保健食品該怎麼吃得安全？選購與食用觀念一次看！
現代營養保健食品發展非常快速，很多人都有食用維生素，礦物質或其他營養補充品的習慣；若您也是其中一分子，希望以下的資料，可以提供您食用營養補充品的參考：
Currently, Health Food is developing very fast while many people are used to taking a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other suppliments. If you are one of them, the information below may provide you with some detailed referrence about nutrient suppliments that you are taking.
一般注意事項 Basic Notice
有些植物萃取物不能與藥品一起食用，目前正食用低鹽、低糖或任何其他特殊飲食，應告知您的醫師或藥師；因為大部份保健食品除了有效成份外，尚含有其他賦形劑，例如許多液體滴狀保健食品如：蜂膠可能含有酒精。某些保健食品用於懷孕婦女，哺乳婦女的安全性尚未被確認，故於懷孕期間食用任何保健食品均要謹慎考慮，且應與您的醫師或藥師，營養師討論，使用前務必詳細閱讀說明書。
有些植物萃取物不能與藥品一起食用，目前正食用低鹽、低糖或任何其他特殊飲食，應告知您的醫師或藥師；因為大部份保健食品除了有效成份外，尚含有其他賦形劑，例如許多液體滴狀保健食品如：蜂膠可能含有酒精。某些保健食品用於懷孕婦女，哺乳婦女的安全性尚未被確認，故於懷孕期間使用任何保健食品均要謹慎考慮，且應與您的醫師或藥師，營養師討論，使用前務必詳細閱讀說明書。
Some plant extracts may cause side effects when taken along with some medicines. Therefore, it is essentially important to inform your doctor or pharmacist in advance about low-salt, low-sugar, or any other particular diet.
如何正確食用營養補充品 How to Take Nutrient Suppliments Correctly
一、一般而言，營養補充品通常於用餐時一起進食。但是也有一些較特殊的營養補充品，必須在空腹時食用，以提高吸收率，例如：葡萄糖胺、聖潔莓。飲用適量的溫開水，可幫助營養補充品的吸收，且減低可能出現的副作用。
1. Basically, nutrient suppliments are usually taken during regular meals. However, some particular nutrient suppliments have to be taken before meals in order to increase absorbing rate. i.e. Glucosamine, Chasteberry. By drinking adequate warm water, absorbability can be effectively increased while side effects can be possibly decreased.
二、維生素A、D、E、K，β-胡蘿蔔素，及必需脂肪酸（魚油，月見草油等均為脂溶性營養補充品），與食物混合後可提高吸收率，應在用餐時食用。
2. Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Betaman, and essential fatty acids (fat-solube nutrient suppliments including Fish Oil, Linoleic Acid, etc.) should be taken along with meals since absorbability can be increased when mixed with food.
三、礦物質不應在高植物纖維量的飯餐時或與植物高纖錠同時食用，因為高量植物纖維會影響礦物質的吸收。
3. Minerals should not be taken along with fiber crops or SeaSlim because fiber crops can possibly effect the absorbability of minerals.
四、若要食用高劑量的補充品，應將其分為較小的劑量，然後平均分散在當天不同的時間食用。
4. High-dosage suppliments should be divided into several servings with lower dosages. Each serving should be evenly taken at different time in a day.
五、有些人的腸胃較敏感，若空腹食用膠囊或錠狀補充品後容易感到噁心或不適，可改為隨餐食用或使用液體形式的補充品。倘若症狀持續，可能是腸道或其他問題，應先把腸胃毛病解決，才可以繼續使用補充品。
5. Some people's digestion systems are quite sensitive when they take suppliments in capsule or tablet form before meals. Symptons can be fixed simply by taking the suppliments along with meals or taking suppliments in liquid state.
