Some dietary supplements are well understood and established, but others need further study.

Whatever your choice, supplements should not replace the variety of foods important to a healthful diet.

Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not pre-approved by the government for safety or effectiveness before marketing.

Also, unlike drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. But some supplements can help assure that you get an adequate dietary intake of essential nutrients for your general nutrition; others may help you reduce your risk of disease.

Some older people, for example, are tired due to low iron levels. In that case, their doctor may recommend an iron supplement.

At times, it can be confusing to tell the difference between a dietary supplement, a food, or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. This is because supplements, by law, come in a variety of forms that resemble these products, such as tablets, capsules, powders, energy bars, or drinks.

One way to know if a product is a dietary supplement is to look for the Supplement Facts label on the product.

While certain products may be helpful to some individuals, there may be circumstances when these products may not benefit your health or when they may create unexpected risks.

Many vitamin nutrition supplements contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects in the body. This could make them unsafe in some situations and hurt or complicate your health.

Jim & Dee Patrick

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Are you taking both medicines and supplements?

Are you substituting one for the other?

Are you planning surgery?
Some supplements can have unwanted effects before, during, and after surgery.
It is important to fully inform your healthcare professional, including your pharmacist,
about the vitamins, minerals, herbals, and any other supplements you are taking, especially before surgery.
You may be asked to stop taking these products at least 2-3 weeks ahead of the procedure to avoid potentially dangerous supplement/drug interactions - such as changes in heart rate, blood pressure, or bleeding risk that could adversely affect the outcome of your surgery.

Is taking more of a good thing better?
Some people might think that if a little is good, taking a lot is even better. But taking too much of some nutrients, even vitamins and minerals, can also cause problems. Depending on the supplement, your age, and the status of your health, taking more than 100% of the Daily Value (DV) (see the Supplements Facts panel) of certain vitamins and minerals, e.g. Vitamin A, vitamin D, and iron (from supplements and food sources like vitamin-fortified cereals and drinks) may actually harm your health. Large amounts can also interfere with how your medicines work.

Remember: Your combined intake from all supplements (including multivitamins, single supplements, and combination products) plus fortified foods, like some cereals and drinks, could cause health problems."

You and your health professionals (doctors, nurses, registered dietitians, pharmacists, and other caregivers) are a team working toward a common goal -- to develop a personalized health plan for you. Your doctor and other members of the health team can help monitor your medical condition and overall health, especially if any problems develop. Although they may not immediately have answers to your questions, these health professionals have access to the most current research on dietary supplements. But you must remember that many health professionals earn a good percentage of their income by prescribing drugs.

There are numerous resources that provide information about dietary supplements. These include TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, store clerks, friends, family, or the Internet. It is important to question recommendations from people who have no formal training in nutrition, botanicals, or medicine. While some of these sources, like the Web, may seem to offer a wealth of accurate information, these same sources may contain misinformation that may not be obvious. Given the abundance and conflicting nature of information now available about supplements, it is more important than ever to partner with your healthcare team to sort the reliable information from the questionable.


Take in your bottle of Ultimate Enzymes to your health care professional and ask him(her) for an evaluation.
We have never had a true health care professional disagree with the value of this product.

Why do some supplements have wording (a disclaimer) that says: "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease"?
This statement or "disclaimer" is required by law (DSHEA) when a manufacturer makes a structure/function claim on a dietary supplement label. In general, these claims describe the role of a nutrient or dietary ingredient intended to affect the structure or function of the body. The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and truthfulness of these claims; they are not approved by FDA. For this reason, the law says that if a dietary supplement label includes such a claim, it must state in a "disclaimer" that FDA has not evaluated this claim. The disclaimer must also state that this product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease," because only a drug can legally make such a claim.

How are advertisements for dietary supplements regulated? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates advertising, including infomercials, for dietary supplements and most other products sold to consumers. FDA works closely with FTC in this area, but FTC's work is directed by different laws. For more information on FTC, go to: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-health.htm. Advertising and promotional material received in the mail are also regulated under different laws and are subject to regulation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

How do I, my health care provider, or any informed individual report a problem or illness caused by a dietary supplement to FDA? If you think you have suffered a serious harmful effect or illness from a product FDA regulates, including dietary supplements, the first thing you should do is contact or see your healthcare provider immediately. Then, you and your health care provider are encouraged to report this problem to FDA.
Your health care provider can call FDA's MedWatch hotline at 1-800-FDA-1088, submit a report by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178 or on-line at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/report/hcp.htm. The MedWatch program provides a way for health care providers to report problems believed to be caused by FDA-regulated products such as drugs, medical devices, medical foods and dietary supplements for herbal nutrition.
You, or anyone, may report a serious adverse event or illness directly to FDA if you believe it is related to the use of any of the above-mentioned products, by calling FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178 or reporting on-line at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/report/consumer/consumer.htm. FDA would like to know when you think a product caused you a serious problem, even if you are not sure that the product was the cause, or even if you do not visit a doctor or clinic. In addition to communicating with FDA on-line or by phone, you may use the postage-paid MedWatch form available from the FDA Web site.
NOTE: The identity of the reporter and/or patient is kept confidential. For a general, not serious, complaint or concern about food products, including dietary supplements, you may contact the consumer complaint coordinator at the local FDA District Office nearest you. See the following Web address for the telephone number: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

What is the best way to get all the nutritional needs that your body has?
Naturally of course, From the food that you eat. If you could get all the nourishment that you need from your food then you would not need to take supplements.

How do you get the vitamins and minerals from your food?
Your body makes enzymes to help get the nutrients from the food but as we age our body does not make as many enzymes as it does when we are young. Therefore, we need to help our bodies get the enzymes that they need. These are called digestive enzymes and they can help to create good health.

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