Dietary and Herbal Supplements
Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs. Most people acknowledge that these things are somehow important to overall health and well-being, but there is often some confusion as to exactly how and what these words actually mean.
The aforementioned ingredients are most often the words seen when referring to dietary and herbal supplements. Dietary and herbal supplements are intended to complement one’s diet and contain one or several of the aforementioned ingredients but do not make up an entire meal alone. These supplements can be used to treat illnesses, contribute to weight loss, or improve overall health.
Introduction to Dietary Supplements - Safety - Herbs at a Glance - Successful Clinical Trials
Introduction to Dietary Supplements
Dietary and herbal supplements can be a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on these subjects. Here are a few introductory links:
- The Institute of Medicine offers a reference list for dietary intakes of macronutrients. Macronutrients include items such as cholesterol, carbohydrates, protein, fats, and water.
- The Office of Dietary Supplements provides information on botanical dietary supplements. This department also defines botanicals as plants that are useful in medicine and therapy. Furthermore, herbs fall under the botanical category.
- The Federal Trade Commission published a short article on alternative medicine and the resources available to find out more information on such medicines. The article also lists contact information for departments that provide credible information on the validity of certain alternative and conventional medicines.
- The National Consumers League offers a published consumer guide to dietary supplements. The guide includes tips to consider before using dietary supplements as well as information on how dietary supplements are regulated.
- Colorado State University, South Campus, offers a database of poisonous plants with textual information as well as photos to aid in the identification of these plants. Some common herbs appear on this list.
Safety
Before taking either dietary or herbal supplements it is important to consider the possible effects these items could have on one’s health. Here are a few links to detailed sources of safety information:
- The U.S. Pharmacopeia offers a list of verified dietary supplements by brand. The same page offers links to information on the USP’s verification process and various other resources.
- The American Cancer Society has a wealth of information on dietary supplements and safety specifically for cancer treatment. The site includes links to information on FDA regulation as well as risks and side effects, among other things.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers information on safety and responsibility with regard to dietary supplements. Information includes regulations on listing ingredients and FDA oversight.
- The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that of the thousands of studies performed on dietary supplements, the top funded efforts involve studies on vitamins, minerals, and botanicals. The article also includes estimates of the amount of funding put toward those studies.
- The State of New York offers an extensive resource with information on the safety of dietary supplements as well as evidence of risks and benefits.
Herbs at a Glance
As with many things on the market, there is an abundance of different types of herbs used for dietary supplements. The following links can help make learning about specific herbs less overwhelming:
- The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine offers an extensive list of various herbs with accompanying information. There is even a link to order a free booklet detailing the same information.
- The American Academy of Family Physicians features an article entitled "Common Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss." The article details information on common supplements used and their effects on users.
- Medline Plus, provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, is another place to find an extensive list of dietary and herbal supplements, along with information on their uses and effectiveness.
- The Mayo Clinic offers information on dietary and herbal supplements as they pertain to nutrition and health. The site also features articles on various types of supplements and their supposed benefits.
- The New York Times featured an article by Gina Kolata on the effects of too much vitamin D and calcium. The article discusses that trying to achieve the recommended levels of vitamin D and calcium may do more harm than good, since these levels are near impossible to achieve without the use of supplements.
- FamilyDoctor.org features an informative section dedicated to information about herbs and herbal medicine on the website. The page provides information on what supplements are available, as well as the safety information.
- The Herb Research Foundation is an organization dedicated to the research on herbs and their uses. The website features informative articles on recent developments and discoveries with herbs around the world.
Successful Clinical Trials
Before dietary and herbal supplements can be marketed to the general public, they must first be tested for safety and possible adverse effects. One of the final stages of testing is to conduct clinical trials that consist of asking participants to try supplements while the results are documented.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information has stated that the supplements glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate were found more successful in treating osteoarthritis than previously prescribed drugs. The study also monitored levels of other vitamins and minerals present during the trials.
- Clinicaltrials.gov offers information on dietary calcium supplements that raise lead levels in blood during pregnancy. The trial participants were women in their first trimester of a healthy pregnancy.
- Danisco Dietary Supplements, a prominent producer of dietary supplements, offers information on successful clinical trials of its products. Supplements range from immune system enhancements to cholesterol-lowering drugs.
- National Institutes of Health funded University of Illinois at Chicago’s Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research, which focuses mainly on dietary supplements that promote women’s health. The center performed trials on black cohosh and used this ingredient as a model for the way supplements are researched.
- The U.S. Government’s Clinical Trials website shows an ongoing study on the effects of dietary supplements with and without exercise on participants aged 55 and older. The only restrictions placed on participants, other than age, was that they had to be assessed as healthy by conducting physicians.