1.
dietary supplement, health supplement
A product taken orally that contains vitamins, minerals, or other nutritional ingredients intended to supplement the diet.
From English "supplement." Often shortened to サプリ in casual speech.
Common collocations
- サプリメントを飲む: to take a supplement
- サプリメントを摂る: to take a supplement (slightly more formal)
- 栄養サプリメント: nutritional supplement
- 鉄分のサプリメント: iron supplement
- マルチビタミンのサプリ: multivitamin supplement
Verb choice
The verb used with サプリメント is 飲む (to drink/swallow) or 摂る (to take/ingest), not 食べる (to eat). This is because supplements are swallowed like medicine.
Usage
Widely available at drugstores (薬局) and convenience stores in Japan. The market is large, with common types including ビタミン, 鉄, カルシウム, and コラーゲン.