六、當增加食用單一維生素B的份量時，應同時增食其他的維生素B群，一般人並不需要食用單方維他命，如果怕營養素不足，頂多食用綜合維他命即可，其中含多種維生素，但每一種維生素的量都很低，對身體不會造成過多的負擔。通常年紀大的人食用含多種維生素及礦物質的綜合維他命即可，食用高單位單方維生素最好請教醫師再食用。
6. When the amount of one single type of B vitamin taken increases, the amounts of other B vitamins taken should be increased simultaneously. Regularly, it is unnecessary to take any individual vitamin. If you are afraid of having insufficient nutrients, you can simply take the Total B-Complex, which contains various vitamins; however, each individual type of vitamin has very low dosage, so it is not harmful for human body at all. Typically, Total B-Complex already provides enough various vitamins and minerals for the elderly unless it is suggested to take any particular high-unit individual vitamin by doctors or medical professionals.
七、水溶性的維他命B群和維他命C，在飲食中它們容易受到高壓、高溫、酸、鹼、光線、菸、酒等因素的破壞，且吸收之後容易隨流汗、排尿等途徑而流失，所以需要經常性的補充。脂溶性的維他命則有較長期限的吸收期，但是補充時不宜高劑量，以免累積過量而造成中毒的現象。
7. Water-soluble vitamin-B complex and vitamin C are possibly damaged when suffering from factors, such as high pressure, high temperature, acids, bases, lights, cigarettes, and alcohols. They can also be carried away by perspiration and urine. As a result, it is necessary to take them frequently and consistenly. On the other hand, absorbabilities of fat-soluble vitamins can last longer. Hoever, they should not be taken at high dosages in case excessive vitamins turns out poisonous.
劑量與活性成份 Dosages and Active Ingredients
市面上有許多成份標示與實際內容物不符之營養保健食品！雖然價格便宜，但根本達不到效果，這樣一來反而浪費金錢，更影響到您的健康！
市面上有許多成份標示與實際內容物不符之營養保健食品！雖然價格便宜，但根本達不到效果，這樣一來反而浪費金錢，更影響到您的健康！
選擇標示清楚的產品是選購高品質保健食品的不變原則，含天然濃縮萃取物的保健食品應該都會有萃取的活性成分含量才是，一般人總是認為只要名稱對、或者價格便宜、粒數多就好了，仔細一點的消費者可能會注意到「每粒多少毫克」。不過聰明的消費者知道這樣是不夠的，因為只要是天然的萃取物，萃取物中的活性成分濃度才是品質的關鍵！
有一些大賣場以極低的價位，吸引消費者的青睞，消費者選購時應特別仔細核對其是否有詳細的劑量及成份標示，另一方面也可以透過網路查詢產地的售價，如果售價比原產地還低，就可能不是真正的進口品，當然如果價格高出產地好幾倍，也是不合理的。
Currently, there are a lot of products with unreal ingredient labels! Although those unreal products are usually sold at lower prices, there is only little effect. As a consequence, it will just become a waste of money and cause bad effects on your health! The most important key for selecting health foods should be the quantities of the acting ingredients, which are supposed to be contained in any health food of natural extracts. Regularly, people can be easily misled by the seemingly right names, the cheap prices, or the numbers of capsules. Meanwhile, "miligrams per capsule" may be noticed when a deeper look is taken. However, knowledgeable customers will realize that those factors are not enough to determine the quality of any health food. Instead, the concentrations of active ingredients are the actual key for any health food of natural extract. Some wholesale markets sell their health food products at extremely low prices in order to attract customers. To prevent purchasing low-quality health foods, customers should carefully verify the detailed dosages and ingredient labels. On the other hand,
以魚油(Fish Oil)來說，Ω-3濃度才是關鍵，一般市售膠囊狀魚油可視其標示的Ω-3濃度得知所含EPA和DHA的含量，例如最常見每粒1000毫克的魚油含EPA及DHA等Ω-3油酸共300毫克(EPA180mg和DHA120mg)濃度即為30%，其保健功能與濃度60%(EPA396mg和DHA264mg)的頂級魚油膠囊絕不能相比，如果產品未標示有效成分濃度時，光看每粒幾毫克是無法完全洞悉選購保健食品的乾坤，另一方面，高品質的深海魚油呈透明金黃色，純度不好的呈混沌或其他顏色。
Take Fish Oil for instance, the concentration of omega-3 is the most important factor. Regularly, the concentration of omega-3 of any fish oil marketed is supposed to be labelled to tell the contents of EPA and DHA. For example, the most common omega-3 concentration on the market is 30%, which means every capsule of 1000mg fish oil contains 300mg of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid in total (180mg of EPA and 120mg of DHA). However, the effect of it is relatively incomparable to the MegaPure Fish Oil with a much higher omega-3 concentration of 60% (396mg of EPA and 264mg of DHA). Therefore, the actual quality of any health food cannot be only based on the contents in miligrams per capsule. In addition, high-quality fish oil appears transparently golden while low-quality fish oil appears turbid, unclear, or mixed with other colours.
