Be an Informed Consumer

When considering whether to take a dietary 

supplement, it’s important to know the facts. 

• Be cautious of products marketed as 

dietary supplements that claim to 

diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or 

prevent diseases. For example, a 

product that bears a claim such as 

“treats heart disease” or “cures 

cancer” is a drug and is subject to all 

requirements for drugs, even if it is 

marketed as a dietary supplement.

• Be mindful of product claims, such 

as “works better than [a prescription 

drug],” “totally safe,” or has “no side 

effects.” If a claim sounds too good to 

be true, it probably is. 

• Search for information on credible 

websites (such as www.fda.gov,

www.nih.gov, and www.usda.gov) and 

look for research studies published 

in peer reviewed journals. 

Dietary supplements can help you 

improve or maintain your overall health, 

and some can help you meet your daily 

requirements of essential nutrients. 

While supplements can be beneficial 

to your health, they can also involve 

health risks—especially if you take them 

with or instead of medications. Before 

deciding to take a supplement, do your 

research and always talk to your 

healthcare professional.

Dietary

Supplement Dietary

Supplement

Dietary

Supplement

Dietary

Supplement

Dietary

Supplement

Dietary

Supplement

Dietary

Supplement

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Dietary

Supplement DietarySupplement

Talking to Healthcare Professionals

About Dietary Supplements
Speak with Your Healthcare Team

To help you figure out what information is 

reliable, the best resource is your healthcare 

team. This team might include your doctor, 

nurse, pharmacist, or registered dietitian. 

They have access to the most current medical 

research and are the most familiar with your 

health history. They can help you determine if 

a dietary supplement is right for you.

What to Ask Your Healthcare 

Professional 

Come prepared to your medical 

appointments with your research and 

questions about dietary supplements. 

For example:

• Is taking a dietary supplement

important for my overall health?

• Am I taking the right product?

• Am I taking the right amount?

• Is there an amount or "upper limit"

I should not go above?

• How long should I take the

supplement?

• Are there any known side effects?

• Are there any foods, medicines

(prescription or over-the-counter),

or other dietary supplements I should

avoid while taking this product?

• If I am scheduled for surgery or

lab work, are there any supplements

I should avoid?

Did You Know? 

Dietary supplements can interact with 

some medicines (prescription and 

over-the-counter) and may cause 

problems. Some examples include:

• St. John’s wort can reduce the

effectiveness of some medications

prescribed for heart disease,

cancer, HIV, depression, seizures,

and birth control.

• Antioxidant supplements, such as

vitamins C and E, might reduce the

effectiveness of some types of

cancer chemotherapy.

• Vitamin K can reduce the

ability of the blood thinner warfarin

(Coumadin) to prevent blood from

clotting.

• Warfarin (Coumadin), ginkgo

biloba, aspirin, and high-dose

vitamin E can each thin the blood.

Taking any of these products

together can increase the potential

for internal bleeding or stroke.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

Sometimes dietary supplements can cause 

side effects or bad reactions, also known as 

adverse events, that can range from less 

serious to life-threatening. Some examples 

include itching, loss of appetite, severe or 

persistent abdominal pain, blood in the urine, 

shortness of breath, fainting, or cognitive 

changes. If you experience these or any other 

adverse events, immediately stop taking the 

supplement and seek medical care or advice.

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Your Dietary Supplement and Medication Record

It is helpful to keep a record of what supplements and medications you take. Print and share this 

record with your healthcare professionals at all your visits. A sample chart can be found below or 

at www.ods.od.nih.gov/pubs/DietarySupplementandMedicineRecord.pdf.

Dietary Supplements

Complete the chart below for any dietary supplement(s) you take. 

Over-the-Counter and Prescription Medications 

Complete the chart below for any over-the-counter medication(s) (e.g., pain reliever, cold 

medicine, or stool softener) or prescription medication(s) you take.

Adverse Events (Reactions, Side Effects, or Other Problems) I’ve Had with Any Dietary 

Supplement or Medication

Product How Often How Much (dosage) Reason for Taking

Example: Calcium Once a day 500 mg Support healthy bones

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Name____________________________________________________Age________Date_________

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