Dietary supplements support a healthy lifestyle and are taken by well over half of American adults. Although they cannot replace a balanced, whole foods-based diet, supplements fill in important nutrient gaps that can be present in even the healthiest people. Multivitamins are the most popular dietary supplements for adults and children, but fish oil/omega-3s, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin C, probiotics, coQ10, glucosamine/chondroitin, and many herbs and botanicals are considered health essentials by a growing number of people around the globe.
Supplements are sold in health food stores, pharmacies, groceries, club stores and other mass market retailers, as well as via the Internet, multi-level marketers and other direct-to-consumer channels. They are produced in many forms, including capsules, tablets, gummies, liquids and effervescent mixes. In the United States, supplements are regulated by the U.S. government via the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994.