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What are dietary supplements? Benefits, risks and important information

Dietary supplements simply explained: Find out what they are, when they can be useful – and what you should pay attention to.

8 Min

Zuletzt aktualisiert am 29.04.2026

A pill here, a capsule there, and later a powder. Sound familiar? Understandable. In recent years, there's been a real boom in dietary supplements. Suddenly they're everywhere: in pharmacies, drugstores, and even discount stores, the various packages are practically beckoning.
Often, you stand in front of the shelves and can't make sense of it all. This flood of products is overwhelming. And slowly but surely, a big question mark forms in your mind: What exactly are dietary supplements? And what are important dietary supplements that are suitable for me?
Don't worry, we at Vetain are experts in this field and will give you an overview of dietary supplements in this article. This way, you'll soon be able to confidently purchase your daily supplements.

Your knowledge on the go: What are dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements are nutrients such as vitamins. & Minerals in concentrated form that can contribute to an adequate supply of certain nutrients – especially when this cannot be achieved through diet alone.
Which supplements are useful is entirely individual and depends on u.a. depends on lifestyle, life stage and diet.
A conscious and responsible approach to dietary supplements is important.

definition

What exactly are dietary supplements?
In short, dietary supplements are... Measured nutrients in concentrated form, which can have an impact on the body or nutritional status. This means that nutrients such as Vitamins or minerals They are packaged in small pills, powders, capsules, effervescent tablets, or other tablets and liquids. In this way, they can contribute to an adequate supply of certain nutrients – especially when this cannot be achieved through diet alone.

What are the most common dietary supplements?

Vitamins
minerals
secondary plant compounds
Amino acids
Enzymes
Fatty acids
…

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If you're now thinking, "Great, I'll just eat pizza and chocolate all day and get all my nutrients from supplements," when you see this list of dietary supplements, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. Dietary supplements (or supplements for short) are not a substitute for a healthy diet. healthy eating, but only one Addition! This means that nutritional supplements can play a role in everything you can't achieve with a healthy diet – but they are not an alternative to fruits and vegetables.

By the way: Did you know that dietary supplements are classified as food and are therefore clearly distinct from medicines?

Pharmaceuticals vs. Dietary Supplements

Before we continue with the question “Why dietary supplements?”, let's take a brief look at the topic of medicines vs. dietary supplements.
What exactly are dietary supplements and medicines? What are dietary supplements suitable for, and what is the difference between them and medicines?

Dietary supplements (as the name so nicely suggests) supplement our diet when certain nutrients are not consumed in sufficient quantities.
Taking dietary supplements can therefore ensure that we are adequately supplied with nutrients. However, dietary supplements themselves cannot cure diseases like a medicine can. Dietary supplements are therefore not for the treatment of diseases made.

Who needs dietary supplements?

Now we know what dietary supplements are and what they aren't. On to the next topic: What are the reasons for taking dietary supplements?
We can usually obtain nutrients like vitamins and minerals through a balanced diet. However, there are some situations where it's not so easy, or even possible, to meet our nutritional needs in the usual way. These are situations where a balanced diet simply isn't enough because our needs are higher than what we can provide our bodies through food.

This is precisely where dietary supplements come into play: they can help to supply your body with nutrients.

Special life circumstances & Life stages:

Pregnant women & Breastfeeding (There are even special dietary supplements for women)
infants & (Young) children
Seniors
…

Special lifestyles & Lifestyles:

vegetarian diet
vegan diet (there are many plant-based supplements)
active sports
…

As you can see, not everyone needs supplements, but they are beneficial for many. Now you're probably wondering how this applies to you personally: Which supplements are important for you?

When should you take dietary supplements?

