28
ments are not well absorbed, others are almost completely destroyed by the
stomach fluids and a few others irritate the mucosa of the stomach and intestine. Powders and liquid preparations are useful for those who have difficulty of
swallowing the capsules or tablets. Supplements in the form of sprays can cause
intense local irritation or possible lung aspiration. Injecting supplements is
always done under the guidance of a physician. On the other hand, boneanchored supplements can only be taken in hospitals due to surgical technique,
monitoring and laboratory control required to prevent local inflammations and
complications (Teixeira 2013). If there is intense change in color of urine when
taking a supplement, this means that a large portion of the supplement is
excreted because either it cannot be absorbed, or the dose is in excess. This
must lead us to reflect on the effectiveness and possible harm that supplements
can cause (Mulholland and Benford, 2007).
3.7 Classification of Supplements
According to the National Agency of Medicines, dietary supplements are divided
into two categories depending on their intended use (EUFIC 2009):
(1) Food supplements as food product which supplements the usual diet.
(2) Foodstuff for particular nutritional uses such as beverages, which due to their
special composition, are intended for certain population groups e.g. for healthy
infants or children between the ages of two and five or for special categories of
persons with disordered metabolism, or for categories of persons who are in a
special physiological condition.
Supplements can also be distinguished depending on their origin (natural or
synthetic). They are classified comparably to their texture or form in which they
are available as follows: (a) Vitamin and mineral supplements, whether they are
combined in the form of multivitamins or multi-minerals or not, (b) Protein supplements in the form of liquid or tablet in combination or not with carbohydrates,
fats, vitamins and minerals, (c) Amino acids of every form and composition, (d)
Supplements for gaining weight, (e) Meal surrogates in the form of powder, wafers
or biscuits, (f) Carbohydrate supplements with or without electrolytes and vitamins, (g) Supplements which have natural anabolic effect, and which are not
included in the “banned substances list”, (h) “Activator” supplements of growth
hormone and other hormones, (i) Supplements of basic fatty acids, (j) Foodstuffs
or food ingredients such as yeast, garlic, kelp, royal jelly, (k) Herbs. There are
thousands of supplements in the market. Many of them are very good, others moderate and some provide very little benefit. The main reason for their low efficiency
is their manufacturing method and the source of their basic substances (Rovira
et al. 2013). Some classes of supplements, their examples and contents are presented in Table 3.1.
S. Hassan et al.
ments are not well absorbed, others are almost completely destroyed by the
stomach fluids and a few others irritate the mucosa of the stomach and intestine. Powders and liquid preparations are useful for those who have difficulty of
swallowing the capsules or tablets. Supplements in the form of sprays can cause
intense local irritation or possible lung aspiration. Injecting supplements is
always done under the guidance of a physician. On the other hand, boneanchored supplements can only be taken in hospitals due to surgical technique,
monitoring and laboratory control required to prevent local inflammations and
complications (Teixeira 2013). If there is intense change in color of urine when
taking a supplement, this means that a large portion of the supplement is
excreted because either it cannot be absorbed, or the dose is in excess. This
must lead us to reflect on the effectiveness and possible harm that supplements
can cause (Mulholland and Benford, 2007).
3.7 Classification of Supplements
According to the National Agency of Medicines, dietary supplements are divided
into two categories depending on their intended use (EUFIC 2009):
(1) Food supplements as food product which supplements the usual diet.
(2) Foodstuff for particular nutritional uses such as beverages, which due to their
special composition, are intended for certain population groups e.g. for healthy
infants or children between the ages of two and five or for special categories of
persons with disordered metabolism, or for categories of persons who are in a
special physiological condition.
Supplements can also be distinguished depending on their origin (natural or
synthetic). They are classified comparably to their texture or form in which they
are available as follows: (a) Vitamin and mineral supplements, whether they are
combined in the form of multivitamins or multi-minerals or not, (b) Protein supplements in the form of liquid or tablet in combination or not with carbohydrates,
fats, vitamins and minerals, (c) Amino acids of every form and composition, (d)
Supplements for gaining weight, (e) Meal surrogates in the form of powder, wafers
or biscuits, (f) Carbohydrate supplements with or without electrolytes and vitamins, (g) Supplements which have natural anabolic effect, and which are not
included in the “banned substances list”, (h) “Activator” supplements of growth
hormone and other hormones, (i) Supplements of basic fatty acids, (j) Foodstuffs
or food ingredients such as yeast, garlic, kelp, royal jelly, (k) Herbs. There are
thousands of supplements in the market. Many of them are very good, others moderate and some provide very little benefit. The main reason for their low efficiency
is their manufacturing method and the source of their basic substances (Rovira
et al. 2013). Some classes of supplements, their examples and contents are presented in Table 3.1.
S. Hassan et al.