A dietary supplement (also known as food supplement) is a preparation intended to supply nutrients (such as vitamins minerals, fatty acids or amino acids) that are missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet.



"DSHEA" or Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act is an act defining dietary or nutritional supplements as products taken by mouth, containing ingredients intended to supplement the natural diet. These ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, 'botanicals' (plant extracts), amino acids or other substances to increase the nutrition in the diet.

Health supplements are specially made pills, powders or syrups which offer extra nourishment or medicinal benefits. If taken along with a healthy diet, these supplements can go a long way producing excellent health effects

Assuring the qualities of herbs and integrating them with vitamins, minerals and special extracts has led to the birth of these health care supplements which have, in a way, a boon the medicinal industry.

Healthcare supplements are accompanied with a complete list of ingredients, applications and advantages. Minimal or no side effects have made the common person self-sufficient with regard to consuming health supplements. Apart from beauty and weight-related remedies, various healthcare supplements also offer highly effective treatment options for a large number of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, arthritis, high cholesterol, asthma, migraines and many more.

Healthcare supplements available over the counter usually claim the presence of important nutrients that promise effectiveness of the product. Here is a guide to deciphering what they mean when they say:

?"Amino acids" -- Building blocks of protein, the substance that makes up a large portion of the human body. They are single unit of protein

?"Antioxidants" -- Substances that block or inhibit free radicals- molecules that speed up the aging process and contribute to illness.

?"Minerals" -- Natural, inorganic elements like calcium, iron, selenium and zinc.

?"Vitamins" -- Natural, organic compounds given letter designations (A, B1 to B12, C, D, E, K).

It is important to consult a health practitioner before consuming health care supplements to ensure they do not affect existing illnesses.