Supplement is a term that means products made of one or more of the fundamental nutrients, for example vitamins, minerals, and proteins. It provides you with some specific (or a mix of) vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, metabolites, etc. You can purchase supplements that contain separate vitamins or minerals, or some kind of mix of vitamins and minerals.



Supplement – quality products.

Consumers who are using some type of supplement need to always read supplement product labels, follow all directions, and pay attention to all warnings. Consult with your doctor to make sure that you use the right supplement. Nowadays you can purchase some type of supplement without the prescription in health food stores, grocery stores, drug stores, or through mail or Internet. You can also get a good discount on some supplements.

Supplement – be careful.

You need to be careful when you are shopping for some type of supplement. There are many fake supplements that are sold nowadays. But that doesn’t mean that all the supplements are fake. "The majority of supplement manufacturers are responsible and careful," FDA's Yetley says. Consumers should still do the search for the right supplement with care, making sure they have the necessary information and consulting with their doctors and other health professionals.

Supplement – claims.

According to FDA, manufacturers can use structure-function claims without FDA authorization. They base their claims on their review and interpretation of the scientific literature. These claims must be accompanied with the disclaimer "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."