Get Supplement Facts

Supplement Your Health

Nearly all Americans have benefited from dietary supplements -- such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs or other botanicals. Surveys estimate that more than 70 percent of the U.S. population -- seven out of ten Americans -- use dietary supplements as a safe, effective and affordable way to maintain good health and augment inadequate diets.

While a good diet is the foundation for better health, even the most well-informed and well-intentioned consumers don't always eat the way they should. Supplements are easy to add to our daily diets, and this is often the first step that many people take toward greater nutritional awareness and the adoption of other healthy lifestyle choices. Whether taking a multivitamin, herbal product or specialty supplement, people can and do live healthier lives by supplementing their diets.

Currently, there are approximately 17,000 health product stores in the United States making these safe, effective and affordable supplements accessible to all citizens. Supplements also are sold in mass-market outlets, including drug stores, supermarkets and super stores, and are available through direct marketers and the Internet.

With the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994, Congress recognized the role supplements can play in promoting health and preventing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Learn more about Congress' findings on dietary supplements.

DSHEA ensures access to safe products, made to quality standards. It also promotes the dissemination of information about the benefits of supplements, so that consumers can make informed decisions about their health.

This comprehensive piece of legislation defines dietary supplements, creates a mechanism for dealing with safety issues, regulates health claims and labeling of dietary supplements, provides for good manufacturing practices, and encourages research on dietary supplements. Get more information on the key provisions of DSHEA.