Herbal, nutrition or sports supplements can certainly be effective to enhance exercise performance or to treat various symptoms and ailments; however it is important to carefully select your supplements. Just because a product is labeled "natural" does not mean it is safe or effective. Remember products such as tobacco and arsenic are natural, but not safe.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carefully regulates all prescription and over-the-counter medications to ensure their efficacy and safety, but supplements do not fall under the FDA's umbrella of regulation. Without the FDA's regulation, supplement manufactures can often get away with making false claims about their products. Use the guidelines below to help you make wise choices when choosing these various products.

DO'S

1. Do treat your supplements like you would a medication.2. Do discuss the use of supplement products with your physician or healthcare provider
3. Do select high quality products- Buy dried herbs that appear to be fresh, clean and free of infestation.Buy commercial products from reliable sources. The label should include the scientific name of the herb, list the ingredients in detail, note a batch or lot number, and cite the date of manufacture and expiration. It should also provide you with the name and address of the manufacturer and provide a number to call with questions.
4. Do use discretion when deciding to purchase a new supplement. Remember, if a product sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Do look for signs of "quackery" such as: - Claims of a "cure all" for weight loss or complex diseases such as cancer or HIV
- Claiming to be the only source of information available on their particular product
- Claiming that since their product is natural, it cannot be harmful
- Criticisms of the medical or scientific community
6. Do begin with the lowest recommended dose
7. Do only take one new supplement at a time and wait at least 24 hours before adding a new one
8. Do discontinue supplement use following any adverse reactions.

DON'TS

1. Don't take unnecessary risks. Pregnant or nursing women, children or the elderly should avoid all herbal products. Little is known about the effects of herbal treatments in general; even less is known about the effects in these populations.
2. Don't assume that more is better - more is not always better and can sometimes be harmful
3. Don't self treat a serious disease or symptom with supplements
4. Don't make drug substitutions on your own
5. Don't ignore adverse reactions to a substance

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