Knowra Dietary supplement Dietary supplement A product taken by mouth to add nutrients or other dietary ingredients to a person’s diet. It may contain vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, or other substances.
Vitamin D : A fat-soluble vitamin that supports calcium balance, bone health, and other physiological processes. Vitamin D supplements can address deficiency, but routine use depends on individual needs.
Bioavailability : The fraction of an ingested substance that reaches systemic circulation or its site of action. A supplement’s dose does not reveal how much of its ingredient the body can use.
Food fortification : The addition of vitamins or minerals to foods to improve their nutritional content. Fortification adds nutrients to commonly eaten foods rather than selling them as a separate dose.
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 : A United States law that established the principal statutory framework for dietary supplements. The law defined supplements as a food category and set limits on FDA premarket authority.
Folic acid : The synthetic form of folate used in supplements and fortified foods. Supplementation before and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects.
Nutrient absorption : The movement of digested nutrients from the gut into the body. Food, formulation, and other nutrients can change how much a supplement is absorbed.
Prescription drug : A medicine legally dispensed only with authorization from a licensed prescriber. Prescription drugs generally undergo premarket review for safety and effectiveness; supplements follow different rules.
United States Food and Drug Administration : The United States federal agency responsible for regulating foods, drugs, medical devices, and related products. The FDA oversees supplement labeling and can act against adulterated or misbranded products.
Iron supplement : An oral product supplying iron to prevent or treat iron deficiency. Iron supplements are useful for deficiency but can cause harm when taken unnecessarily.
Pharmacokinetics : The study of how substances enter, move through, and leave the body. This framework explains how supplement ingredients are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated.
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