A dietary supplement is defined as a product taken by mouth containing a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, and amino acids. In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA), an important piece of legislation which provided a regulatory framework for assuring the safety of dietary supplements. DSHEA also granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to establish regulations regarding dietary supplement manufacturing, regulating health claims and labeling.
Dietary supplements are regulated products. Dietary supplement marketing, manufacturing, labeling, and advertising are all covered by regulations enforced by FDA and the Federal Trade Commission.
