What are health supplements?

Health supplements include tablets, capsules, powders, liquids and a wide variety of other forms which are taken for their health-giving properties. They are composed of micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, and a range of other substances such as amino acids, fatty acids, plants and extracts of plants.

There is no globally accepted term for health/dietary/food supplements and these terms are synonymous with each other. In much of Asia, for example, the term 'health supplement' is used. In Europe, the more widely used term is 'food supplement'. And in the US, 'dietary supplement' is the legal term.