Where can I find scientifically sound information about vitamin/mineral supplements?
Your doctor is a good place to start. In addition, pharmacists and registered dietitians are helpful. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a series of Vitamin and Mineral Fact Sheets that provide scientifically-based overviews of a number of vitamins and minerals. They can provide a good basis for a discussion with your doctor about whether or not you should take a vitamin/mineral supplement. MedlinePlus is another good source of information. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a variety of articles and consumer advisories to help consumers inform themselves about dietary supplements, including warnings and safety information, labeling, evaluation information, and FDAs role in regulating dietary supplements. For those interested in looking directly at scientific studies, the PubMed database and the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) Database are two databases to search. 4. What should I do if I suspect I may be having a side-effect from
