Buying dietary supplements over the counter might get more complicated in the future. Earlier this month, the Institute of Medicine called for tougher regulations in regards to dietary supplements.

Because supplements can be sold unless they are proven to be harmful, there is a possibility of an adverse effect unknown to the willing pill-taker.

Advertisements for some of these supplements make it appear that taking them is safe and can, in some cases, work miracles. What appear to be real news articles in magazines are sometimes no more than advertisements.

Who hasn't seen the television commercials with former Playboy Playmate and Guess? model Anna Nicole Smith frolicking on the beach, asking us to envy her new trimmed-down figure? Smith is the spokeswoman for TRIMSPA, a weight-loss supplement. She says she lost about 100 pounds taking the pill.

Such success stories are few and varied. We must remember that not every supplement will work the same across a wide audience. There needs to be an emphasis on educating the public on these supplements. What exactly do they contain and do? Supplement manufacturers are not required by law to report side effects of supplements like prescription drug companies are.

Don't get us wrong, daily vitamin supplements can be great for a busy person who is concerned with getting everything their body requires. It's when people begin ingesting pills as a surrogate for eating correctly that problems arise.

Currently, the supplement industry generates about $19 billion each year and is fueled by nearly 20 percent of Americans. It might be more time-consuming to cook a meal than just take a pill, but the increasing reliance on supplements is superfluous when eating a balanced diet is certainly a better option.

By eating the right food - less fat, more greens and so on - anyone can receive the right amount of vitamins necessary for a healthy body.