Health > Food, Nutrition & Metabolism > Vitamin & Mineral Supplements

Using Dietary Supplements Wisely

Complementary Medicine — Dietary Supplements Research at the National Institutes of Health Many people take dietary supplements in an effort to be well and stay healthy. With so many dietary supplements available and so many claims made about their health benefits, how ...More…

Before Using Dietary Supplements

News in Health — The world of dietary supplements is getting more and more complicated. People aren't just taking vitamins and minerals anymore. Now, things like glucosamine, saw palmetto, black cohosh and ginkgo biloba are crowding onto shelves beside old ...More…

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

Office of Dietary Supplements — Who else may need a vitamin B12 supplement to prevent a deficiency? What is the relationship between vitamin B12 homocysteine, and cardiovascular disease? Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases ...More…

Vitamins, Anti-Bacterials May Prevent Stomach Cancer

National Institutes of Health (Cancer) — Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and an anti-bacterial treatment may -- singly or in combination -- help prevent stomach (gastric) cancer, according to a long-term clinical trial involving more than 600 people at high risk of developing the disease. The ...More…

Health Information

Office of Dietary Supplements — How To Evaluate Health Information on the Internet: Questions and Answers (ODS) White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy FDA Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Dietary Supplements CARDS -- Computer Access to ...More…

Zinc Deficiency Linked to Increased Risk of Less-Common ...

National Cancer Institute — Dietary deficiency of zinc, an essential mineral, has been associated with esophageal cancer in rodents. So far, though, examining this association in humans has been hampered by the difficulty of measuring zinc levels in the body through ...More…

Dietary Supplements: More is Not Always Better

National Institute of Aging — Ads for supplements seem to promise to make you feel better, keep you from getting sick, or even help you live longer. Often there is little, if any, scientific support for these claims. In fact, some supplements can hurt you. Others are a waste ...More…

What Dietary Supplements Are You Taking?

Office of Dietary Supplements — With the abundance of conflicting information available about dietary supplements, it is more important than ever to talk with your doctor and other health care providers (dietitian, nurse, pharmacist, etc.) to help you sort the reliable ...More…

Dietary Supplements: Background Information

Office of Dietary Supplements — What claims can manufacturers make for dietary supplements and drugs? Does a label indicate the quality of a dietary supplement product? What are some additional sources of information on dietary supplements? A new dietary ingredient is a dietary ...More…

Vitamin E Fact Sheet

Office of Dietary Supplements — Vitamin E is found naturally in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. "Vitamin E" is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble compounds with distinctive antioxidant activities [1]. Naturally occurring vitamin ...More…

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D

Office of Dietary Supplements — There is considerable discussion of the serum concentrations of 25(OH)D associated with deficiency (e.g., rickets), adequacy for bone health, and optimal overall health (Table 1). A concentration of <20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) (or <50 ...More…

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B6

Office of Dietary Supplements — What is the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin B6 for adults? What is the relationship between vitamin B6, homocysteine, and heart disease? Hemoglobin within red blood cells carries oxygen to tissues. Your body needs vitamin B6 to make ...More…