25
used supplements are multivitamins, mineral supplements, calcium supplements,
and omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil (Bailey et al. 2013). About a quarter of the supplements are used based on the advice of health-care providers. Thus, most decisions to use supplements are made by the consumers themselves. Despite their
popularity, the health benefits of dietary supplements are questionable. Lack of vitamins will certainly cause deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, pellagra, and
rickets. However, the vitamin content of a normal well-balanced diet is sufficient to
avoid these diseases. Studies aimed at determining effects of supplements often give
conflicting results. There seems to be no current scientific consensus whether vitamins or any other dietary supplements prevent disease or have health benefits in
well-nourished individuals (Moyer 2014).
3.3 Historical Overview
From the beginning of human civilization, the people’s diet mostly comprises of
plant foods and seafoods that could be easily gathered. Hunter-gatherers later
contributed meat products by big game. This was the diet of most humans until
about 10,000 BC, at which time the development of agriculture and animal husbandry provided more meat and grains for the whole family. Then was little
knowledge about vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats and their
role in human nutrition. Various people in the continents of the Earth developed
nutritious cuisines with mostly local products that sustained their health. By trial
and error, they chose a variety of foods and cooking methods that led to physical
strength, health, and fertility. The common wisdom of native cultures knew which
foods and herbs had special properties for energy, nutrition and extra health benefits for children, pregnant women and elders. Everyday diets were “supplemented” to make up for deficiencies as far back as native cultures. Native
Americans, for example, knew that drinking tea made from pine bark and needles
which contains high concentration of ascorbic acid could cure scurvy. This condition was later found by science to be a vitamin C deficiency disease. In 1749, Dr.
James Lind discovered that citrus fruits which have high vitamin C content prevented scurvy (Shils and Shike 2006; Fraga 2009). The discovery of the role of
vitamins was a major scientific achievement in understanding the association
existing among nutrition, health and disease. By the 1920s and 1930s, significant
strides occurred in the world of vitamin research and mass marketing of synthesized vitamin C flourished in 1935 under the brand name Redoxon. In nearly
75 years since the marketing of vitamin C pill started, large steps have been made
in vitamin and other dietary supplement products (Kourkouta et al. 2016). The
mainstream scientific community gradually became intrigued by the potential
health benefits of dietary supplements and numerous research projects (epidemiologic, clinical, in vivo and in vitro) were initiated in the 1980s. This interest was
fueled in part by studies demonstrating that nutrient antioxidants, (vitamins C, A,
E, β-carotene and Selenium) have a role in protecting cells from oxidative free
3 Dietary Supplements: Types, Health Benefits, Industry and Regulation
used supplements are multivitamins, mineral supplements, calcium supplements,
and omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil (Bailey et al. 2013). About a quarter of the supplements are used based on the advice of health-care providers. Thus, most decisions to use supplements are made by the consumers themselves. Despite their
popularity, the health benefits of dietary supplements are questionable. Lack of vitamins will certainly cause deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, pellagra, and
rickets. However, the vitamin content of a normal well-balanced diet is sufficient to
avoid these diseases. Studies aimed at determining effects of supplements often give
conflicting results. There seems to be no current scientific consensus whether vitamins or any other dietary supplements prevent disease or have health benefits in
well-nourished individuals (Moyer 2014).
3.3 Historical Overview
From the beginning of human civilization, the people’s diet mostly comprises of
plant foods and seafoods that could be easily gathered. Hunter-gatherers later
contributed meat products by big game. This was the diet of most humans until
about 10,000 BC, at which time the development of agriculture and animal husbandry provided more meat and grains for the whole family. Then was little
knowledge about vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats and their
role in human nutrition. Various people in the continents of the Earth developed
nutritious cuisines with mostly local products that sustained their health. By trial
and error, they chose a variety of foods and cooking methods that led to physical
strength, health, and fertility. The common wisdom of native cultures knew which
foods and herbs had special properties for energy, nutrition and extra health benefits for children, pregnant women and elders. Everyday diets were “supplemented” to make up for deficiencies as far back as native cultures. Native
Americans, for example, knew that drinking tea made from pine bark and needles
which contains high concentration of ascorbic acid could cure scurvy. This condition was later found by science to be a vitamin C deficiency disease. In 1749, Dr.
James Lind discovered that citrus fruits which have high vitamin C content prevented scurvy (Shils and Shike 2006; Fraga 2009). The discovery of the role of
vitamins was a major scientific achievement in understanding the association
existing among nutrition, health and disease. By the 1920s and 1930s, significant
strides occurred in the world of vitamin research and mass marketing of synthesized vitamin C flourished in 1935 under the brand name Redoxon. In nearly
75 years since the marketing of vitamin C pill started, large steps have been made
in vitamin and other dietary supplement products (Kourkouta et al. 2016). The
mainstream scientific community gradually became intrigued by the potential
health benefits of dietary supplements and numerous research projects (epidemiologic, clinical, in vivo and in vitro) were initiated in the 1980s. This interest was
fueled in part by studies demonstrating that nutrient antioxidants, (vitamins C, A,
E, β-carotene and Selenium) have a role in protecting cells from oxidative free
3 Dietary Supplements: Types, Health Benefits, Industry and Regulation