Staying Active and Eating Healthy - Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins and Supplements

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 states that most people should be able to meet their nutrient needs, including those for vitamins and minerals, by eating healthy foods. Eating healthy foods is important not only because they contain vitamins and minerals but also because they contain other compounds, such as antioxidants, that may have beneficial effects on health.

Some people do not or cannot get enough vitamins and minerals through eating. For these people, taking vitamin and mineral supplements or eating foods fortified with vitamins and minerals may be useful. For example:

Women who may become pregnant or who are in the first trimester of pregnancy may need more folic acid. Women who don't get enough folic acid early in pregnancy are more likely to have babies with defects involving the brain or spinal cord.

People over age 50 may need more vitamin B12.

Older adults, people with dark skin, and people with limited sun exposure may need more vitamin D.

Healthy people who are already consuming the recommended amount of a nutrient in food will not achieve additional health benefits by also taking the nutrient in a supplement or in fortified food. In some cases, they may wind up taking too much of a nutrient and experience toxic effects. Taking too much vitamin A, for example, may cause liver problems and taking too much vitamin D may cause abnormal heart rhythms. You should talk to your doctor before taking extra vitamins and minerals.

Additional Information on Vitamins and Supplements:

Publications

Botanical Dietary Supplements - This article explains the safety and standards of botanical (or herbal) dietary supplements.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BotanicalBackground.asp

Botanical Supplement Fact Sheets - This site provides an A-Z list of the common botanical supplements that are available. It links to Federal sources on the guidelines and use of each supplement.

http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/Botanical_Supplements...

Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age - This publication contains information on why vitamin D and calcium are important for your health and your bones.

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Nutrition/default.asp

Dietary Supplements - Tips for the Savvy Supplement User - Making Informed Decisions and Evaluating Information - This comprehensive publication discusses points to consider before starting the use of a dietary supplement, such as possible interactions with prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Also discussed are tips on searching the Web for information on dietary supplements, as well as information on who is responsible for assuring the safety and efficacy of supplements.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-savvy.html

Dietary Supplements Labels Database - The Dietary Supplements Labels Database offers information about ingredients contained in more than two thousand selected brands of dietary supplements. It enables users to determine what ingredients are in specific brands and how to compare ingredients in different brands. Information is also provided on the health benefits claimed by manufacturers.

http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov/dietary/

Dietary Supplements: Background Information - This online publication explains what is considered a dietary supplement and how dietary supplements are regulated.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DietarySupplements.asp

Fortify Your Knowledge About Vitamins - This fact sheet contains specific information on the different types of vitamins including their risks, benefits, safety and how much vitamins your body really needs.

http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/vitamins111907.html

Frequently Asked Questions: The Basics About Folic Acid - The purpose of this question and answer sheet is to educate women of childbearing age on the importance of consuming 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. This, in turn, will reduce the risk of spina bifida by 50%-70%.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/faqs.htm

Herbal Supplements: Consider Safety, Too - Herbal supplements are a type of dietary supplement that contain herbs, either singly or in mixtures. An herb (also called a botanical) is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, and/or therapeutic properties.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/supplement-safety/

Vitamin A and Bone Health - This fact sheet explains how much vitamin A you need, how it affects your bones, how too much can be harmful, and what foods contain vitamin A.

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Nutrition/vitamin_a.asp

Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets - This internet site links to fact sheets on essential vitamins and minerals. Each fact sheet explains what the vitamin or mineral is, what the dietary recommendation is, and what foods contain it.

http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/Vitamin_and_Mineral_S...

What Dietary Supplements Are You Taking? Does Your Health Care Provider Know? It Matters, And Here's Why - This brochure discusses the importance of understanding what type of dietary supplements you are taking as well as how to relay this information to your doctor. It also includes three tools to help you and your doctor manage your dietary supplement and medicine intake.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/pubs/partnersbrochure.asp

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of December 2006