Supplements,

Vitamins & Herbs

Helpful or
Dangerous?
By Danielle Petit RN
2015

Content
Supplements, Vitamins, &Herbs:
What are they?
How can they be helpful?
How can they be harmful?
How to use supplements, vitamins and herbs
safely.

Supplements
The FDA explain supplements as
vitamins, minerals, and other less familiar
substances such as herbals, botanicals, amino
acids, and enzymes. Dietary supplements are also
marketed in forms such as tablets, capsules, soft
gels, and gel caps.(FDA, 2014).

Vitamins

Vitamins are a group of substances that are

essential for normal cell function, growth, and
development (Evert, 2015).
13 Essential Vitamins
1. Vitamin A

8. Vitamin B3

2. Vitamin C

9. Pantothenic Acid

3. Vitamin D

10. Biotin

4. Vitamin E

11. Vitamin B6

5. Vitamin K

12. Vitamin B12

6. Vitamin B1

13. Folate

7. Vitamin B2

Herbs

Herbs are well known as plants that add

flavor to foods, but they also provide nutrition.

Many people incorporate certain herbs in their

diets or take supplements to benefit from their
medicinal values.
According to the
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92773/

How
can they
helpful?
The American
diet isbe
nutrient
deficient
and the use of supplements, vitamins and
herbs can replace those deficiencies.

It is wise to research on your own then ask a

pharmacist, nutritionist, herbalist, or
pharmacist if you can use them safely.

Be sure to ask for credentials when it is not

your doctor.

How can they be harmful?

Some herbs or supplements can cause toxicity or undesirable side effects if

not used correctly.

How to use them safely

Tool from RxList.com offers consumers evidence based information on different

Vitamins, Supplements, and herbs. The tool can be found at the following link:
http://www.rxlist.com/supplements/article.htm
Read the ingredients on the label. Try to buy products that use nutritional
ingredients.
Tell your doctor when you are taking vitamins herbs and supplements

References

SupplementsFDA. (2014, May 11). Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know.
Retrieved from
http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements/
ucm109760.htm
VitaminsEvert, MS, RD, CDE, Nutritionist, Alison. MedlinePlus. (2015, March 16).
Vitamins. Retrieved from http://
www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements/ucm10
9760.htm
HerbsNCCIH. (2015, March 24). Herbs at a Glance. Retrieved from https://
nccih.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance.htm