Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets (original) (raw)

This collection of fact sheets and other resources from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and other federal government sources provides information about dietary supplements and their ingredients. These include vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals, probiotics, and more. Many of these resources are available in versions written for health professionals and for consumers (in both English and Spanish).

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A

• Acai
  • Herbs at a Glance: Acai
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Acai Berry
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Common names: acai, açaí, Amazonian palm berry.
Latin name: Euterpe oleracea.

• Activated charcoal
  • Activated charcoal
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• African mango (see Weight Loss)
• Alfalfa
  • Alfalfa
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Aloe vera
  • Aloe Vera
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Aloe Vera
    * Source: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

Common names: aloe vera, aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, elephant’s gall
Latin names: Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis

• Alzheimer's disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
• Andrographis
  • Andrographis and COVID-19 (see COVID-19)
  • Andrographis and immune function (see Immune Function)
• Antioxidants
  • Vitamin C - Consumer
  • Vitamin E - Consumer
  • Vitamin C - Vitamina C en español
  • Vitamin E - Vitamina E en español
  • Vitamin C - Health Professional
  • Vitamin E - Health Professional
  • Antioxidant Supplements: What You Need To Know
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Antioxidants for Athletic Performance (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Apple cider vinegar
  • Apple cider vinegar in dietary supplements
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• Arginine (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Ashwagandha
• Astragalus
  • Astragalus
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Common names: astragalus, bei qi, huang qi, ogi, hwanggi, milk vetch
Latin names: Astragalus membranaceus, Astragalus mongholicus

• Athletic and exercise performance (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Vitamin A

B

• Bacopa monnieri
  • Bacopa monnieri: Is it safe to take in the military?
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Bee pollen
  • Bee pollen
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Beetroot (beet juice) (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Berberine
  • Berberine and Weight Loss: What You Need To Know
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Berberine
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Beta-alanine (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
  • Creatine
    * Source: MedlinePlus
• Beta-carotene (see Vitamin A)
• Beta-glucans (see Weight Loss)
• Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Betaine (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Bilberry
  • Bilberry
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Common names: bilberry, European blueberry, whortleberry, huckleberry
Latin name: Vaccinium myrtillus

• Biotin
• Bitter melon
  • Bitter Melon
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Bitter orange
  • Bitter Orange
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Bitter Orange for weight loss (see Weight Loss)
    Common names: bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, zhi shi
    Latin name: Citrus aurantium
• Black cohosh
  • Black Cohosh - Health Professional
  • 2007 Black Cohosh Safety Workshop
  • Black Cohosh
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Workshop on the Safety of Black Cohosh in Clinical Studies (2004)
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

• Blessed thistle
  • Blessed Thistle
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Blue-green algae
  • Blue-Green Algae
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Blueberry
  • Blueberry
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Boron
• Botanical Dietary Supplements
  • Botanical Dietary Supplements - Background Information
  • Botanical Dietary Supplements - Suplementos dietéticos de origen botánico en español
  • Herbs at a Glance
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

• Brain health
  • Brain Health Guide
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• Branched-chain amino acids (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Bromelain
  • Bromelain
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Common names: bromelain, pineapple extract
Latin name (for pineapple): Ananas comosus L.

• Butterbur
  • Butterbur
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Common names: butterbur, petasites and purple butterbur. Butterbur is also known under several patented standardized extract forms, such as Petadolex.
Latin names: Petasites hybridus (also known as Petasitidis hybridus, Petasites officinalis, or Tussilago hybrida).

• Vitamin B1 (see Thiamin)
  • Thiamin - Consumer
  • Thiamin - Tiamina en español
  • Thiamin - Health Professional
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin B2 (see Riboflavin)
• Vitamin B3 (see Niacin)
• Vitamin B5 (see Pantothenic acid)
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B7 (see Biotin)
• Vitamin B9 (see Folate)

C

• Caffeine
  • Caffeine for performance
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Caffeine for athletic performance (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
  • Caffeine for weight loss (see Weight Loss)
• Calcium
• Calendula
  • Calendula
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Cannabidiol (CBD)
• Capsaicin (see Weight Loss)
• Capsaicinoids
  • Capsaicin and weight loss
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• Capsicum
  • Capsicum
    * Source: MedlinePlus
• Carnitine
• Cartilage (bovine and shark)
• Cascara sagrada
  • Cascara sagrada
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Cat's claw
  • Cat's Claw
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Cat's Claw (Uncaria guianensis)

• CBD (cannabidiol)
• Cesium
  • Public Health Alert Concerning Dietary Supplements Containing Cesium Salts
    * Source: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
• Chamomile
  • Chamomile
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Chamomile (Roman)
  • Chamomile (Roman)
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Chasteberry
  • Chasteberry
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Chitosan (see Weight Loss)
• Choline
• Chondroitin
  • Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Chondroitin sulfate
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Chondroitin is found in cartilage, the connective tissue that helps cushion the joints.

