About Diet Supplements

A diet supplement is a mineral, vitamin, amino acid, herbal remedy or other dietary substance that is prepared in pharmaceutical form. In effect, it is purposed to supplement nutrients that may be absent or lacking in one's daily food consumption. By law, diet supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.

Types

Diet supplements typically consist of extracts or concentrates, and are available in a number of pharmaceutical forms, to be taken by mouth. These include tablets, capsules, soft gels, gel caps, liquids and powders. They can also be in other forms, such as a bar, in which case they must be clearly labeled as a diet supplement rather than a food item.

Significance

Whatever form they are produced in, the FDA places diet supplements in their "food" rather than drug category. It also requires that each supplement that is sold be so labeled. As such, no diet supplement can be marketed as an individual item in a meal or diet, or described as a conventional food.

Considerations

Based on the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, the claims that diet supplements are allowed to make are limited to health claims, nutrient claims and functional/structural claims that are broad in scope. Under this law, a supplement's manufacturer is held responsible for the safety and efficacy of the supplements that they produce.

Function

Legally, the DSHEA prohibits the marketing of diet supplements for use as drugs claiming to cure specific illnesses. As such, any diet supplement product that claims curative value in treating any disease or condition is thus considered an illegal drug. The manufacturer may, however, describe the link between the product substance and a disease or health-related condition. An example would be that "glucosamine helps support health joints." Before making the claim, the FDA must be notified within 30 days of the supplements' first use and every such claim has to be substantiated.

Warning

It is essential that you consult with your doctor or other health care professional before you begin to take diet supplements. Manufacturers are not required to seek prior approval but are merely made responsible for the accuracy and truthfulness of the claims about their products. For this reason, when making function/structure claims, they are required to place a disclaimer in the label that says, "the FDA hasn't evaluated this claim." Furthermore, the disclaimer must also state the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease," because only approved drugs can legally make such a claim.