以月見草油(EPO)來說，次亞麻脂酸(GLA)濃度才是關鍵，最高濃度的標準月見草油百分比是含10％的次亞麻脂酸(GLA)，一般品質的月見草油只含6~7％的次亞麻脂酸(GLA)，高品質的月見草油呈透明琥珀色，純度不好的呈混沌或其他顏色.
Take Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) for instance, the concentration of Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) is the most important factor. The highest concentration of standard Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) is 10% of Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA). However, regular EPO only contains around 6% to 7% of GLA. High-quality EPO appears transparently amber while low-concentration EPO appears turbid, unclear, or mixed with other colours.
以甲殼素(Chitosan)來說，最重要的規格是精製度(deacetylation)，市面上有許多精製度只有80%~85%的甲殼素，一般是用於化妝品或工業用途，不適合人體食用，只有精製度90%以上才是最適合當成膳食纖維，適合人體食用。
Take Chitosan for instance, deacety lation is the most important specification. Many Chitosan products sold on the market only has a deacety lation of around 80% to 85% and can only be purchased for cosmetic and industrial uses. Those Chitosan products with relatively low deacety lation are definitely not supposed to be taken into human bodies. Only Chitosan with deacety lation higher than 90% is suitable to be dietary fiber and edible.
以葡萄籽(Grape Seed)來說，葡萄子萃取物中的原花青素OPC的濃度才是關鍵，最高濃度的標準葡萄子萃取物百分比是含95％的OPC，如果產品未標示有效成分濃度時，有可能是含95％OPC的，但也可能是只含15％或更低OPC的，如果是含15%OPC的100毫克葡萄子萃取物，其中所含的OPC就是15毫克，不過如果是每粒25毫克含95％OPC的葡萄子萃取物，那麼其中的OPC濃度就接近24毫克了，結果後者每粒25毫克的產品反而比前者每粒100毫克的產品所含的有效濃度高。
Take Grape Seed for instance, the concentration of Proanthocyanidin (OPC) is the most important factor. The highest concentration of standard Grape Seed is 95% of OPC. If there is no concentration label for the product, there are chances to contain 95% of OPC, but also chances to contain only 15% or below 15%. If the 100mg/capsule grape seed extract has a concentration of 15% of OPC, then there is 15mg of OPC contained. However, if the 25mg/capsule grape seed extract has a concentration of 95% of OPC, then there is approximately 24mg of OPC contained. As a result, the 25mg/capsule grape seed extract is contrarily more effective than the 100mg/capsule one.
供貨廠商的專業與義務 Professions and Duties of Suppliers
好的供貨廠商應該對這些產品的作用，活性成份及使用劑量應該非常專業熟悉，並能夠義務提供充分的資訊給客戶參考應用。
Good suppliers are supposed to be professional in the functions, active ingredients, and dosages of the products in order to responsibly provide sufficient information for customers for reference.
