Dietary supplement

"Food supplement" redirects here. For food additions that alter the flavor, color or longevity of food, see Food additive.
This article is about supplemental nutrients and similar substances. For herbal medicine, see Herbal supplement.

A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet in the form of a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients that are either extracted from food sources or are synthesized (to increase the quantity of their consumption). The classes of nutrient compounds in supplements include vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, and amino acids. Dietary supplements may also contain substances that have not been confirmed as being essential to life, such as plant pigments or polyphenols, and so, by definition, are not necessarily nutrients. However, they may still be marketed as having a beneficial biological effect. Animals can also be a source of supplement ingredients; for example, collagen may be extracted from chickens or fish. Supplements are sold in multiple doses, ranging from one time usage to entire courses. They may also be enhanced with nutrient ingredients.

In the United States, the supplement industry was estimated to have a value of $151.9 billion in 2021. There are more than 95,000 dietary supplement products marketed in the United States, and about 60% of the American adult population consumes dietary supplements, 74% among Americans over the age of 60. Multivitamins are the most commonly used product among types of dietary supplements. The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that some supplements may help provide essential nutrients or support overall health and performance for those with limited dietary variety.

In the United States, it is against federal regulations for supplement manufacturers to claim that their products prevent or treat any disease. Companies are allowed to use what is referred to as "Structure/Function" wording if there is substantiation of scientific evidence for a supplement providing a potential health effect. An example would be "_____ helps maintain healthy joints", but the label must bear a disclaimer that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "has not evaluated the claim" and that the dietary supplement product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease", because only a medication can legally make such a claim. The FDA enforces these regulations as well as prohibiting the sale of supplements and supplement ingredients that are dangerous, or supplements not made according to standardized good manufacturing practices (GMPs).

The European Commission has established harmonized rules to help insure that food supplements in the European Union are safe and appropriately labeled.

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