2. Where Can One go to Find information
on The Use of Supplements?
First make sure to speak with your doctor or pharmacist to
ensure what you want is safe (nlm.nih.gov, n.d.).
Do not forget about websites like the one sited above. The
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
has an endless amount of information.
This would even include the definition of what a
supplement actually is.
3. It is intended to supplement one’s diet.
It has one or more dietary ingredients within it.
It is supposed to be taken orally.
It is labeled indicating that they are supplements
(nlm.nih.gov, n.d.).
4. One could also use the internet to locate reviews such as
the one I located, which was entitled Regulatory alerts for
dietary supplements in Canada and the United States,
2005-13.
This was used to help educate on the regulatory alerts for
certain supplements.
Listed what was flagged, why it was flagged, and where it
cam from if available (Abe, Hein, & Gregory, 2015).
5. You also have the USDA website to use.
Makes some general information available to you as well
as some resources.
Also informs you on regulations that may be in place,
some reports, as well as warnings.
Even a section with herbal information (fnic.nal.usda.gov,
n.d.).
6. Resources
Again talk with you doctor or pharmacist
Do not for get to use the Internet
Some websites include usda.gov, medical journals or
reviewed articles like the one cited earlier or American
Journal of Health-System Pharmacy which is located
online at ajhp.org to name a few.
You can also use those in the industry, people working at
GNC, or The Vitamin shop for instance can help.
7. My Recommendations
Remember that they are not meant to replace food.
It is all in the name, they supplement the diet
Make sure they are labeled for as dietary supplements
(nlm.nih.gov, n.d.).
8. Talk with your doctor in you are on other medication, you
never know what can happen when mixing things
(nlm.nih.gov, n.d.).
Keep in mind that just because you can buy them that does
not make them safe, alerts and advisories are always
issued. One place to check is with the FDA, this can be
done online as I found it at fda.gov.
9. Precautions to Remember
I would ask you to seek counsel from healthcare
professionals (fnic.nal.usda.gov, n.d.).
Do all you can to stay on top of warnings and alerts that
are issued, such was the warning that dietary supplements
with silver could cause permanent skin and mucus
membrane discoloration (fda.gov, n.d.).
Do not use it to replace food, use it in addition to what you
eat (nlm.nih.gov, n.d.).
10. Please always remember, they are not magic
and they are not poison. If you use them to
supplement what you are short on whether it be
protein or vitamin B12 it can in my opinion
help.
11. Works Cited
FAQ: Dietary Supplements, complementary, or Alternative
medicines. (n.d.). Retrieved on August 23, 2015, from
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/dietsup.html
Dietary and Herbal Supplements. (n.d.). Retrieved on August
23, 2015, from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/supplements
12. Abe, A. M., Hein, D. J., & Gregory, P. J. (2015). Regulatory alerts for dietary
Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). Retrieved on August 23, 2015,
from https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-supplements
Safety Alerts and Advisories. (n.d.). Retrieved on August 23, 2015, from
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Safety
AlertsAdvisories/default.htm
supplements in Canada and the United States, 2005-13. American Journal
Of Health-System Pharmacy, 72(11), 966-971. doi:10.2146/ajhp140574
