Given the ever-growing buzz around dietary supplements, it can be difficult to know what the benefits really are. By learning more about vitamins, minerals, and other supplements, you can make safer choices about what’s right for you.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a dietary supplement as a product you take to add nutritional value to your diet. It contains a dietary ingredient, which may be one or a combination of the following:
There are various types of supplements, each serving a different purpose. Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that play multiple roles in body function, including physical and mental health. Herbal and botanical supplements are derived from plants and used for medicinal purposes. Whole food supplements are made from concentrated, minimally processed foods and aim to provide nutrients in their natural form.
Supplements can take various forms, including tablets, capsules, soft gels, gel caps, liquids, or powders.
We’re always hearing how a certain vitamin or herbal supplement will cure a chronic condition or drastically improve the quality of our lives. However, information about dietary supplements is often confusing or unclear. It’s hard to know which offer genuine health benefits and which are merely giving false promises, or worse, running the risk of actually damaging your health.
By learning all you can about vitamins and supplements, you can make better choices about those that are right for you or your family.
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients your body needs to function correctly. The term “essential” means your body cannot produce these on its own and must get them from food sources or supplements.
Some common vitamins and minerals to know and their role in the body include:
Vitamin and mineral deficiency can impair your body’s ability to heal and protect itself. However, micronutrient supplements should be seen as a complement to a healthy diet rather than a “fix” for an unhealthy one. Eating a balanced, varied diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats and low in processed, fried, sugary, and refined foods is the best way to ensure you’re consuming the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
The additional nutrients found in supplements, or a general multivitamin and mineral supplement, may serve as an option to help you overcome periodic nutrient shortfalls in your diet.
Herbal and botanical supplements are made from plants or plant parts and are used for medicinal or therapeutic purposes. Some people may use them to prevent certain diseases or to help treat existing conditions. They differ from vitamins and minerals in that they are considered to have medicinal value. Before Western medicine, traditional therapies used herbs to prevent and heal specific ailments.
Some commonly known herbs and their suggested benefits include:
Before taking a new herbal supplement, though, you’ll want to consult with your doctor. Some herbal supplements can interact with over-the-counter medications or prescription drugs and cause adverse side effects. Though an herbal supplement is extracted from a “natural” source, it may still be as potent as any other medication you take.
Whole food supplements are made from whole food sources and typically provide the same nutrients as their whole food sources—vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, or bioactive compounds. Unlike conventional vitamin and mineral supplements, they are non-synthetic and made from concentrated, minimally processed whole foods.
Some commonly known whole food supplements include:
Some researchers believe nutrients from whole-food supplements are better absorbed and more efficiently used in the body than synthetic, conventional supplements. However, there needs to be more evidence to make claims about this. There may be instances where whole-food supplements are more appropriate, and synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements may be recommended at other times.
As with any supplement, seeking guidance from a doctor or registered dietitian is recommended to help identify which supplements may be appropriate and safe for you to consume.
In many cases, supplements can significantly add to your overall dietary intake. While dietitians recommend that you try to get your essential nutrients from the food you eat, supplements may be necessary to support health goals at certain times. For example, you may benefit from taking a supplement if you:
If you have a restricted diet or trouble eating a variety of foods, you may benefit from a multivitamin. In other circumstances, you may benefit more from a more specific nutrient, such as vitamin D if you get limited sun exposure, folic acid, iron, and calcium if you’re prenatal or pregnant, or protein, vitamin D, and calcium if you’re an older adult. While supplementation may enhance your overall dietary intake, it isn’t a substitute for a varied and balanced diet.
As noted, supplements are never intended as a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet. However, some people may benefit from a single supplement, while others may need more than one to achieve their health goals. How long you need to take a supplement can also vary. You may benefit from ongoing supplementation or just need extra nutrients for a short time.
Below is a list of commonly used supplements, who may benefit from them, and their considerations.
You may benefit from taking a multivitamin if you have a restrictive diet, a nutrient deficiency, are pregnant, looking to become pregnant, or have a specific health condition like anemia or osteoporosis.
You’re less likely to need a multivitamin if you eat a varied and balanced diet, have no chronic illness, or have a health condition where specific nutrients should be limited (such as iron or vitamin D).
Multivitamins may help prevent nutrient deficiencies or fill nutrient gaps that are not filled through your diet. But you need to make sure you don’t over-supplement, as that can interact with certain medications, or may even be toxic.
