A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that contains a “dietary ingredient” intended to supplement the diet.
The “dietary ingredients” in these products may include: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars, and metabolites.
Dietary supplements can also be extracts or concentrates, and may be found in many forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders.
Animals can also be a source of supplement ingredients, as for example, collagen from chickens or fish. These are also sold individually and in combination, and may be combined with nutrient ingredients.
In the United States and Canada, dietary supplements are considered a subset of foods, and are regulated accordingly. The European Commission has also established harmonized rules to help insure that food supplements are safe and properly labeled.
Creating an industry estimated $37 billion in 2015 there are more than 50,000 dietary supplement products marketed just in the United States, where about 50% of the American adult population consumes dietary supplements.
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Good health, yes, is partly genes
Really though it’s more about greens
And other types of healthful things
~Terri Guillemets