劑量單位的換算 Converting Dosage Units
1公克(gram)=1,000毫克(mg)=1,000,000微毫克(μg)
維生素A (Vitamin A): 1μg= 3.3 IU (IU=國際單位 international unit)
維生素D (Vitamin D): 1μg= 40 IU
天然維生素E (Natural Vitamin E): 1mg= 1.5 IU
合成維生素E (Synthetic Vitamin E): 1mg= 1.0 IU
β-胡蘿蔔素 (β-Carotene): 6μg= 1 RE(視網醇當量，retinol equivalentRE)=3.3 IU
如何正確儲存保健食品 How to Store Health Foods Correctly and Safely
如何適當地儲存營養保健食品是很重要的，儲存不當可能會使保健食品變質或效用降低，下列為儲存保健食品的一般原則：
Proper storage of health food is very important; improper storage can possibly cause deterioration and inefficacy of the health food. Basic principles for storing health foods are listed below:
1. 放置於孩童伸手不及之處，以避免孩童誤食。
Place health foods in locations unreachable for children in order to avoid being eaten by mistake.
2. 盡量放置在原來容器中，以便於保存與辨識。
Place health foods in the original containers for easier identification and storage.
3. 避免放置於熱或陽光照射之處，因為高溫會使保健食品變質。
Avoid placing health foods in any hot or sunlit location because high temperature can cause deterioration.
4. 勿儲存於浴室、近廚房洗物台或其他潮濕之處，因為熱或濕氣可能會使保健食品分解、變質。
Avoid storing health foods close to washrooms, sinks, or other humid locations because heat and humidity can cause health foods to decompose and deteriorate.
5. 勿長時間留置於汽車中，因為高溫會使保健食品分解、變質。
Avoid storing health foods in cars or other vehicles for too long because of their high temperatures.
6. 勿保留過期或變質之保健食品，因為可能會被誤食。
Avoid keeping expired or deteriorated health foods because they can possibly be eaten by mistake.
一般保健食品不得引用衛署食字公文字號或同等意義之字樣！
Regular Health Food Products Are Not Supposed to Cite Any "DoH Food Permit Number" or Any Other Synonymous Words
在商品名稱/描述/照片/圖片的內容中，不可標示「衛署食字第xxxxxxxx號」之公文流水號字眼，不論商品是否曾經通過查驗登記或配方審查認定為食品，依規定皆不得填寫。
In contents of product names/ descriptions/ images, health foods are not supposed to cite any official serial numbers like "DoH Food Permit No. xxxxxxxx" no matter the products have passed inspection and registration or prescription inspection to be officially identified as food.
違規的例子包括：「衛署食字第xxxxxxxx號」、「衛署食字第xxxxxxxx號許可」、「領有衛署食字號」、「衛署食字第xxxxxxxx號審查通過」、「通過衛署食字第xxxxxxxx號審查認定為配方食品」、「經衛署食字第xxxxxxxx號查驗登記認定為配方食品」、「通過衛生署配方審查」。
Examples of Violations: "DoH Food Permit No. xxxxxxxx", "DoH Food Permit No. xxxxxxxx Permitted", "DoH Food Permit Number Possessed", "DoH Food Permit No. xxxxxxxx Inspection Passed", "DoH Food Permit No. xxxxxxxx Inspected and Identified as Prescribed Food", "DoH Food Permit No. xxxxxxxx Inspection and Registration Identified as Prescribed Food", "DoH Prescription Inspection Passed".
詳情可查閱衛生署食品藥物管理局：關於衛署食字號
For Detailed Information: DoH Food Permit Number (Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health).
藥物-食物交互作用 Vitamin-Drug Interaction
以下內容係由行政院退除役官兵輔導委員會台北榮民總醫院藥劑部團隊撰稿
Content below is written by Taipei Veterans General Hospital Medical Team, Veterans Affairs Commisions, Executive Yuan
維他命A主要儲存於肝臟，攝取過量可能引起肝指數上升、肝臟傷害等；因此若高劑量維他命A併用如抗心律不整藥(amiodarone)、抗結核藥(isoniazid)的藥物可能引起肝臟毒性，會增加肝臟疾病的危險；而併用抗凝血劑(warfarin)可能增加出血的危險。
Vitamin A is mainly stored in liver. Over intake may cause liver function index to dramatically increase or damage; etc. Therefore, taking high-dosage vitamin A along with drugs in the treatment of arrhythmia, such as amiodarone and isoniazid, may cause danger of liver disease. Also, taking high-dosage vitamin A along with warfarin may increase danger of bleeding.
