplements. Check the “Vitamins and Minerals” and “What are Dietary Supplements?” sections of this guide if you don’t find the information you want in this section.
Dulcinea's Picks
Types of herbal supplements …
AARP
presents “Herbal Supplements: Are They Safe?” Learn whether herbal supplements are considered a drug by the FDA, and what you can do to stay safe if you choose to use herbs.
Nutrition.gov
features discussions about several different types of herbal supplements, safety factors to consider when using herbal supplements and other fact sheets about the use of supplements in specific conditions (such as during menopause, or as a form of cancer prevention).
DrugDigest
maintains a comprehensive directory of herbal products and their functions.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are necessary parts of our diet. But which ones do you need and why? This section can help you answer these questions.
Dulcinea's Insight
- A new study suggests that men who are vitamin D deficient have an increased risk of experiencing a fatal heart attack.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of vitamins and minerals …
KidsHealth
may be written for the younger set, but this article features a great discussion on the two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.
The New York Times Health Guide
provides a review of the 13 essential vitamins and minerals a person needs, describes their function and explains what foods a person should eat to obtain each nutrient.
WebMD
supplies a chart of vitamins and minerals that explains their functions and offers examples of good food sources.
For opinions about multivitamins …
CNN
attempts to unravel some of the debate over whether vitamins are harmful or helpful to take every day. The article also recommends multivitamins to try and those you’d probably be better off avoiding.
U.S. News & World Report
assumes a more negative stance against multivitamins and the dangers they may pose to a person’s health.
Vitamins and minerals for specific groups of people …
The American Pregnancy Association
gives some pointers to pregnant women wondering what type of prenatal vitamins they may need.
The American Heart Association
discusses antioxidant vitamins and whether they are effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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