Vitamins & Nutrition
Questions to Ask a Healthcare Professional Before Taking Supplements
Planning to start a vitamin or supplement? Take these questions to your doctor or pharmacist to check need, dose, interactions and safety.
Vitamins & Nutrition
Multivitamins, single vitamins and minerals to complement a balanced diet. Supplements are not a substitute for varied food, and it is sensible to check with a pharmacist or doctor before starting one.
Choosing vitamins and supplements
Supplements are intended to add to a balanced diet, not to replace one. Most people who eat a varied diet get what they need from food, so a supplement is most useful for a specific, identified gap.
- Check the Supplement Facts panel for the amount per serving and the percent Daily Value.
- Avoid doubling up on the same nutrient across several products.
- More is not better: keep to the daily amount shown on the label.
- Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take medicines.
Helpful guides
- A Beginner's Guide to Multivitamins
- How to Read Supplement Labels
- What to Know About Supplement Interactions
- What to Know Before Choosing a Multivitamin
Good to know: These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Vitamins & Nutrition guides
Plain-language articles to help you choose and use products with confidence.
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