B12 is naturally found in animal foods as well as products such as nutritional yeast, fortified cereals, and fortified plant milk. If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, have pernicious anemia, or are vitamin B12 deficient, you may benefit from supplementing with vitamin B12.
Be sure to consult with a doctor or registered dietitian to make sure you take an appropriate dose as over-supplementing with vitamin B12 can lead to headache, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Vitamin C is found in various fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits, tomatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli. Supplementation may be recommended if you don’t eat or don’t have access to a variety of fruits and vegetables, if you are immunocompromised, or if you smoke.
While taking vitamin C supplements may not prevent the common cold, as many believe, it may shorten the length of the cold. High doses may cause stomach upset or diarrhea, but vitamin C is generally safe to consume at recommended amounts. If you are taking statins or going through chemotherapy treatments, you should avoid taking vitamin C supplements.
Essential for bone health and immune function, the primary source for vitamin D comes from the sun. It can also be found in certain types of fish and fortified dairy products. Data suggests that Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in the United States, especially in winter. You may benefit from a vitamin D supplement if you are an older adult, have a darker skin tone, have osteoporosis or a bone fracture or break, don’t spend much time outside, or are living at a latitude above 37 degrees north or below 37 degrees south of the equator.
Again, it’s important to keep vitamin D supplementation within recommended limits as high doses could lead to toxicity.
Calcium is found in dairy foods, dark leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. You may benefit from a calcium supplement if you are postmenopausal, have osteoporosis, or are healing from a bone fracture or break.
You should avoid calcium supplements if you have high calcium levels or are prone to getting kidney stones. Calcium supplementation should also be avoided if you take blood thinners or certain heart or cancer medications.
Food sources rich in iron include meat, legumes, nuts and seeds, and dark leafy greens. You should likely supplement with iron if you have anemia or low iron stores or are prenatal, pregnant, or breastfeeding. Supplementation may also be required if you have heavy menstrual periods, are a frequent blood donor, or have certain gastrointestinal disorders.
Iron supplements can negatively interact with antibiotics, thyroid medication, and bisphosphonates (a type of medication used to treat bone diseases). While iron supplementation is highly effective in treating anemia and low iron stores, high doses may cause gastrointestinal issues like upset stomach, constipation, and nausea.
Eating vitamin C rich foods or taking a vitamin C supplement with your iron supplement can help you better absorb the iron. However, iron supplements should not be taken right after exercise because absorption may drop significantly. If you are taking iron supplements, calcium-containing foods and supplements should be taken two or more hours before or after iron supplementation.
Magnesium can be found in whole grains, dark leafy greens, legumes, nuts and seeds, and dark chocolate. In recent years, magnesium has become more popular for its potential benefits in alleviating migraines, muscle cramps, hot flashes, and constipation, and improving sleep. While these benefits sound great, there still needs to be more research to confirm these potential benefits. You should avoid taking magnesium supplements if you have kidney disease or are taking antibiotics, magnesium-containing antacids, certain diuretics, or blood thinners.
Zinc is found in meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts and seeds, and dairy. Zinc plays a role in immunity and wound healing and has been shown to help improve chronic diarrhea. If you have celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, you may be at an increased risk for zinc deficiency and may benefit from taking zinc supplements.
Your doctor will likely advise you to avoid taking zinc supplements if you are taking blood pressure medications, diuretics, or antibiotics.
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, the B9 vitamin largely found in green vegetables and legumes. Folic acid is more stable than folate so is often used in supplements and fortified foods. However, your body can use folate faster than folic acid, which needs to be converted into another form to be used. If you are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant, it may be useful to take folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, like spina bifida, in babies.
Folic acid supplements are generally safe to take, but high doses may hide a vitamin B12 deficiency. Certain mutations of the MTHFR gene can also interfere with how your body processes folic acid.
Probiotics are living microorganisms or bacteria naturally found in the gut and consumed through foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, and tempeh. Probiotics play a role in gut, immune, and mental health. There are numerous strains of probiotics, and as research continues to evolve, we learn more about the benefits of individual strains.
Probiotic supplementation can be effective if a symptom-targeted approach is taken, meaning you take a supplement with the correct strain to resolve the symptom you’re experiencing. Probiotic supplements containing lactobacillus and bifidobacterium species are generally safe to take.
