University of FloridaSolutions for Your Life

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Publication #FCS8623-ENG

Healthy Living for Elders: Tips for Taking Dietary Supplements1

Jennifer Hillan2

Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other substances. If you are taking any of these products, here are some guidelines to help you use them safely:

Talk to Your Doctor or Pharmacist

Speak with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplement for the first time. He/she can tell you:

  • when to take it

  • possible side effects

  • possible interactions with other supplements or medications

Let your doctor know about any symptoms you experience after taking a supplement. Stop taking the supplement and see if the symptoms subside.

Buy From a Reliable Source

Look for products with the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) symbol on the label. This means the product meets certain quality standards.

Buyer Beware!

Products labeled “natural” or “organic” may or may not be safe. These may be advertising gimmicks to make you think the product is better.

Be cautious of claims that the product is an “instant cure.” If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true!

Check the Expiration Date

Choose products that are clearly marked with an expiration date. Be sure the date is far enough in the future so you can use all of the product before it expires.

Missing Figure (FIGURE 1)

Footnotes

1.

La versión en español de este document es Vida Saludable: Consejos para Tomar Suplementos Dietéticos (FCS8623span). This document, FCS8623, is one in a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First Published: March 2004. Latest Revision: May 2008. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Jennifer Hillan, MSH, RD, LD/N, former ENAFS nutrition educator/trainer, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. Reviewed by Linda B. Bobroff, PhD, RD, LD/N, professor, University of Florida.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.