safe dietary supplements
safe dietary supplements are an important topic in health and wellness. Learn more about safe dietary supplements here.
Read more about safe dietary supplements
Vitamins and dietary supplements line the shelves of every drugstore and health aisle, promising health benefits from better sleep to sharper focus and stronger bones. But while these products may seem like an easy path to better health, they are more complex than advertised. Supplements are not one-size-fits-all solutions. In some cases, supplements and vitamins may do more harm than good. It’s important to understand which are the best vitamins for better health and how to choose safe dietary supplements.
When Supplements Are Necessary
“Supplements should fill gaps, not replace real food,” said Dr. Kay Durst, a family medicine physician with Roper St. Francis with a focus on lifestyle medicine and preventive health. “Overall, eating healthy and exercise with aerobic and weight-bearing components help control chronic disease. Supplements are important tools but not universally required for everyone.”
For healthy individuals who eat a varied, nutrient-rich diet – think colorful vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats – vitamin and mineral needs are met mainly through food. The body also tends to absorb nutrients from food more efficiently than from pills. That said, vitamins and supplements can be essential during certain stages of life, medical conditions and dietary choices.
Who Needs Dietary Supplements?
Pregnant women, for example, are typically advised to take prenatal vitamins that include folic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and iron. Or, as people age, nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and B12 become harder to absorb but more important for maintaining bone and cognitive health. Those following vegan or heavily restricted diets often benefit from adding B12 and iron, which are harder to obtain from plant-based foods. For individuals with clinically diagnosed deficiencies such as low vitamin D or iron, the right supplement can help correct the imbalance. “In cases of true deficiency, the right supplement can be life-changing,” Dr. Durst emphasized.
When Supplements Can Be Harmful
However, there’s a growing problem with the assumption that more is always better. Fat-soluble vitamins including A, D, E, and K can accumulate in the body and become toxic when taken in megadoses. Too much iron can cause gastrointestinal distress and even liver damage. At the same time, excess calcium, particularly when not balanced with magnesium and vitamin K2, has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.
Are Your Supplements Safe?
In addition to the appropriate type and dosage, it’s important as a consumer to be mindful of the quality and safety of the supplements themselves. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, the Food and Drug Administration does not approve dietary supplements for safety or effectiveness before they’re sold. While the law does require companies to list active and inactive ingredients, it doesn’t mandate pre-market testing. That leaves consumers vulnerable to misleading labels, contamination and poor manufacturing practices.
How to Read Supplement Labels
Emily Werner, a functional nutritionist and founder of Emily Werner Nutrition, urges people to be extremely cautious when choosing supplements. “Some low-quality products contain fillers like wood pulp – listed as cellulose – or even phthalates, which have been linked to endocrine disruption and should be avoided. These additives are often used to cut costs, not to benefit your health.”
Werner noted that one of the biggest oversights consumers make is ignoring the “Other Ingredients” section of a supplement label. Artificial colors, synthetic preservatives, titanium dioxide and chemical-sounding names like diethyl phthalate or propylene glycol are all red flags. Even ingredients such as magnesium stearate or microcrystalline cellulose may indicate a lower-quality product if listed prominently.
How to Choose the Best Supplement Brands
Because the industry lacks rigorous oversight, independent testing becomes crucial. Werner recommended looking for third-party certifications, such as those from U.S. Pharmacopeia, NSF International, ConsumerLab or Informed Choice. These seals indicate that an outside lab has verified what’s in the bottle – and what’s not. Contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, mold and bacteria are an often-overlooked risk, especially in fish oil, collagen and protein powders.
Werner added that the best supplement brands are typically professional-grade and sold through health care practitioners. These companies tend to adhere to higher standards, including current Good Manufacturing Practices, which are FDA-enforced and involve routine audits for cleanliness, ingredient accuracy and quality control. “You’re not just buying a label – you’re buying what’s behind the label,” she said.
What to Look for in a Safe Supplement
When choosing supplements, active ingredient dosages should be clearly stated, and labels should also indicate whether the product is free from common allergens such as gluten, soy and dairy and whether it uses bioavailable forms of nutrients: methylcobalamin instead of synthetic cyanocobalamin for B12, for example. Transparency matters, especially when these supplements affect your health.
Why You Should Talk to a Professional First
Even high-quality supplements can cause problems if they’re not right for your body. For instance, someone with adequate iron levels doesn’t benefit from adding more – it may increase inflammation. Similarly, while herbal supplements may seem “natural,” they can interfere with medications or aggravate medical conditions. That’s why both Werner and Dr. Durst emphasized the importance of working with a practitioner who can recommend supplements based on lab results, lifestyle and individual health needs.
Final Thoughts on Choosing Safe Supplements
“I tell my clients that a multivitamin at the very least is a great ‘insurance policy,’ but anything more than that should be assessed properly,” said Werner. “The right supplements, used appropriately, can support everything from gut health and hormone balance to energy and mental clarity. But you need to know what your body needs – and what it doesn’t.”
In an age of fast fixes and internet wellness advice, it’s best to confer with your doctor or a specialist first. Supplements aren’t magic pills – they’re tools. And, like any tool, their value depends on how, when and why you use them.
By Anne Toole
