The importance of the diet for a healthy life has been amply demonstrated. Individual nutrients have received variable attention and vitamins and minerals are among them. The levels of intake of the latter have been cause of concerns both for being potentially on the low side but also because of the adverse effects that excessive intakes of certain vitamins and minerals may cause. It should, however, be noted that it is increasingly difficult to develop accurate assessments of the pattern of overall diets, since these vary across the regions, between population groups and over time.

The fundamental challenge in any discussion about the regulation of food supplements is that there is no global consensus on how the category of products known as dietary supplements, natural health products (NHPs), complementary medicines or food supplements in different countries is defined. For example, a product considered to be a dietary supplement and regulated as a food in the USA, or EU in another country may be considered a therapeutic good (complementary medicine) or a therapeutic good (prescription medicine). The situation is even more complicated when countries like China or India that have an existing regulatory framework for traditional medicine or phytomedicine that includes crude botanicals are considered. Even in countries with similar cultures, legal systems, and levels of economic development, regulations applying to dietary supplements vary considerably. The vast variety of global organizations regulating (more 2.2.2) nutritional supplements should be harmonized, as consumers rely more and more on food supplements it is crucial to guarantee that they access safe products and they are able to make informed choices.