A dietary supplement is a formulation meant to supply various nutrients such as vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids and minerals. May be sometimes these nutrients are missing or cannot be consumed in the required quantity, in that case the dietary supplements fulfilled that gap. In some of the countries this dietary supplements are regarded as food while somewhere it is regarded as drug. In some countries the dietary supplements often includes the non-medicinal hormones and also herbal supplements as for example DHEA, melatonin, etc. The Codex Alimentarius Commission regard vitamin contained supplements as food. They also consider the dietary minerals in the category of food.

Dietary supplements can be taken in the form of pills, powders, capsules and liquids. Sometimes these supplements play a very important role in different types of health problem. The supplement of vitamin folic acid is very much important for the pregnant women. It helps in the growth of the baby and also it prevents some birth defects if there is any. A regime of Zinc and Vitamins is very much essential in body. It also helps in lowering the progression of the eye disease and 'age-related macular degeneration'.

Dietary supplements cannot claim that they can prevent any disease, cure or at least treat any one. It can never be the replacement for food i.e. if some one think that he or she is supplement so they should take any food, then no, they are wrong. Dietary supplements help some people getting the required amount of nutrients and also to maintain their health properly.

Precaution

Dietary supplement should be taken very safely. Doctor should always be informed about the supplement taken. The user should always go by the direction labeled in the bottle of strip. The dose should not be bigger or smaller. If it is bigger it can affect adversely while in case the dose is smaller it may not work properly. If some one is having side effects it should be stopped immediately. Before taking it adequate information should be collected about the product. Any sort of dietary supplements can prove as harmful if someone has undergone any surgical operation.

Some persons should always talk to their doctors before starting any dietary supplements and they are any pregnant woman, who are already taking any supplements or any other medicine, who are having surgery, who are having diabetes, who are having high blood pressure, and also who are having any other health problems.