Safety First: Supplements are unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For the safest products, look for the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) seal on the bottle. That means the supplement meets the standards of the USP. Can’t find it? Ask your pharmacist for help or visit Operation Supplement Safety. 

Whether you’re looking to reach your recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals or hoping to remedy diabetes complications, there’s a world of supplements to consider—along with potential drug interactions, conflicting information, and safety issues.

Whether or not a supplement has clinical evidence to suggest it helps with diabetes or related complications, the bigger question to ask is, are you going to be harmed by taking this supplement or vitamin?

Many think that a supplement contains the same vitamins and minerals as whole foods, so why not just pop a pill? It’s because vitamins and minerals are best absorbed through food.

Think of it like this—whole foods contain a mix of minerals, enzymes, fiber, and other substances that may help your body absorb and use these nutrients. Eating a well-balanced meal is much healthier than a multivitamin. It’s not clear whether vitamins and minerals have the same effect in the body when taken in supplement form.

If you have a true vitamin deficiency, however, a supplement may be helpful. Americans are most commonly deficient in vitamins D and B12, calcium, and iron. The only way to know whether you’re deficient is through blood work, but you might see some signs. If you’re experiencing symptoms you think a supplement could fix, consult your doctor before trying to remedy the problem yourself.

Supplements may cause unwelcome—or dangerous—side effects, especially if they interact with your medications. While some ingredients could intensify the effects of your diabetes meds, causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, also called blood glucose), others may have the opposite effect, leading to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Research on many supplements is inconclusive. Talk to your health care provider before you start taking chromium, vitamin E, St. John’s wort, or niacin.

Confused about what to take? Unless your health care provider recommends a specific vitamin or supplement, it’s probably not all that helpful—or economical—to add another pill to your regimen.

Here’s what you need to know about other common supplements:

At the end of the day, be sure to talk with your diabetes team before making changes—your health care provider can help you figure out if it’s a good idea to add a vitamin or supplement to your routine.