Dietary Supplements Description

Dietary Supplements - As defined by Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, a dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) that

• is intended to supplement the diet;
• contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins; minerals; herbs or other botanicals; amino acids; and other substances) or their constituents;
• is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid; and
• is labeled on the front panel as being a dietary supplement.

Although dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as foods, they are regulated differently from other foods and from drugs. Whether a product is classified as a dietary supplement, conventional food, or drug is based on its intended use. Most often, classification as a dietary supplement is determined by the information that the manufacturer provides on the product label. The types of claims that can be made on the labels of dietary supplements and drugs differ. Drug manufacturers may claim that their product will diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease. Such claims may not legally be made for dietary supplements. The label of a dietary supplement or food product may contain a statement that describes how a product may affect the organs or systems of the body (structure/function claims) but does not mention any specific disease.