Americans spend billions of dollars each year on vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Dietary supplements can help with good nutrition. But many people take them without knowing enough to make sure they get the best results. Find out how much you know about dietary supplements by taking this quiz.
1. Eating a variety of foods each day can give you many of the vitamins and minerals you need for good health.
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A balanced diet includes 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables each day, according to the USDA. Food is the best source of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other nutrients.
2. A supplement can better protect you against cancer than eating foods with the same nutrients.
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Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and other fresh foods can protect against long-term disease. This includes cancer. Food has hundreds of nutrients that supplements do not.
3. You should always buy a name-brand supplement.
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Generic brands are most often cheaper and work just as well, experts say.
4. Natural supplements are better than manmade supplements.
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Manmade and natural supplements are basically the same, except for price. "Natural" supplements generally cost more.
5. Check the expiration date before buying a supplement.
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Look for supplements with an expiration date that's at least 1 year away.
6. Choose a supplement with the USP or NSF symbol on the label. Or choose products that have passed ConsumerLab testing.
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The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), NSF International, and ConsumerLab approve supplements that have passed tests. These tests are for:
Purity. This means it does not have any contaminants;.
Potency. This means it meets the label claim for the strength of the product.
Availability. This means it will dissolve properly in your body.
7. Choose a vitamin-mineral product with no more than 100% of the Daily Value of each nutrient. Take no more than the recommended dose.
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Taking higher doses of certain vitamins and minerals make it more likely that you will have side effects. The higher doses may also interact with other medicines you might be taking.
8. Vegetarians who eat no animal products may need additional vitamin B12 and other nutrients.
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Fortified cereals are also a good source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians who eat no meat, eggs, or dairy products.
9. It's safe to take a dietary supplement without your doctor's approval.
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Vitamins and especially herbal supplements can interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Telling your doctor what you intend to take can help him or her check for such problems.
10. Most adults can get all the calcium they need in their diet to prevent osteoporosis.
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Because of the diet they choose, most adults need a calcium supplement to get the recommended 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium daily.
11. Check with your doctor before taking vitamins if you have a chronic or serious health problem.
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In general, it's best to check with your doctor before taking any supplement. But this is especially true if you have a chronic health problem. If you have any of these conditions, talk with your doctor about taking a B12 or other supplement:
Pernicious anemia
Intestinal disease or disorder
Lower than normal amount of stomach acid
12. Store supplements out of the reach of children.
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Supplements that contain iron are the most common cause of poisoning deaths among children.