For many people, dietary supplements are a normal part a daily routine. From Flintstones daily multivitamins for children to prenatal vitamins for people who are pregnant, there are vitamins out there targeting every age and need. However, do store-bought supplements actually do what they tout? Here is what you need to know about dietary supplements and what the best supplements are to consider taking.
Key Takeaways
- Supplements are meant to add essential nutrients that may be missing from your diet, not to treat, cure, or prevent disease.
- More isn’t always better. Taking supplements in large doses can be dangerous and should always be done under medical supervision.
- Supplement needs vary widely by age, diet, health conditions, and lifestyle. It’s best to consult a doctor before starting any new supplement.
What Are Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements add specific vitamins and minerals to your diet when you need more than just what your normal food supplies. They come in several different forms, including capsules, tablets, powders, gummies, and liquids. Dietary supplements are not intended to treat or prevent diseases and are generally taken to help improve health.
Health Benefits of Taking Dietary Supplements
When taking dietary supplements safely, you can reap many health benefits. For example, dietary supplements can be a great way to achieve daily goals for nutrients that can be difficult to consume enough of, like calcium.
Dietary supplements can also be helpful for people with certain diseases or health problems that may cause deficiency in certain nutrients, such as Crohn’s disease causing people to not be able to gain magnesium from food as easily. In cases like these, dietary supplements can be essential to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy.
Risks of Taking Dietary Supplements
As with any sort of medicine, there are risks to taking dietary supplements. Here are some things to consider before you start taking any supplements.
Dietary Supplements Are Not Approved by the Food and Drug Administration
The FDA does not have the authority to make any statement on the effectiveness or safety of any dietary supplements. Instead, it’s up to the manufacturers to test and compile evidence that their product is safe and effective. The only exception is when a dietary supplement contains a “new dietary ingredient,” that is not already present in the food supply.
Commonly Sold High Doses Can Be Harmful to Your Health
When it comes to things that are supposed to improve your health, many people think more is better. More exercise, more water, more green smoothies. But what about dietary supplements? Unfortunately, more does not necessarily mean better health benefits. In fact, taking high doses can be harmful to your body and can even defeat the purpose of taking the supplements in the first place. When starting a supplement, be sure to consult your doctor so they can help decide an appropriate dose for your needs.
Certain Supplements May Not Pair Well With Medications
Before starting a dietary supplement, you should always consult your physician, and this is especially true if you are on any sort of prescribed medications. Many supplements can interfere with medications, and your doctor will be able to help you determine which supplements you can take safely without any negative repercussions caused by mixing medications.
6 What are the Best Supplements to Take?
Unfortunately, knowing which dietary supplements are worth your money isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every person is unique and has their own needs and dietary habits that affect the types of vitamins supplements they may need. However, these are some of the different dietary supplements you may want to consider. Before adding any type of dietary supplement to your daily routine, be sure to consult your doctor to discuss dosage and if it’s something you truly need.
1. Vitamin B12
If you aren’t getting enough vitamin B12, it can lead to vitamin-deficiency anemia, which affects red blood cell formation and the functioning of the nervous system. The most common cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency is aging, but it can also be caused by vegetarian or vegan diets, small bowel disorder, or gastric surgery.
People over the age of 65 tend to produce less intrinsic factor, which is a glycoprotein required for metabolizing vitamin B12. People who take metformin for type 2 diabetes or medications like Prilosec or Nexium may also experience vitamin B12 deficiencies, so in cases like these, a vitamin B12 supplement can be a good addition to your diet.
2. Calcium
It can be difficult for most people to get the calcium they need just from diet alone, even when focusing on calcium-rich foods. Daily recommended calcium can be as high as 1,200 milligrams, which can mean drinking four cups of milk, eating 2.5 cups of yogurt, or eating anywhere from three to ten ounces of cheese daily. Because this isn’t realistic for most people, calcium supplements are extremely helpful. Post-menopausal women can find calcium supplements especially important because they are at higher risk for osteoporosis, which calcium can help with. However, calcium supplements won’t do much good if they aren’t paired with good absorption, which can be improved by pairing it with vitamin D. Check with your doctor about dosing recommendations as too much calcium can actually be harmful for your bones.