Minor side effects, like gas, may occur. If you have a compromised immune system, you may be at risk for more severe side effects and should only take probiotics under the supervision of your doctor or registered dietitian.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds. It is necessary for digestive and heart health and plays a role in diabetes and cancer prevention.
Fiber supplements may help you improve bowel regularity but can interact with cholesterol-lowering drugs, warfarin, and some antidepressants. Fiber also requires fluid to get through the gastrointestinal tract, so it’s crucial to drink enough fluid with fiber supplements.
Fish oils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, an anti-inflammatory nutrient found in foods like salmon, olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of heart disease, protect against concussions and dementia, and improve joint pain and inflammation.
You may benefit from an omega-3 supplement if you don’t like fish, have a seafood allergy, or are a strict vegetarian or vegan. If you are pregnant or looking to become pregnant, you may benefit from taking an omega-3 supplement if it’s not already in your prenatal supplement.
Protein is found in various animal and plant foods. Protein supplements come in the form of a bar or powder and are usually made with whey, casein, pea, hemp, soy, or brown rice proteins.
Protein supplements are generally considered safe to consume and can be highly effective in building and maintaining muscle mass when paired with an adequate diet and resistance training. Be sure to choose a clean protein supplement with minimal added ingredients, and no artificial sweeteners or colors. You should refrain from taking protein supplements if you have kidney disease.
Collagen is found in bone broth, chicken skin and bone, and fish skin, bones, and scales. It is naturally made in your body, but you make less collagen as you age. In recent years, collagen has been a popular supplement if you’re seeking hair, skin, and nail health.
Collagen supplements may improve skin elasticity, reduce joint pain, and support tissue health. Collagen is generally safe to consume, but some may experience mild digestive discomfort.
Dietary supplements can be attractive solutions for improving your overall health or correcting or preventing nutritional imbalances. In 2020, 50 percent of Americans regularly took at least one dietary supplement, and that number has only grown since. After 2020, supplement intake around the globe increased by 23 percent. Supplements may be warranted in many circumstances, but it’s important to note they are not always risk-free and should be viewed as a potential aid, not a fix, to a problem.
Before you decide to take a supplement, ask yourself:
You should take extra caution in choosing a supplement if you are a child or teen, a woman looking to get pregnant or are already pregnant or breastfeeding, immunocompromised, or have a chronic disease.
It is important to take caution when beginning to take a new supplement to avoid an adverse reaction. Supplements often contain active ingredients, and side effects are more common if you consume them in large amounts or take them with medication or in combination with other supplements.
Consult with your doctor or registered dietitian to ensure you avoid any adverse reactions or toxic levels of nutrients.
Common supplement-drug interactions include:
When considering a dietary supplement, be aware that common food products, like grains and dairy, are often fortified with vitamins and minerals to ensure you get adequate essential nutrients. Breakfast cereals are commonly fortified with iron, milk with vitamins A and D, nut milk with calcium, and grain products with folic acid. Be cautious when combining various food and supplement products to avoid consuming toxic levels of nutrients.
When consumed in excess, some nutrients can cause toxicity and have unpleasant or dangerous side effects.
The global supplement industry’s estimated worth reached $152 billion in 2021. Supplement developers and companies are eager to be a part of this lucrative industry, so it’s important to avoid getting caught up in flashy marketing campaigns that promise unrealistic health benefits.
Although supplements (and their claims) don’t need to be pre-approved before hitting the market, in the United States the FDA still has specific regulations supplement companies must follow. A supplement’s label or advertisements cannot claim or imply its ability to prevent, treat, or cure a disease, nor can it be suggested to replace a food or meal. However, a dietary supplement’s label may contain one of these three claims:
If a manufacturer makes one of these claims, they must notify the FDA within the first 30 days of marketing the supplement. The label must also display a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated the claim and that the supplement is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
If you are interested in taking a supplement, first establish your reason for taking it. What are you trying to prevent, achieve, or resolve? The amount of information available on supplements can be overwhelming, but there are a few steps you can take to be confident in your choice.
A seal from a third-party testing organization can help indicate that a dietary supplement has met specific manufacturing standards, such as uniformity, cleanliness, and freedom from toxic contaminants, pesticides, heavy metals, and other substances.
There are countless supplement companies and products on the market. Quality matters, so be sure to read the ingredients and any warnings or claims on the bottle as well as much independent research as possible. Using the above tips and discussing your needs with a health professional can help you make safer and more prudent supplement choices, protecting your health and well-being.
Last updated or reviewed on September 27, 2024
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