Instead of moving, perhaps modifications to your home wotraffic areas such as airports, train stations and The world of dietary supplements is getting more and more complicated. People are not just taking vitamins and minerals anymore. Now, things like glucosamine, saw palmetto, black cohosh and ginkgo biloba are crowding onto shelves beside old standbys like vitamin C, calcium and iron. How do you sort through it all?

Dietary supplements include a broad range of vitamins, minerals, herbs and other substances meant to improve upon your diet. They can come as pills, capsules, powders and liquids.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates dietary supplements, treats them more like foods than like drugs. Dietary supplements are generally regarded as safe based on a long history of human use, unless proven otherwise. By contrast, drugs are not assumed to be safe until extensive testing has been done to prove their safety.

Supplements can play an important role in your health. Some doctors advise patients to take a multivitamin-mineral supplement to make sure they are getting enough or all the nutrients they need. While this may provide some insurance, people should not feel they can make up for an unhealthy diet by taking a multivitamin-mineral supplement. A combination of all the vitamins and minerals together in foods provide the greatest health benefit. In general, if you eat a healthy diet, you should not need to supplement it with extra nutrients.

Following are some wise choices before using dietary supplements:

• Safety first. Some products can be harmful when taken in high amounts, for a long time or along with certain other substances. Don’t use a dietary supplement along with, or instead of, a prescription medicine without first consulting your health care provider.

• Don’t chase the latest headline. Sound health advice is based on research over time, not a single study touted in the media.

• Learn to spot false claims. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• “Natural” doesn’t mean safe. Natural ingredients may interact with medicines, be dangerous for people with certain health conditions or be harmful in high doses. For example, peppermint tea is generally safe to drink, but you can get a toxic dose of oil extracted from peppermint leaves.

• Does it work? Resist pressure to buy something on the spot. Ask a health care professional for advice or check credible sources to find out if the product is safe and does what it says it does.

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If you would like more information on “Supplementing Your Diet – Vitamins, Minerals, and Beyond” feel free to contact Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus – University of Minnesota at waldn001@umn.edu. Be sure to watch for more Family Living Focus™ information in next week’s paper.