Published May 1, 2023

Many adults and children take one or more dietary supplements.¹ Many people take these supplements to make sure they get enough essential nutrients and to maintain or improve their health. But does everyone need to take supplements?

What are supplements?

Supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, probiotics, fish oil, and other substances. Dietary supplements come in various forms, including tablets, capsules, gummies, powders, drinks, and energy bars. Popular supplements include vitamins D and B12; minerals like calcium and iron, herbs such as echinacea and garlic, and products like glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils.²

Understanding supplement regulation.

Dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). DSHEA is a federal statute that defines what dietary supplements are and includes guidelines on how they should be sold and regulated. The FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements or their labeling before they are sold to the public. The FDA’s role in regulating dietary supplements primarily begins after products enter the marketplace. If a product is found to be unsafe or not otherwise in compliance with the law, the FDA can work with the company to bring the product into compliance or possibly remove it from the market.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates dietary supplement advertising, as it does for all consumer products, by enforcing truth-in-advertising laws. It applies the same standards across all forms of advertising, whether print or digital. Federal law requires that ads must be truthful, not misleading, and backed by scientific evidence, especially when health claims are used. Dietary supplements cannot claim to treat, cure, mitigate, diagnose, or prevent disease.³

Who may benefit from a supplement?

In general, if you eat a balanced diet, you may not need to take supplements. Supplements cannot replicate all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods. But certain groups may benefit from taking supplements:

• Women may benefit from supplements at the various stages of their lives.
• Vitamin B12 absorption decreases with age, so adults 50 and over may need to take a supplement.
• People with poor appetites or who have trouble getting nutritious foods.
• Men and women who follow a diet that excludes entire food groups, such as vegans or vegetarians, may benefit from B12 supplements, as they don’t get enough from foods.
• People who have a medical condition affecting how their body digests nutrients, such as chronic diarrhea, food allergies, food intolerance, or a disease of the liver, gallbladder, intestines, or pancreas.
• Those who have had a surgery on their digestive tract affecting how their bodies digest nutrients.
• Competitive or recreational athletes looking to boost performance.

Tips for choosing a supplement.

Find out your needs. Check out a free online calculator* from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) to get a list of all vitamins and minerals and how much you need per day. Your needs are personalized based on your age, height, and weight.

Assess your diet. Before considering a supplement, get an idea of what nutrients you get from foods, including fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and beverages. Remember to count these foods when analyzing your diet. This will help you determine if you might need a supplement.

Do the research. Just because a supplement claims to be good for brain health doesn’t mean it’s proven to show that benefit. The Office of Dietary Supplements has fact sheets* on supplements, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has fact sheets* on herbs.

Consult with your healthcare professional. They can help you determine which supplements, if any, might be valuable for you. Some supplements may interact with medications that you take.

Check out the label. The supplement facts label includes the serving size, number of servings per container, and amount of each nutrient it contains. For vitamins and minerals, the percent daily value (%DV) is listed. Keep in mind this is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which may or may not apply to your needs. In some cases, supplements may contain more than 100% of the daily value (DV) for certain nutrients. It’s important not to exceed the tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), which is defined as the maximum daily intake that’s unlikely to cause adverse symptoms or side effects. Check out the UL for vitamins* and minerals.* The active ingredients as well as fillers, binders, and flavoring are listed in order of predominance, with those present in the highest amounts listed first.

Look for certifications. Several independent third-party organizations conduct quality testing on supplements to determine if what is on the label is in the bottle and that the product does not contain high levels of contaminants, such as heavy metals. Organizations that offer quality testing include:

• ConsumerLab.com
• NSF International
• US Pharmacopeia

How we can help.

Our selection of vitamins and supplements contain an assortment of brands that cover a range of supplemental needs and lifestyles. And in select stores, we have body care specialists to help answer your questions and find products that best suit you.

The bottom line.

It’s possible to get all of the nutrients you need by eating a balanced diet, so you may not need to take supplements. But supplements can be useful for filling in dietary gaps.

Also, for certain groups such as women, supplements may be beneficial. But remember to add nutrient-dense foods in your meals and snacks. Try our Publix Aprons® recipes, including One-Pan Salmon with Warm Bean Salad and Green Summer Rolls with Mango-Chili Dipping Sauce. And always talk to your medical professional first before trying a supplement.

For the love of you.

Choosing how you eat is uniquely personal. It’s about your needs, your preferences, and your goals. As your wellness ally, we’re in your corner with fresh ideas, recipes, and wellness icons that make it easier to shift toward wiser food choices. It’s all about you, at your very best.

Sources

¹ Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know. National Institutes of Health. January 4, 2023.

² U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know. National Institutes of Health (NIH): Office of Dietary Supplements. January 24, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WYNTK-Consumer.

³ Understanding Dietary Supplements. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. May 2022.

*By clicking certain links in this article, you will leave publix.com and enter outside websites that Publix does not operate or control.