• Chromium
• Cinnamon
  • Cinnamon
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Citrulline (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Clove
  • Clove
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Cobalamin (see Vitamin B12)
• Cod liver oil
  • Cod Liver Oil
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Coenzyme Q10
  • Coenzyme Q10 and Cancer
    * Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • Coenzyme Q10
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Cola nut (kola nut) (see Weight Loss)
• Coleus forskohlii (forskolin) (see Weight Loss)
• Colloidal silver
  • Colloidal Silver Products
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Conjugated linoleic acid (see Weight Loss)
• Copper
• COVID-19
  • Dietary Supplements in the Time of COVID-19 - Consumer
  • COVID-19 - Suplementos dietéticos en tiempos de la COVID-19
  • Dietary Supplements in the Time of COVID-19 - Health Professional
  • NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines on Vitamin C
    * Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines on Vitamin D
    * Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines on Zinc Supplementation
    * Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Coronavirus and “Alternative” Treatments
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Cranberry
  • Cranberry
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)

• Creatine
  • Creatine supplements: The basics
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Creatine for performance enhancement (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Vitamin C
  You can get enough vitamin C by eating a variety of foods including citrus fruits (such as oranges and grapefruit) and their juices, as well as red and green pepper, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, baked potatoes, and tomatoes.

D

E

• Echinacea
  • Echinacea and COVID-19 (see COVID-19)
  • Echinacea and immune function (see Immune Function)
  • Echinacea
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)

• Elderberry
  • Elderberry and COVID-19 (see COVID-19)
  • Elderberry and immune function (see Immune Function)
  • Elderberry
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Elderberry: A Dietary Supplement for Immune Health?
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense

European Elder (Sambucus nigra)

• Eleuthero
  • Eleuthero
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Energy drinks
  • The Use and Biology of Energy Drinks: Current Knowledge and Critical Gaps
  • Energy Drinks
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Energy drinks and energy shots: What’s the problem?
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense

“Energy” drinks are marketed as promoting alertness, concentration, energy, weight loss, athletic performance, or stamina.

• Ephedra
• Essiac/Flor-Essence
  • Essiac/Flor-Essence
    * Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Eucalyptus
  • Eucalyptus
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Evening primrose oil
  • Evening Primrose Oil
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

• Exercise and Athletic Performance
  • Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance - Consumer
  • Exercise and Athletic Performance - Suplementos Dietéticos para Mejorar el Ejercicio y el Rendimiento Físico
  • Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance - Health Professional
  • Bodybuilding and Performance Enhancement Supplements: What You Need To Know
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Caution: Bodybuilding Products Can Be Risky
    * Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Some dietary supplement ingredients are claimed to enhance exercise and athletic performance.

• Eye conditions
  • Eye conditions
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
• Vitamin E

F

• Fenugreek
  • Fenugreek
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

• Feverfew
  • Feverfew
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

• Fish oil (see Omega-3 fatty acids)
• Flaxseed
  • Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum)

• Fluoride
  • Fluoride - Consumer
  • Fluoride - Fluoruro en español
  • Fluoride - Health Professional
  • Fluoride & Dental Health
    * Source: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay.

• Folate
• Folic acid (see Folate)
• Forskolin (coleus forskohlii) (see Weight Loss)
• Fucoxanthin (see Weight Loss)

G

H

K

• Kava
  • Kava
  • Kava
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Kava (Piper methysticum)

• Ketones
  • Ketone supplements for performance
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• Kola nut (cola nut) (see Weight Loss)
• Vitamin K

L

M

N

• N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
  • N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and COVID-19 (see COVID-19)
  • N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and immune function (see Immune Function)
• Niacin
• Nitric oxide
  • Nitric oxide supplements
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• Noni
  • Noni
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Noni (Morinda citrifolia)

• Nootropics

O

P

• Pantothenic acid
• Papaya
  • Papaya
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Passionflower
  • Passionflower
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Pau d'arco
  • Pau D'Arco
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• PC-SPES
  • PC-SPES
    * Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Peppermint oil
  • Peppermint Oil
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Peppermint (Mentha ⨯ piperita)

• Performance: Exercise and Athletic (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Phosphorus
• Pomegranate
  • Pomegranate
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Potassium
• Primary Mitochondrial Disorders
  • Dietary Supplements for Primary Mitochondrial Disorders
    
• Probiotics
  • Probiotics - Consumer
  • Probióticos - Probiotics en español
  • Probiotics - Health Professional
  • Probiotics for weight loss (see Weight Loss)
  • Probiotics and COVID-19 (see COVID-19)
  • Probiotics and immune function (see Immune Function)
  • Probiotics: What You Need To Know
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Probiotics are live microorganisms that may be beneficial to health.

• Propolis
  • Propolis
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Protein (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Psyllium (blond)
  • Psyllium (blond)
    * Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Pyruvate (see Weight Loss)

Q

• Quercetin (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)

R

S

T

• Tart or sour cherry (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Tea
  • Green Tea
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • Tea and Cancer Prevention
    * Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • Tea and tea catechins and immune function (see Immune Function)
  • Tea
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)

• Thiamin
• Thunder god vine
  • Thunder God Vine
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
• Tribulus
  • Tribulus and athletic performance
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Tribulus terrestris (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Turmeric
  • Turmeric
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

V

• Valerian
  • Valerian
  • Valerian
    * Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Valerian (Valerian officinalis)

• Valine (see Exercise and Athletic Performance)
• Vinpocetine
  • Vinpocetine: What's the status of this ingredient?
    * Source: Operation Supplement Safety, U.S. Department of Defense
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B1 (see Thiamin)
  • Thiamin - Consumer
  • Thiamin - Tiamina en español
  • Thiamin - Health Professional
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin B2 (see Riboflavin)
• Vitamin B3 (see Niacin)
• Vitamin B5 (see Pantothenic acid)
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B7 (see Biotin)
• Vitamin B9 (see Folate)
• Vitamin C
  You can get enough vitamin C by eating a variety of foods including citrus fruits (such as oranges and grapefruit) and their juices, as well as red and green pepper, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, baked potatoes, and tomatoes.
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K

W

Y