Dietary Supplement
A dietary supplement is a component found in foods (such as meats, grains, fruits, or vegetables) that can be singled out, extracted, and converted into another form, such as a pill or liquid.
Dietary supplements may be sold to the public without testing and approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Because of this, their effectiveness, purity, and quality are not known. For example, it is not required for manufacturers to detail how much of a product is the labeled supplement, such as melatonin, and how much of it is other substances or "fillers."
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Healthy Living Tools
Ditch Those Inches
Set goals, tally calorie intake, track workouts and more, all via WebMD’s free Food & Fitness Planner.
Get StartedToday in Weight Loss & Diet Plans
Special Sections
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.