What Are Supplements?
In the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, Congress defined the term “dietary supplement” as a product taken by mouth that contains a “dietary ingredient” intended to supplement the diet. The “dietary ingredients” in these products may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars, and metabolites.
Dietary supplements can also be extracts or concentrates, and may be found in many forms, such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders. They can also be in other forms, such as a bar, but if they are, information on their label must not represent the product as a conventional food or a the sole item of a meal or diet.
DSHEA places dietary supplements (whatever their form may be) in a special category under the general umbrella of foods, not drugs, and requires that every supplement be labeled as such.
Some supplements are helpful and can help you if you need to skip a meal or if you have a nutritional shortfall in your diet. Read the labels to be sure you're getting the caloric amount you need to feel full, as well as a balanced amount of nutrients. If you can, add some real food (like yogurt or an apple) to the supplement for more satisfaction.
One issue that comes up with supplements is that people will often try to use them as alternatives to meals. The first immediate issue, obviously, is that we all know the difference between a protein bar and a multivitamin. One provides calories and can be a meal; the other provides very, very few calories and can't be construed as food.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering conventional foods and drug products. Under the DSHEA of 1994, the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. The FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market.
Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with the FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements. Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.
