The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Data Lab, collaborating with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements, has created an online database which aims to provide accurate estimates of nutrient intake from supplements. The organizations hope to create a better guide than databases which rely on labels alone. The first version of the database, the Dietary Supplement Ingredients Database (DSID-1), assesses nutrients in vitamins and minerals through chemical analysis of products in the marketplace. Additionally, the system can break vitamins and minerals categorizations down into the groups they are intended for by gender and age.

From the DSID site:

The Dietary Supplements Labels Database offers information about ingredients in more than three thousand selected brands of dietary supplements. It enables users to determine what ingredients are in specific brands and to compare ingredients in different brands. Information is also provided on the health benefits claimed by manufacturers.

The DSID will be presented to supplement industry leaders during the April SupplySide East trade show in Secaucus, New Jersey. To have an early look at the database, click here: