
Dietary supplements include ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and enzymes. Dietary supplements are marketed in forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, powders, and liquids. Dietary supplements can diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease; they just contribute to health maintenance and well-being. Some supplements claim to provide enough of the vital substances the body needs to function; others may help reduce the risk of disease, but supplements should not replace complete meals which are necessary for a healthful diet. Unlike drugs, supplements are not permitted to be marketed for the purpose of treating, diagnosing, preventing, or curing diseases. That means supplements should not make disease claims, such as "lowers high cholesterol" or "treats heart disease." Claims like these cannot be legitimately made for dietary supplements. Dietary Supplements can be beneficial to the health; however, taking supplements can also involve health risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not have the authority to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed.