Are Supplements Good For You?

Do you currently take any supplements? Vitamin B? Fish oil? Or even some herbs?

Supplements are not bad in themselves, they do exactly what the word suggests – supplement the usual intake of nutrients from food.

Supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect and their purpose is to complement your regular diet. They ought to be taken in addition to your meals when there is a need for them.

Food supplements can contain oils, herbs, vitamins or minerals and are used for a range of reasons including to manage nutrition, promote weight loss, boost energy, aid digestion, enhance beauty and help with cardiovascular disorders etc. Please remember, that a supplement with natural ingredients is not necessarily safe from side effects.

If you are taken supplements for a chronic disease, there is little evidence to suggest that any supplement can reverse its course. So, be wary of any supplements that claim to do so.

Do you need supplements?

Most healthy people do not need supplements but a lot of people turn to them as a quick fix for poor eating habits. Some supplements may have side effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other medicines. Frequent pill-popping can also have negative side effects including kidney or liver problems, vomiting and diarrhea. 

While supplements can be taken to plug nutritional holes in your diet, too much of them can be bad for you. For example, taking too much vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause an overabundance of calcium that can weaken bones and damage the kidneys and the heart. Taking an excess of several other vitamins can lead to problems as well.

If you do decide to take supplements, always buy from trusted sources and let your doctor know which supplements you are taking whenever you go to the hospital. This will help her to manage your health better.

While most reputable supplements are relatively safe to use, people with chronic health problems or allergies should pay extra attention to what they are taking.

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