(HealthDay News) -- Visit any grocer or drug store, and chances are there is an aisle stocked with dietary supplements.
But the U.S. National Institutes of Health says when it comes to choosing or using these supplements, it's buyer beware. The agency offers these suggestions:
- Always check with your physician before taking a supplement, and never self-diagnose health conditions.
- Natural doesn't always mean safe.
- Supplements -- even those that are perfectly safe -- aren't meant to treat or prevent conditions, or replace essential nutrients in your diet.
- Learn to spot false claims on product labels. If something sounds too good to be true, it often is.
