Food Supplements

Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet. They are marketed 'in dose' form i.e. as pills, tablets, capsules, liquids in measured doses etc.

There are several main groups of food supplements which can be considered:

* Vitamins and co-vitamins
* Essential minerals
* Essential fatty acids
* Essential amino acids
* Glyconutrients
* Phytonutrients

Several ranges of food supplements are known:

* additives which repair a deficit to "normal" levels
* additives which appear to enhance a food
* supplements taken in addition to the normal diet

Many physicians today disagree with the premise that foodstuffs need supplementation, but accept that - for example - added calcium may provide benefit, or that adding folic acid may correct a nutritional deficiency especially in pregnant women.

Foods and food supplements can be used to achieve a defined health goal. A common example of this use of food supplements is the extent to which body builders will use amino acid mixtures, vitamins and phytochemicals to enhance natural hormone production, increase muscle and reduce fat.