National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Dietary Supplements is the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements are vitamins, minerals, herbs, and many other products. They can come as pills, capsules, powders, drinks, and energy bars. Supplements do not have to go through the testing that drugs do.
Some supplements can play an important role in health. For example, calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones strong. Pregnant women can take the vitamin folic acid to prevent certain birth defects in their babies.
To take a supplement as safely as possible
- Tell your health care provider about any dietary supplements you use
- Do not take a bigger dose than the label recommends
- Check with your health care provider about the supplements you take if you are going to have any type of surgery
- Read trustworthy information about the supplement
NIH: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
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Start Here
- Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know(Food and Drug Administration)
- Also available in Spanish
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Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Using Dietary Supplements Wisely(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- Also available in Spanish
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
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Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD)(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
- FDA 101: Dietary Supplements(Food and Drug Administration)
- MedlinePlus: Herbs and Supplements
- Also available in Spanish
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Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
- Also available in Spanish
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Time To Talk About Dietary Supplements: 5 Things Consumers Need To Know(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Latest News
- Flaxseed No Help for Kids with High Cholesterol(06/03/2013, Reuters Health)
- Glucosamine Supplements Tied to Risk of Eye Condition(05/23/2013, HealthDay)
- Supplement Builds Strength in Fibromyalgia Trial(05/03/2013, Reuters Health)
- Stimulant Potentially Dangerous to Health, FDA Warns (DMAA -dimethylamylamine)(04/12/2013, Food and Drug Administration)
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Specific Conditions
- Acai Berry Products: Do They Have Health Benefits?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Aristolochic Acids(National Toxicology Program)
- PDF
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Botanical Dietary Supplements: Background Information(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Colloidal Silver Products(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Omega-3 Supplements: An Introduction(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Oral Probiotics(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe): An Introduction(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- Trace Elements: What They Do and Where to Get Them(Texas Heart Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Related Issues
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Alerts and Advisories(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy(Food and Drug Administration)
- Also available in Spanish
- Beware of Fraudulent 'Dietary Supplements'(Food and Drug Administration)
- Also available in Spanish
- Dietary Supplements: How to Know What Is Safe(American Cancer Society)
- Percent Daily Value: What Does It Mean?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Taking Dietary Supplements with Heart, Blood Pressure, or Cholesterol Medicines: A Review of the Research for Adults(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
- Who Needs Supplements?(InteliHealth, Harvard Medical School)
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Alerts and Advisories
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Videos
- Herbal Dietary Supplements: Examples of Deceptive or Questionable Marketing Practices and Potentially Dangerous Advice(Government Accountability Office)
- Herbal Supplements and Anesthesia(American Society of Anesthesiologists)
- Warning on Body Building Products(Food and Drug Administration)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Trace Elements(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Dietary Supplements(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Trace Elements
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Research
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Children and Dietary Supplements(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Herbal Dietary Supplements: Examples of Deceptive or Questionable Marketing Practices and Potentially Dangerous Advice
(Government Accountability Office)
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Children and Dietary Supplements
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effect of nutrient supplementation on atopic dermatitis in children: a...
- Article: New safety concerns over supplement powders for infants in Pakistan.
- Article: Effects of mixed dietary supplements on total plasma homocysteine concentrations...
- Dietary Supplements -- see more articles
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Directories
- Find a Registered Dietitian(Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
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Organizations
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Law and Policy
- FDA 101: How to Use the Consumer Complaint System and MedWatch(Food and Drug Administration)
- Frequently Asked Questions about USP Verification Program for Dietary Supplements(United States Pharmacopeial Convention)
- Responses to Questions about Codex and Dietary Supplements(Food and Drug Administration)
- USP Verified Dietary Supplements(United States Pharmacopeial Convention)
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Statistics
- Dietary Supplement Use Among U.S. Adults Has Increased Since NHANES III (1988-1994)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Children
- Dietary Supplements for Toddlers(American Academy of Pediatrics)
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Time to Talk: 5 Things to Know about Dietary Supplements and Children(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Time to Talk: 5 Things To Know About Safety of Dietary Supplements for Children and Teens(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- Vitamin Supplements and Children(American Academy of Pediatrics)
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Teenagers
- Sports Supplements(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Seniors
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Dietary Supplements(National Institute on Aging)
- Tips for Older Dietary Supplement Users(Food and Drug Administration)
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Dietary Supplements
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Patient Handouts
- Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know(Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
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