If you’ve been interested in healthy eating, you’ve most likely heard of the concept of dietary supplements. Simply put, dietary supplements are a category of non-medical preparations that contain substances that are beneficial to our body.
What should be kept in mind when choosing dietary supplements?
Attention! Be sure to consult your doctor and dietitian before taking any dietary supplement. The specialist will help determine what supplement you need, how long to take it and in what dosage.
In addition, consultation with a specialist will help to avoid allergic reactions, side effects and the consequences of individual intolerance to the components in the selected dietary supplement, as well as the incompatibility of different components with each other.
Some dietary supplements have side effects and contraindications. Some dietary supplements contain substances which effects on the body have not been fully studied.
Remember that the main danger of dietary supplements is taking drugs above the recommended or even acceptable level. This can cause an overabundance of vitamins, minerals and microelements in the body, which can cause serious health problems.
What is included in dietary supplements?
Since there are so many types of dietary supplements, their composition can be very different as well. Let’s talk about the main components that are most often found on the market – these are vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, amino and fatty acids, trace elements and minerals.
1. Vitamins
Vitamins are extremely important substances that any person needs, regardless of age and lifestyle. We get many vitamins from a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy products, legumes, and nuts.
However, even in this case, you may face a deficiency of one or another vitamin, which must be compensated with the help of special supplements. For example, many people today, even those who eat healthy food, are deficient in vitamin D. This can lead to weakened immunity, decreased performance, and even depression and anxiety.
There are two types of vitamins in dietary supplements – those that dissolve in oil (for example, vitamins D and A), and those that dissolve in water (for example, vitamins C and B).
The composition of the vitamin complex and dosage may be different, depending on who the dietary supplements are intended for – for children or adults, for pregnant or nursing mothers, for adults who lead an active lifestyle or for the elderly.
2. Minerals
Minerals, which include many substances such as iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and calcium, are also involved in vital processes within the body. If there is a deficiency of minerals in the body, then this can not only negatively affect the standard of living, but also cause the development of diseases.
3. Active additives
In addition to vitamins and minerals, some dietary supplements include various organic and inorganic substances that have a beneficial effect on our body. These can be, for example, probiotics and other nutrients, amino acids and fatty acids, and much more.
Why take dietary supplements?
In theory, we can get all the necessary substances and elements for the growth and strength, development and proper functioning of all body systems from a balanced diet. However, in the real world this is either very difficult or even impossible to do.
In addition, it is not enough just to follow a diet to obtain certain substances. For example, vitamin D cannot be obtained without long walks outdoors under sunlight. Another example is polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish and some other foods. To get the norm of these substances, you will have to eat fish almost every day.
Under ideal conditions, dietary supplements do not become a substitute for vitamins, minerals and trace elements, but only help us gain the desired level of these substances. I.e. Supplements are just helpers for those who already have a balanced diet and an active lifestyle.
Who will be interested in dietary supplements?
First, people who follow a strict diet because of their urges. For example, vegetarians and vegans, who limit or completely exclude the intake of food of animal origin.
Secondly, people who are on a therapeutic or weight-correcting diet. The same group of people can include those who cannot consume certain products due to medical restrictions and due to treatment protocols.
Thirdly, properly selected dietary supplements are recommended for those who are planning a pregnancy, who are now pregnant or have recently become a mother.
In addition, dietary supplements can be a solution to the problem of vitamin and trace element deficiencies for people with certain chronic diseases, eating disorders and digestion.
As mentioned above, vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies can cause depression, constant fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, and anxiety and many other ‘’bad’’ things. It is possible that by diagnosing a deficiency and taking proper dietary supplements correctly, you can get rid of the symptoms.
Finally, special children’s vitamins and dietary supplements are required for a growing body, which finds it difficult to obtain all the necessary materials for development from a daily diet, especially if it is not balanced.
Where can you buy dietary supplements?
You can find dietary supplements in a specialized or regular pharmacy stores, as well as order them in large thematic online stores. You can learn more about dietary supplement discounts and find the current iHerb promo code 2024 on this website.
Carefully study the range of products of different brands – in the catalogs of specialized stores you will find products with the same composition, but different price tags. Beware of fakes and only order nutritional supplements from certified suppliers.
How to choose dietary supplements?
The most important thing is to find a reliable brand and store with a good reputation, reviews and a high level of customer service. Remember that there are many fakes and simply low-quality or useless products on the market.
Important! The selected dietary supplement and its supplier must have the appropriate certificates, quality marks and licenses.
Also choose the specific composition of dietary supplements in accordance with the recommendations of doctors and nutritionists. As a rule, these drugs are sold without a prescription, but you will not be able to independently determine what your body needs now and in what dosages. At the very least, follow the recommendations in the drug instructions. Remember, that an overabundance of vitamins and other dietary supplement components in your body can be dangerous
Check carefully the composition of the selected dietary supplement. In addition to the “basic” ingredients, vitamins, trace elements, minerals, the composition may include auxiliary substances like glucose, cellulose, various chemical compounds that are responsible for the taste, appearance and long shelf life of the product.