3. Folate or Folic Acid
Also known as vitamin B9, folate is an essential nutrient found in foods like dark leafy greens, beans, whole grains, and eggs. Folate can be made artificially, and when it is, it’s known as folic acid. Folate and folic acid is especially helpful for pregnant people as it helps prevent birth defects in babies, such as anencephaly and spina bifida. However, it’s helpful for all people, not just those who are expecting.
Folate and folic acid are also linked to decreased risk of certain cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma, mouth cancer, and throat cancer. It can also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease due to how it helps reduce the levels of homocysteine in your blood. Just be sure to hydrate effectively if you take it, as folate and folic acid can both cause constipation.
4. Fiber
Like calcium, fiber is another essential nutrient that most people do not get enough of in their daily diet. Good natural sources of fiber include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans, and fiber supplements can be very helpful when you aren’t getting enough of these in your diet.
Many fiber supplements, such as Metamucil, Culturelle, Benefiber, and more, contain what is known as psyllium, a prebiotic that feeds healthy gut bacteria. Psyllium and fiber supplements help with bowel regularity.
5. Magnesium
It’s estimated that half of United States citizens aren’t getting enough magnesium in their diets. Magnesium is naturally found in legumes, nuts, whole grains, and dark leafy greens. It helps regulate calcium and blood sugar levels, and it’s also necessary for your body to produce protein, among a long list of other functions that can’t happen without magnesium.
Crohn’s disease and other gastrointestinal conditions, kidney disease, chemotherapy, and alcohol addiction can all lead to magnesium deficiency, so a magnesium supplement can be especially helpful for people experiencing these conditions.
6. Vitamin D
Vitamin D can be a tricky one to talk about because it really depends on a lot of factors, such as diet, skin color, age, and even where you live.
The body produces vitamin D naturally when exposed to the sun, but as you age, it gets less efficient in that production. Thus, elderly people can end up with a vitamin D deficiency, which would be an excellent reason to incorporate vitamin D supplements into your diet.
Because vitamin D is produced from sun exposure, people with darker skin tones tend to have lower vitamin D levels than lighter-skinned people, and, on average, black people tend to have only half as much in their blood as light-skinned people.
Weight also plays a factor in vitamin D levels because it is stored in fat. And when it’s being stored, it isn’t being circulated through the blood, leading to lower levels overall.
If you live in one of the northern states or, in general, north of latitude 37°, you are naturally at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency because of how little sun there is during the winter months. If that applies to you, it may be a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement seasonally to combat the natural changes in sunlight.
However, it’s also important to remember that it’s possible to take too much vitamin D. Most people only need 600 to 800 IU (International Units) daily, but if you go to the store, you can easily find bottles with 4,000 or 5,000 IU capsules, which are designed specifically for people with more severe vitamin D deficiencies. If you want to incorporate vitamin D into your routine, be sure to consult your doctor before moving forward.
Which Dietary Supplements Can You Skip?
Before you write off any of these vitamins as useless, understand that they do have their places in certain diets. All people are unique in their needs, and some people may require certain supplements while others do not. If you think you may need a particular supplement, discuss it with your doctor.
That being said, these dietary supplements are often not needed by most people, as the nutrients they supply can be gotten very easily in most diets or they ultimately don’t perform very effectively outside very particular circumstances. Supplements are just that, a way to supplement your diet when you do not have enough in the foods you eat.
Vitamin C
Most people do not need a vitamin C supplement because it’s already so readily available in common foods people eat daily. If you drink a glass of orange juice or eat half a red bell pepper as a snack, either of those options will give you more than your daily required vitamin C. In fact, the only people who really need a vitamin C supplement are people who smoke cigarettes or live in a home with smokers, don’t eat fruits or vegetables regularly, or have specific diseases. If none of these apply to you, you probably don’t need to worry about taking a vitamin C supplement.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins are popular among people of all ages, and you may even remember being given a Flintstone vitamin in the morning before school when you were a kid. However, there is currently no evidence that multivitamins lead to any long-term benefits or improve overall health in people who aren’t already vitamin deficient, and the United States Preventive Task Force does not recommend them.
