How do I determine whether I actually need a dietary supplement?

The most reliable starting point is a conversation with your healthcare provider, who can assess your diet, lifestyle, and micronutrient status through appropriate blood tests. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), published by the National Academies of Medicine and available through the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements at ods.od.nih.gov, provide age- and sex-specific reference values for every essential nutrient