Sunday Paper 12/11 - To supplement or not to supplement

Crazy numbers of people are taking some sort of dietary supplement - vitamins, minerals, herbs, algae, amino acids and whatever else. You may be thinking that it's about time you started taking one..or maybe there was a convincing ad on tv. The only way to be sure if you need a supplement is by talking to a registered dietitian and have them do a nutrition assessment.

Image source

Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA so there is no way to be sure of the safety and efficacy of what you're buying. Supplements can be very useful for people with special dietary conditions that don't allow them so get all the nutrients they need from food but the average consumer should approach with caution.

Image source

This article outlines how to be safe about supplements and make sure you're not doing more harm than good!