[Food supplements: opportunity or threat]

ABSTRACT

Diet and nutrition play an important role in the maintenance of health and prevention of diseases. The body requires different types of micro and macronutrients in order to function optimally and they must be supplied through diet, "a balanced and varied diet is one that contains all the different necessary micronutrients". Dietary supplements should be considered as an important source of nutrients for those who are unable to maintain an adequate or safe oral intake. Although many of these supplements can be beneficial, they are also of concern because of potential adverse effects and interactions with other medications and dietary supplements. Food supplements are defined as concentrated sources of nutrients [vitamins and minerals] or other substances with a physiological or nutritional effect, like herbs, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, enzymes and probiotics which are available as single or combined and marketed in dose forms such as tablets, capsules, powders and liquids, soft gels and like this designed to be taken to supplement the diet. Multivitamin-multimineral has no standard or defined meaning. These differences can affect estimates of both prevalence and intakes and make it difficult to compare trends over time. The aim of this paper was to emphasis on the importance of receiving adequate nutrients, along with mentioning the adverse effects of excessive consumption of them