Supplements are designed to do exactly what they say, ie. Supplement our existing diet or nutritional intake. Supplements have become incredibly popular over the last 50 years within the developed world, with everybody from new mothers, professional bodybuilders and elite athletes taking them. The term supplement is a broad one, often used interchangeably with vitamins or minerals. Supplements mean many things to many people. In general though, when we think about supplementing, we think about adding or supplementing to our existing diet. The reasons why people choose to take supplements do vary massively. A large portion of people will take supplements because they want to improve their general level of health. A smaller portion of people will take supplements for a very specific reason. I.E. Bodybuilders use supplements to help them prepare for competitions. So let’s examine some of the main categories of supplements.