Near 15% of French men and 28% of French women consume dietary supplements at least 3 times a week. The most common ones - you probably have some at home - are those containing magnesium and vitamins B and C. Do you really know what a dietary supplement is? How does it differ from medication? Do you know how to use them properly?
What is a dietary supplement?
The official definition of a dietary supplement (Article 2 of Decree No. 2006-352) indicates that it is a foodstuff that constitutes a concentrated source of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect. In nutritherapy, they may consist of:
- Vitamins: such as the famous vitamin C, for example
- Minerals and trace elements: magnesium, calcium, chromium, iron...
- Amino acids: glutamine, arginine, taurine...
- Probiotics
In phytotherapy, they consist of:
Plants, for example in the form of S.I.P.F. (integral suspensions of fresh plants)
Dietary supplements are not medications? TRUE
Dietary supplements help to supplement a nutritional deficiency due to sometimes impoverished food, stress, intense physical activity, etc. Although they are sold in pharmacies and come in the form of tablets or capsules with strict dosages, they are not medications. Their purpose is not to cure a disease but to contribute to well-being.
Do we all need them at some point in our lives? TRUE
A little boost is often welcome! For example, it is recommended to supplement with magnesium when feeling weakened because magnesium deficiency is the most common cause of fatigue - 77% of women and 72% of men have insufficient magnesium intake and are deficient. Women and the elderly are often advised to take vitamin D supplements, especially in winter, to prevent osteoporosis. Lifestyle (intensive sports, alcoholism...), specific dietary regimes (vegetarian, vegan, residue-free, weight loss...), or factors like stress, heavy periods, digestive malabsorption, pregnancy, and age can lead to deficiencies. Moreover, some supplements contribute to reducing symptoms, for example, in cases of osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, dry skin, or water retention.
In France, are dietary supplements safe? TRUE
Provided you buy your dietary supplements in a pharmacy or from websites based in France, they are safe and are strictly regulated both at the French and European levels, by three cumulative levels of regulation:
Regulations governing agricultural raw materials,
Regulations relating to foodstuffs: safety requirements (hygiene of foodstuffs, additives, flavors, new ingredients, materials in contact with food, contaminants including residues of plant protection products) and information requirements (labeling, presentation, advertising, nutritional and health claims, metrological control of prepackaging, possible definitions of recipes);
Specific regulations for dietary supplements: definitions, composition safety, usage guarantees, labeling. You can also check that the dietary supplement is registered in the Vidal, the reference database on health products, and, of course, prefer recognized laboratories.
I take dietary supplements, can I eat whatever I want? FALSE
Dietary supplements do not replace a balanced diet. Even if you take dietary supplements, it is important to eat healthily and pay attention to what is on your plate. Follow these simple rules:
- Make sure to have 3 meals a day. Dinner should be the least rich meal.
- Consume: Prefer sourdough bread and wholemeal bread over white bread and industrial preparations.
- At least 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day
- Red meat and poultry 2 to 3 times a week
- Fish, including fatty fish, at least 3 times a week, preferring wild fish
- Eggs, 2 to 3 times a week
- Nuts, 6 to 8 per day.
- Sources of calcium and magnesium, every day (mineral-rich still waters, dried fruits, green vegetables).
- Prefer tea (without milk) to coffee.
- Consume cheese in moderation.
- Regarding fats: for cooking, opt for olive and peanut oils, and for seasoning, consider rapeseed, walnut, and olive oils.
- Save sugar for rare occasions and avoid consuming it outside of meals.
- Opt for gentle cooking methods that preserve nutrients.
Dietary supplements have no contraindications? FALSE
Dietary supplements contain active substances and are not harmless. Thus, they can have contraindications and interact with medications or other dietary supplements. For example, beta-carotene is suspected to increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Supplementation with vitamin C is not recommended if you are taking anticoagulants. St. John's wort should not be combined with ginkgo, valerian, hawthorn, or passionflower. It should also not be taken at the same time as birth control pills, antidepressants, or anti-migraine drugs. It is therefore recommended to consult the instructions carefully to check for possible contraindications and to avoid cocktails of dietary supplements. Also, respect the recommended dosages to avoid exceeding nutritional doses.
Sources: (1)Communiqué NutriNet-Santé et British Journal of Nutrition, Février 2013 Socio-demographic, lifestyle and dietary correlates of dietary supplement use in a large sample of French adults:results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort study (2)SU.VI.MAX, étude de supplémentation en vitamines et minéraux.1994-2003. Apfelbaum et all. (3)Breuil, V., & Euller-Ziegler, L. (2004). Nutrition et vieillissement osseux: L’ostéoporose. Nutrition clinique et métabolisme, 18(4), 212-218. (4)Riché, D. (1996). Pratique sportive et oligoéléments: conséquences nutritionnelles. Science & sports, 11(4), 211-222. (5)Maillot, F., Farad, S., & Lamisse, F. (2001). Alcool et nutrition. Pathologie Biologie, 49(9), 683-688. (6)Beaufrere, B., Birgé, J., Burlet, C., Campillo, B., Couet, C., Fouque, D., ... & Leverve, X. (1999). Carences nutritionnelles: étiologies et dépistage (Doctoral dissertation, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)). (7)Favier, M., & Hininger-Favier, I. (2005). Zinc et grossesse. Gynécologie obstétrique & fertilité, 33(4), 253-258. (8)“La réglementation des compléments alimentaires” synadiet.org