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- Can't fully take place of nutrients
- Can have negative side effects
- Can increase the risk of bleeding
- Can react badly with prescribed drugs
- Sometimes aren't the best quality or aren't what they say they are.

Make sure to do your research on them. " Dietary supplements are complex products. The FDA has established quality standards for dietary supplements to help ensure their identity, purity, strength, and composition" (Health 5.3).

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There was about a year where I had to take a pretty large amount of iron supplement per day to combat a health issue I was having.

My doctor had to prescribe it because it was such a large dose of iron, but we talked about the risks and benefits while also taking a look at if it would interact with my medications.

Before going on this supplement, I had multiple tests done, including blood tests, to make sure this was some I actually needed to take. Eventually I got off it but it never had any bad side effects.

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- Helps you reach your required mineral/vitamin count
- Easy and efficient to use
- Most are over the counter
- Usually not too expensive (depending on the brand and type)

" Some supplements might help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients" (Health 5.3).

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Along with the decrease in nutritional values of foods, we are also faced with the issues of toxins being on or in food much more frequently.  " Because of this, we are generally not exposed to a single toxin at a time, but to a complex mixture of toxins" (Health 5.3) While these aren't put in intentionally to hurt us, they can still have a very negative long term effect.

Too many toxins can lead to the body being unable to perform essential functions that may lead to worse issues in the future. Luckily, our bodies still protect against these toxins. "Fortunately our bodies are equipped with a detoxification system designed to manage toxins and help maintain health when exposed to harmful substances" (Health 5.3).

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As we've continued to grow as a population and also continued to mass produce food and other products, the USDA has seen a steady decline in the quality of food. " According to Brian Halwell, a researcher for WorldWatch, vitamin C has declined by 20 percent, iron by 15 percent, riboflavin by 38 percent, and calcium by 16 percent" (Health 5.3).

This means that to get the required vitamins and minerals, we need to eat even more food than we have been eating.