Supplements as the name suggests are substances that supplement the nutrients that you get from food. They are not to be used as a substitute for proper food. They are widely available and are mostly taken for health reasons.

In the United States, dietary supplements are substances you eat or drink. They can be vitamins, minerals, herbs or other plants, amino acids (the individual building blocks of protein), or parts of these substances. They can be in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form. They supplement (add to) the diet and should not be considered a substitute for food.

Dietary supplements are widely available in the United States in health food stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, on the Internet, and by mail. People commonly take them for health-related reasons. Common dietary supplements include vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin C or a multivitamin), botanicals (herbs and plant products, such as St. John’s wort), and substances that come from a natural source (such as omega-3 fatty acids).

Sourced from:http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/dietary-supplements-topic-overview

Not all dietary supplements come in the same form. There are supplements that are sold in gel form, capsule form or even as liquids. These can be bought from different retailers. They also exist in different types such as botanicals.

Types of Dietary Supplements

Herbal SupplementsDietary supplements include everything from vitamins and minerals to herbs such as cinnamon and St. John’s wort.

Dietary supplements also come in a number of forms including:

• Tablets
• Capsules
• Powders
• Soft gels
• Gel caps
• Liquids

They are sold from a number of retailers including:

• Pharmacies
• Grocery stores
• Vitamin and health food stores
• Websites
• Mail-order catalogs.

The main types of dietary supplements include:

• Botanicals (derived from plants and possibly including herbs)
• Vitamins Minerals Fatty Acids
• Other Dietary

Sourced from:http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/medication/other-treatments/herbs-supplements-and-alternative-medicines/types-of-dietary-supplements.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

One does not walk up to the pharmacy and buy supplements. There are several factors to consider before doing so.

Factor 1: Find out where your supplement come from and why it matters?

Factor 2: Learn how to read in between the lines of supplement labels.

Factor 3: Are you getting the minimum effective dosage?

Factor 4: How to decipher the research studies and health claims.

Factor 5: How to scrutinise hyped & unrealistic health claims.

Factor 6: How to identify and protect yourself from costly rebill scams.

Factor 7: Cost vs Value: Find out why cheap supplements are worthless.

Factor 8: Who are you buying from and do they care?

Factor 9: Learn the secret to unlocking the most results out of your supplement.

Sourced from:https://www.betternutritionlabs.com/get-our-white-paper-9-factors-to-consider-when-buying-health-supplements/