Collagen
When you see collagen supplements at the store, it’s actually a little misleading. There are 28 different types of collagen, and each of them focuses on various parts of the body. For example, Type I is found in the skin, bone, and ligaments, while Type V is found on cell surfaces, hair, and the placenta. So, when you take a collagen supplement, you need to know what you want it to affect.
However, even if you know which type of collagen you’re looking for, studies have shown that vitamin C is essential for collagen to work effectively and is even added to most collagen supplements on the market. Vitamin C may even be more effective in helping achieve the effects you want out of collagen supplements than the collagen itself.
Limited FDA Oversight and Quality Control Issues
One of the most important things to understand about dietary supplements is that they operate under much looser regulations than prescription medications. The FDA does not require supplements to undergo the same rigorous testing and approval process that drugs must complete before reaching store shelves. This regulatory gap creates several potential problems for consumers.
Inaccurate Labeling and Ingredient Claims
Without strict oversight, some supplement manufacturers may not always provide accurate information about what’s actually in their products. Studies have found that certain supplements contain different amounts of active ingredients than what’s listed on the label—sometimes significantly more or less than advertised. This inconsistency can be particularly problematic if you’re relying on a specific dosage for health reasons or trying to avoid taking too much of a particular nutrient.
Some products may also contain unlisted ingredients, including fillers, contaminants, or even prescription drug compounds that shouldn’t be in over-the-counter supplements. In rare cases, supplements have been found to contain heavy metals, bacteria, or other harmful substances that pose health risks.
Exaggerated Health Claims
Because supplement companies don’t need to prove their products work before selling them, marketing claims can sometimes be misleading or overstated. While the FDA does prohibit companies from claiming their supplements can treat, cure, or prevent specific diseases, the line between acceptable marketing language and medical claims can be blurry. Phrases like “supports immune health” or “promotes heart wellness” are common but may not be backed by solid scientific evidence for that particular product.
This means that a supplement promising dramatic health benefits may not deliver the results you’re expecting, and you might end up spending money on products that don’t provide the nutritional support they claim to offer. Always look for third-party testing certifications and consult with healthcare professionals when evaluating supplement claims.
How to Find High-Quality Supplements
Despite these regulatory challenges, there are ways to identify more reliable supplement products. The most important thing to look for is third-party testing certification. Third-party testing means an independent laboratory has verified that the supplement contains what the label says it contains and has checked for harmful contaminants.
Look for seals or certifications from reputable organizations like NSF International, USP (United States Pharmacopeia), or ConsumerLab.com on supplement bottles. These organizations test products independently and only award their certification to supplements that meet strict quality standards for purity, potency, and accurate labeling.
You should also research the manufacturer’s reputation and look for companies that are transparent about their manufacturing processes and quality control measures. Reputable supplement companies often provide detailed information about where their ingredients are sourced and how their products are tested. When in doubt, ask your healthcare provider for recommendations on trusted supplement brands they’ve seen work well for their patients.
Should You Take Dietary Supplements?
While dietary supplements can be valuable tools for addressing specific nutritional gaps and supporting overall health, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution and should not replace a balanced diet. Understanding your individual needs is essential before incorporating any supplements into your routine. When used wisely and with guidance from your doctor, the best supplements can complement your diet and help you maintain optimal health.
Vitamins and Supplements FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are Symptoms of Taking Too Many Dietary Supplements?
Symptoms of too many vitamins and minerals will vary depending on the supplement in question, but common symptoms can include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fatigue, drowsiness, constipation, elevated heart rate, and high blood pressure. If you encounter any unfamiliar symptoms while taking a dietary supplement, it’s best to contact your doctor as soon as possible.
What Happens When You Start Taking Vitamins?
The effects you feel after starting to take dietary supplements will depend on the ones you take, but here are some things you may notice:
- Higher energy levels
- Better short-term memory
- Stronger immune system
- Better athletic performance
- Healthier skin
These aren’t necessarily guaranteed when you start taking a supplement, but it is possible that you will gain these health benefits.
