ISSA Nutritionist Practice Exam

What distinguishes dietary supplements from medications?

1. Dietary supplements are regulated as drugs.

2. Dietary supplements are meant for symptom treatment.

3. Dietary supplements help to enhance diet rather than treat diseases.

4. Dietary supplements are always natural products.

The correct answer is: Dietary supplements help to enhance diet rather than treat diseases.

Dietary supplements are primarily designed to complement a person's diet by providing essential nutrients that may be lacking or to enhance overall nutritional intake. They include vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and other substances intended to support health and wellness. Unlike medications, which are specifically developed to treat, prevent, or manage medical conditions and are subject to stringent regulatory requirements, dietary supplements are generally not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The distinction lies in their intended use and regulatory status. While medications undergo rigorous testing and approval processes by agencies like the FDA to ensure their safety and efficacy for treating specific health issues, dietary supplements are not classified as drugs and, therefore, do not need to meet the same criteria before being marketed. This means that they can be sold without the same levels of scrutiny concerning their effects on health. Overall, the primary role of dietary supplements is to enhance nutritional intake rather than serve as a treatment for specific health conditions, which underlines the correctness of this choice.