Types of Dietary Supplements in Saudi Arabia

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) defines dietary supplements as ‘Products that contain one or more nutritional ingredients that help add nutritional value and supplement the diet.’

1. Apart from having a physiological effect that is marketed as a ‘dose’ like tablets, capsules, and liquids, they contain substances like amino acids, herbs and enzymes that improve nutrient levels.
2. The dietary supplement sector in Saudi Arabia is growing, possibly as a result of increasing population, income, and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
3. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) is the governing body responsible for governing Food products, Medicines, Medical Devices and Operations.
4. Food Supplements or dietary supplements fall under the category of food in Saudi Arabia.
5. The types of food supplements available in Saudi Arabia include:

• Carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids are sold as food supplements,
• Prebiotic and probiotic for industrial use,
• Fibre products,
• Foods for weight control diets, as well as formula foods for very low energy diets for weight loss,
• Glucosamine food supplements with concentrations lower than 1000 mg/day,
• Food supplements containing less than 900 mg/day of chondroitin sulphate,
• Para-aminobenzoic acid concentrations less than 1200 mg/day,
• Low concentrations of hyaluronic acid (less than 150 mg/day),
• Coenzyme Q10 in concentrations less than 200 mg/day,
• Spirulina Extract with concentrations less than 2400 mg/day must include a warning that the product is not suited for people who have Phenylketonuria,5013.
• Shilajit (If this ingredient meets the food definition as well as the conditions stated above, it may be considered a novel food and must comply with the SFDA.FD 5013. General Requirements for Novel Foods), and Melatonin in concentrations less than 2 mg/day [1].