維他命E併用阿斯匹靈(aspirin)、非固醇類抗發炎藥物(如ibuprofen、naproxen)或warfarin可能增加出血機率。
Simultaneously taking vitamin E and aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen or naproxen, or warfarin, may increase incidence of bleeding.
維他命D併用含鋁、鎂之制酸劑（俗稱胃藥）會增加腎功能不良者體內鋁、鎂堆積；高劑量維他命D可能引起高血鈣，可能增加毛地黃 (digoxin) 引起心律不整的危險、降低verapamil用於心房顫動的療效；thiazide類利尿劑本身會減少鈣質從尿液排出，併用維他命D可能引起高血鈣。
Simultaneously taking vitamin D and antacids (also known as stomach acidity neutralizer), which contains aluminum or magnesium, may increase the accumulation of aluminum or magnesium in body whose kidney fails to function. High-dosage vitamin D may not only cause high calcium in blood but also increase the risk that digoxin results in arrhythmia, declines the medical effect of verapamil in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Diuretic of thiazide class itself can reduce calcium drained through urine, but it may cause high calcium in blood when being taken along with vitamin D.
維他命K會降低warfarin的效果，因食物中的深綠色蔬菜亦富含維他命K，因此服用warfarin者建議每日攝取之維他命K應儘量保持一致。
Vitamin K can reduce the effect of warfarin. Since green vegetables also contains rich vitamin K; therefore, warfarin takers are suggested to maintain everyday ingestion quantity of vitamin K the same.
大劑量阿斯匹靈會降低血液中葉酸濃度；葉酸可能降低抗癲癇藥物phenobarbital的療效；大劑量葉酸（每日大於１mg）可能增加抗癲癇藥物phenytoin的代謝，惡化癲癇的控制。
High-dosage aspirin may decrease the concentration of folic acid in blood. Folic acid may reduce the medical effect of phenobarbital, in the treatment of epilepsy. High-dosage folic acid (>1mg/day) may increase the metabolism of phenytoin and therefore deteriorate the control of epilepsy.
維他命C會降低乙型交感神經阻斷劑 (如propranolol) 之吸收；維他命C會增加鐵質吸收；維他命C會增加雌激素的吸收及降低其代謝、提高血中雌激素濃度。
Vitamin C may reduce the absorbency of Beta-blocker, such as propranolol, increase the absorbency of iron. Vitamin C may also increase the absorbency of estrogen but decrease the metabolism of it, and therefore increase the concentration of estrogen in blood.
維他命B6可能增加抗癲癇藥物phenobarbital、phenytoin及抗巴金森氏症藥物levodopa的代謝，降低上述藥物的療效。
Vitamin B6 may increase the metabolism of phenobarbital and phenytoin, in the treatment of epilepsy, and levodopa, in the treatment of Parkinson's disease; as a result, decrease the effects of those above.
菸鹼酸可能增加statin類降血脂藥物引起肌肉病變的危險；菸鹼酸併用阿斯匹靈、非固醇類抗發炎藥物(ibuprofen、naproxen)或warfarin可能增加出血危險。
Niacin may increase the risks that lipid-lowering drugs result in muscle disease. Taking niacin along with aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, or warfarin, may increase incidence of bleeding.
詳情可查閱衛生署食品藥物管理局食品與藥品可能發生不良交互作用資訊
提醒您：食用保健食品最好也能經過醫師、藥師、營養師等專業人士的指導，並且遵照正確的方法，耐心食用，才能達到理想的保健目的，同時食用藥物與保健食品，尤其要經過醫師的評估與同意。
Reminder: It would be better get advices from professenials as doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists; etc, while taking health foods. Alss, please follow the proper methods and take health foods patiently in order to reach the ideal effect. It is especially important to consult with doctors before taking drugs and health foods simultaneously.
