1 Dietary Supplements Report

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A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that is intended to supplement the diet and that contains one or more "dietary ingredients." The "dietary ingredients" in these products may include: * vitamins * minerals * herbs or other botanicals * amino acids * other substances found in the human diet, such as enzymes
Dietary supplements must be labeled as such and must not be represented for use as a conventional food or as the sole item of a meal or the diet. One way to distinguish dietary supplements from conventional foods is by looking at the nutrition information on the label of the product. Conventional foods must have a "Nutrition Facts" panel on their labels, but dietary supplements must have a "Supplement Facts" panel.
Some supplements can help assure that you get an adequate dietary intake of essential nutrients; others may help you reduce the risk of disease. However, supplements should not replace the variety of foods that are important to a healthful diet so, be sure you eat a variety of foods as well.

Unlike drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. That means supplements should not make claims, such as “reduces arthritic pain” or “treats heart disease.”
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Many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects in the body. This could make them unsafe in some situations and hurt or complicate your health. For example, the following actions could lead to harmful, even life-threatening consequences.
• Combining supplements
• Using supplements with medications (whether prescription or over-the-counter)
• Substituting supplements for prescription medicines
• Taking too much of some supplements, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and iron
Some supplements can also have unwanted effects before, during, and after surgery. So, be sure to inform your health-care provider, including your pharmacist, about any supplements you are taking especially before surgery.
Dietary supplements are not approved by the government for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. If the dietary supplement contains a NEW ingredient, that ingredient will be reviewed by FDA (not approved) prior to marketing — but only for safety, not effectiveness.
The manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe before they go to market. Manufacturers are required to produce dietary supplements to minimum quality standards and ensure that they do not contain contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled.
Manufacturers are required to report all serious dietary supplement related adverse events or illnesses to FDA as of December 2007.
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FDA can take dietary supplements off the market if they are found to be unsafe, adulterated, or if the claims on the products are false and misleading.
Many people with arthritis, especially osteoarthritis use supplements in their diet to ease the pain of arthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin are the best known and tested. Methyl sulfonylmethane (MSM) is another supplement used to ease the pain of arthritis, but it has not been through as much rigorous scientific testing.
It is important to check with your doctor before starting any new treatments. Your doctor can review the other medications you are taking and help you decide whether or not these arthritis supplements are right for you. In addition, always follow the instructions on the medication label. Do not take more of the supplements than is recommended.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are components of normal cartilage. In the body, they are the building blocks for cartilage and appear to stimulate the body to make more cartilage.
There are conflicting studies on glucosamine and chondroitin, some demonstrating a beneficial effect on osteoarthritis pain. Others, including the NIH-sponsored multicenter Glucosamine/Chrondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), did not show benefit for the primary outcome measure of osteoarthritis pain measured by WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMacster Universities).

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The supplements, which are available in pharmacies and health food stores without a prescription, are well-tolerated and appear to be safe. However, there are no long-term studies to confirm their long-term safety and effectiveness. Many physicians may still recommend a trial of glucosamine at this point, and if there is not apparent improvement by three months, it would be reasonable to stop glucosamine.
People with diabetes should use caution when taking glucosamine because it may raise blood sugar. People taking blood-thinning medication (anticoagulants) should check with their doctors before taking glucosamine and chondroitin.
These arthritis supplements may also have a blood-thinning effect so people taking these supplements in addition to an anticoagulant may require to have their blood tested more often. People who are allergic to shellfish also should consult their doctors before using glucosamine and chondroitin. Glucosamine is extracted from a substance in shellfish.

6 References
U.S. Food and Drug Administration www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm109760.htm www.webmd.com