Before buying supplements check the label for active and inactive ingredients. Make sure it is certified and consult with a healthcare professional. Supplements have become widely popular and easily available.
Almost every pharmacy and superstore has them and you will see tons of new brands every month.
Despite the widespread prevalence, the use of supplements is still debatable. It is always advised to consult with your health care professional before taking any kind of supplements.
It is important to note some factors before deciding to take supplements daily or buy them from a nearby shop. In this article, we are going to discuss the 5 facts you need to consider.
What Does The Label Tell You?
Most supplements have labels enlisting the ingredients used to make it. There are active ingredients or supplements, and then there are “other ingredients”.
The other ingredients listed are different flavorings, binders, and fillers that are also known as inactive ingredients. You can also send inquiries to the manufacturing company for more about the ingredients.
Be sure to examine the inactive ingredients to see if they are safe to take.
If the supplement does not display a label it will be a wise decision to not buy it.
Do You Need Supplements?
There is always a maybe when it comes to taking supplements. Research shows that about 40% of Americans take at least one supplement every day.
This has led to the massive growth of this industry which is somewhat unregulated. We are all aware of the possible side-effects of consuming too many supplements and this is the reason behind many people switching to herbal remedies like Echinacea and Ginseng. Recently a lot of people have opted to buy Tongkat Ali because of its multiple health benefits.
Supplements are primarily a source of vitamins, and not every one of these has an adverse effect on health. In certain cases, professional nutritionists prescribe dietary supplements to people with a vitamin deficiency that can not be fixed just with diet.
For example, B12 is a nutrient that is necessary for our bodies and is available in large quantities in animal protein.
Vegans can consult with health care professionals to take a regulated dosage of supplements that have B12 instead of animal protein. You can also eat leafy greens, nuts, and beans for it too.
5 Things You Should Know
As we mentioned earlier, the topic of taking supplements is still a debatable subject. They have benefits, but you should also be aware of the following factors-
1. The Grey Area Between FDA & Supplements
Medications are strictly regulated by the FDA and the USDA, but supplements are not regulated by them as they fall under the category of food.
The only thing supplements can not do is claim that they can treat a disease. Other than that they can get away with a lot of things. This is why you may hear or see advertisements about some outlandish claims supplement companies are making.
The FDA can only investigate once there are numerous complaints about a product.
But this does not mean that supplements are left completely unregulated. The trustworthy ones are GMP, USP or NSF certified. Be sure to check whether they are certified. Both NSF and USP provide quality checks on products that are for human consumption.
2. Supplements Alone Do Not Help
If you are thinking that supplements alone is going to fulfill your vitamins and nutrients requirements, it is not true.
Supplements are more like enhancers. And you will need to work as well to reap their benefits. There are no known supplements that can get you into better shape just by taking it alone.
You will have to eat quality foods, do regular exercises, get proper sleep and take high-quality certified supplements
3. Dietary Supplements Are Not Replacements Of Healthy Diets
In no way are supplements meant to replace healthy foods. These are to be taken in addition to your daily diet.
But like we mentioned earlier, in the case of vegans or for anyone unable or unwilling to eat a certain type of food to get the necessary nutrients can take supplements.
This still does not make it a replacement that is why unless you have a medical condition, it is best to eat regular food for your daily supply of nutrients.
4. Some Brands Can Be Dangerous
Not all supplements are regulated by quality assurance organizations and not all the stores check these products before putting them on the shelf. This makes it harder to know whether you are getting safe supplements.
In lots of cases, supplements are found containing dangerous compounds like lead. Sometimes supplements even contain the ingredient in excessive amounts that can not be digested by the body.
Our body then automatically treats it as wastes and excretes it. An excessive amount of vitamins can be dangerous plus you will be wasting your money by purchasing supplements that are not necessary for you.t.
5. Possible Side Effects
Side-effects from supplements are common, and a lot of people are switching to herbal remedies just because of that.
Both the active and inactive ingredients in those supplements can have significant impacts on our bodies.
Side effects mostly occur due to overdose of supplements or if you consume multiple supplements at the same time.
Common side effects include reducing the beneficial outcome of other medications or vitamins. Some supplements reduce the response time of anesthesia and can even prevent blood clotting.
Other effects include reducing the action of antidepressants, transplant drugs, heart medication, and even birth control pills. Antioxidant supplements that provide vitamin C and E can impact the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Researches are still being conducted to test whether all these side effects occur solely because of supplements. But there are more than enough reasons to be wary about the use of supplements.
Takeaway
You can find supplements for almost any kind of physical wellness. From joint pains to better digestion you can find it all. There are high-quality supplements that can significantly enhance your physical and mental well-being. But you should ignore the negatives. Be sure to consider the above-discussed information before buying and ingesting any supplements.