About this publication
Medical Information & Use of These Guides
Bring the information to your care team.
Educational scope
This site provides general educational information for U.S. adults. It does not establish a clinician-patient relationship, provide personalized medical advice, diagnose conditions, or prescribe supplements. No licensed clinician has medically reviewed this edition. Your surgical program and treating clinicians should tailor the plan to your procedure, results, medicines, food intake, and other health conditions.
Numerical examples and schedules
Amounts in the guides describe commonly used clinical reference recommendations or clearly labeled examples. They do not automatically apply to you. Preventive supplementation and treatment of an established deficiency are different. Do not stop prescriptions, combine high-dose products, or change treatment routes solely because of a page on this site.
When assessment should not wait
Call 911 for severe chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, collapse, stroke-like symptoms, or major bleeding. Persistent vomiting, inability to retain fluids, new confusion, marked imbalance, or neurological changes after poor intake needs prompt medical assessment. Do not wait for an annual laboratory visit or attempt to manage severe symptoms with an ordinary multivitamin.
Suspected poisoning or overdose
For a possible harmful ingestion in the U.S., contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms such as collapse or breathing difficulty. Keep iron-containing supplements away from children and do not wait for symptoms after a suspected ingestion. The source library links to Poison Control's current information.
Product and source limitations
Labels and recommendations can change. Verify the current bottle, ask your pharmacist about medicines, and use your clinician's instructions for laboratory preparation and follow-up. This publication has not independently tested products or established a product's clinical superiority.