Dietary Supplements Nutrition

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 laid the foundation for the current regulatory framework for dietary supplements. Dietary supplements have been defined by DSHEA as products (other than tobacco) intended to supplement the diet that bear or contain one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin; a mineral; an herb or other botanical; an amino acid; a dietary substance to supplement the human diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any of the ingredients described above. This law amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 "to establish standards with respect to dietary supplements."

Under DSHEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates safety, manufacturing, and product information—such as claims on product labels, package inserts and accompanying literature. However, the FDA cannot require testing of dietary supplements prior to marketing.