Sorry, unfortunately we can't give a general answer to that. Whether and which nutritional supplements you need depends entirely on the individual. individually. Depending on your lifestyle, stage of life, diet, etc., dietary supplements may be more or less useful for you.
However, we can give you a few tips to help you better assess the situation:

Do you belong to one of the The above-mentioned groups? If so, find out more on trusted websites.
Monitor your diet And track your nutrient intake. What nutrients are you not getting enough of in your daily life? This can be an initial indication that supplementation might be beneficial. You can find the reference values (i.e., how much of a nutrient you should consume) at the German Nutrition Society (DGE).
Take care of yourself and your body: Are you constantly tired and exhausted? Do you get sick often? These can all be (but don't have to be!) signs of a nutrient deficiency.
Get advice: A medical examination and a Advice Nutritionists or pharmacists can provide further assistance.

Here you can find out which dietary supplements might be right for you: Which supplements should you take?

Also of interest: Are supplements really necessary?

Risks and side effects

Are dietary supplements dangerous? A few vitamins – there's nothing wrong with that, is there?You always hear from everyone that you should eat more fruits and vegetables to get enough vitamins. Well, unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. Dietary supplements can actually have risks and side effects.

What are the risks of dietary supplements?

Risk of overdose: Too much of a good thing can lead to symptoms like stomach aches, nausea, or even worse. So always stick to the dosage instructions – there's a reason they're on the package! ;)
Inadequate product quality: Contaminated products, inferior active ingredients, incompatible ingredients, or excessively high doses. Although there are many regulations for dietary supplement manufacturers, unfortunately, there are also many deceptive products.
Interactions: Some dietary supplements can cause undesirable interactions with each other or with medications.
Multivitamin preparations and combination preparations: These supplements, true to the motto "Nutrients from A to Z," contain many different vitamins and minerals. You usually don't need at least half of them. It's better to take individual supplements or combinations that make sense for you.

Ultimately, you also play a role in determining how dangerous dietary supplements are for you. Even the best product can have negative effects if taken incorrectly or misused. Therefore, responsible use and thorough research are crucial.

Guide: Finding good dietary supplements

With such a huge selection, finding a good product can be difficult. What should you look for when buying one? What are good dietary supplements? And which dietary supplements should you avoid?

Here's one Checklist with recommendations for good products:

Quality seals and certificates
a clean and short ingredient list
trustworthy origin
official product tests and reviews
Transparency and contact options: Good manufacturers They are always there for you and do not shirk their responsibility.
clear intake recommendations and sensible dosages

By the way: Medical and nutritional specialists as well as pharmacies will be happy to advise you and answer questions about products.

One last tip: If you see anything about “ on the packagingMiracle cure" or "cure“ Read – run! And run far, far away.

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Conclusion: What are dietary supplements?

Supplements complement a balanced diet and can help us ensure we get enough vitamins and minerals. & To be adequately supplied. Which dietary supplements are needed is an individual matter.
Hopefully you now understand better what dietary supplements are!

literature & Sources

EFSA (European Food Safety Authority. (n.d.)). Dietary supplement. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/
de/topics/topic/food-
supplements
Working Group on Food Supplements within the German Food Federation e.V. (2023). Dietary supplements – the most important facts. https://www.lebensmittelverband.de
/fileadmin/Publications/Brochures_
Flyer/2023/06/AK_NEM_Brochure_2023
_WEB_final.pdf
BVL (Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety).o.J. ) Dietary supplement. https://www.bvl.bund.de/
DE/Work areas/01_Food
/03_Consumer/04_NEM/NEM_
node.html
BZfE (Federal Centre for Nutrition) at the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE); Seeher, J.; Thiesmeier-Dormann, C. & Schmidt-Packmohr, C. (2023). Vitamins, minerals, and more: When is dietary supplementation advisable? In: Kompass Ernährung, 27(1).

Do you have any questions? Then feel free to write me a message. Mail - I look forward to hearing from you! :)

The information shared in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.

Frequently asked questions

Which dietary supplements should you take and what are important dietary supplements?

The question of which dietary supplements are beneficial cannot be answered in general terms, as it is very individual. It depends u.a. depends on lifestyle, life stage and diet.