Is That Vitamin or Supplement Actually Right for You??
The question is ,Which one is that the best and therefore the safest?? selection for your personal health wants is a challenge .
Maybe you are looking for a sustenance which will help keeping bones robust as you age, or you would like to undertake a supplement to spice up your weight loss. Or maybe you are utterly unaccustomed to all this and looking for a position once it involves supplemental health.
Whatever your goal,let this info comprehensively guide you .
Here, I’ll cover everything you need to know to find the best vitamins and supplements,that may help protecting your health and your wallet — when you are ready to make a purchase.
First, Let's Talk About The Safety
Before considering adding any vitamin or supplement to your diet, speak to your health care professional if you have any condition .
Why? A trained health care professional can tell you what's safe and what's not based on your health history, current conditions, prescription medications and other factors.Keep in mind that your doctor’s aim is to help you be as healthy as possible, so no question about your wellness is too silly or small.
Once you get the OK from your doc , here's something else you should know: The FDA does not ensure the safety of dietary supplements before they go to market like it’s doing for other food and drug products, so the quality and consistency of these products can vary.
While some may be overrated and not deliver the results they promise, others can be harmful to your health. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to know if a product is worth the investment.
Here are the things you need to know about vitamin and supplement safety.
Multivitamins
You might not be having a specific dietary goal, but you think your diet is a bit lacking in the nutrients you need on a daily basis. While food should always be the primary source of vitamins, multivitamins can help filling in the gaps and potentially help correcting nutritional deficiencies.
But when it comes to these all-in-one powerhouses, there is no one size that fits all. Some multis target men's needs, while others are better for women, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
It’s important to learn about the specific things one should look for when selecting a multivitamin.
Although it's the best known for supporting eye health, vitamin A is crucial for keeping the immune and reproductive systems in perfect shape. Some of the research has even linked the nutrient to a lower risk of skin cancer and obesity.
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin , which means that your body can stockpile it. It is also available via a variety of foods like carrots and spinach, so you are likely getting enough if you are eating a healthy diet. But those with certain health issues are at risk for its deficiency and may be benefited from taking a supplement.
Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency may include:
- Fatigue
- Night blindness
- Susceptibility to infections
- Severe dryness of the eye (xerophthalmia)
- Dry skin or hair
- Irregular patches on the white of eyes
- Infertility
Because it's a fat-soluble vitamin , it is not used by the body right away. It gets absorbed and is stored in either the liver or fat tissue. Too much of vitamin A storage can become toxic which can also prevent the benefits of vitamin D.
That being said, beta-carotene is not toxic at a high level, because the body can form vitamin A from it as needed.
Signs of vitamin A toxicity include:
- Vision changes like blurry sight
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Bone pain
- Dry skin
- Nausea and vomiting
Vitamin B may be the most complex (pun intended😂😂) of the singular vitamins, as it's actually a group of eight distinct nutrients. As a whole, they are responsible for keeping your metabolism running smooth and efficient, and a deficiency in any one of them can affect your health.
The rub? The B vitamins are water-soluble (as opposed to fat-soluble, Eg. Vitamin A), which means your body can get rid of whatever it doesn't use right away, and you constantly need to replenish your stores by food or supplements.
(The B-COMPLEX deserves a separate post I shall be putting on soon )
Vitamin C is a power source that keeps your body's natural defense system running.
This little nutrient bolsters your immune system, which helps you fight off the potentially harmful germs and bacteria, combatting the free radicals that might otherwise damage your DNA and lead to chronic illness and it also acts as an antioxidant.
There is a lot more to know about this vitamin (no, it can't actually prevent the common cold), and some of it might surprise you😲😲 — like just how much you should be getting on the daily(adults ~75 to 100mg/day)
Vitamin C is an antioxidant which you can easily get from a variety of foods or from supplements. Since, vitamin C is water-soluble, your body can't store it, and you need it daily to prevent deficiency.
When you get enough vitamin C, your body is able to function better overall. This antioxidant helps reduceing how long you feel sick with the common cold, it boosts your skin health and much more.
While too much of vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, a megadose can result in gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, diarrhea and cramps, as well as headaches and insomnia.
The body absorbs less than 50 percent of a vitamin C dosage over 1000 mg/day. What your body doesnot need it excretes via urine, so one flushes away those excess milligrams.
In contrast, at the more modest dose of vitamin C eg.180 milligrams or less, the body absorbs 70 to 90 percent of the antioxidant.
Speaking of immune-boosters, let us talk about vitamin D, the hormone (yes, it’s a hormone) that helps your body build strong bones and teeth and it keeps your muscles functioning properly.
Researches have even linked a long term lack of D to a higher risk for hypertension,type-2 diabetes & cancer.
Unfortunately, it's estimated that most of the Indians don't get enough of this nutrient on a daily basis, and certain people are at a risk of deficiency based on where they are living, what they are eating and how old they are.
Vitamin D deficiency often shows up in older adults and people with dark skin pigmentation. If you are working indoors or habitually avoid the sun by staying in the shade or wearing protective clothing, you are also at risk.
Low calcium intake is also linked to low vitamin D levels. High calcium foods like milk and curd are typically fortified with the vitamin. This means that people who are lactose intolerant, haveing a milk allergy or following a vegan diet donot get enough vitamin D from the foods they are eating. Those with nutrient absorption issues, such as Crohn's disease or inflammatory bowel disease(IBS), might be deficient as well.
chronic deficiency in vitamin D is linked with increased risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and other immune system disorders. Vitamin D may play a role in the prevention and treatment of few other chronic disorders, including hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
In fact, getting 5 to 10 times the recommended dose of vitamin D for 6 months may help slowing the progression of type 2 diabetes in newly diagnosed patients and in people who are pre-diabetic.(July 2019 study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology .)
And on another brighter note, taking vitamin D supplements has been shown to help those who are suffering from cancer.
Vitamin E may not be as popular as its buzzier peers (ahem ahem, vitamin D), but it's just as essential for having a good health.
Getting enough of the fat soluble vitamin is linked to cognitive health & immune support,thanks to the nutrient's antioxidant properties.
On the flipside, not meeting the daily recommended amount of E on a regular basis can cause impaired vision and decreased immune function, among other concerns.
Vitamin E supplements interact with —
- Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications
- Aspirin
- Tamoxifen
- Simvastatin and niacin
- Cyclosporine A
- Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy
It is important to note that the upper limit for vitamin E is 1000 mg (or 1465 IU) for adults 19 and above, so be sure to check that you are not overdoing it with your supplement.
A common dosage for vitamin E supplements is 400 IU
Yes, the symbol is of calcium ( see, I remember the periodic table🤭) . It’s often touted for helping build strong bones, but it's also responsible for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
While calcium is naturally found in foods you probably already eat like dairy, many don't seem to be meeting their daily calcium needs across the board. That's where a supplement can help.
Magnesium is one of the most commonly occurring minerals in our bodies, so it's not surprising that it plays many critical roles.
Involved in hundreds (yes, hundreds💁🏻♀️) of enzymatic reactions in the body, magnesium is a key player in critical functions, including blood sugar control and muscle and nerve function.
Despite its importance, many of us don't get enough magnesium on the daily.
Collagen ~Of all the dietary supplements out there, collagen seems to be stealing the limelight most often these days (sorry, fish oil😬).
The protein, which is naturally made in our bodies, has gotten a lot of attention in the beauty world for its potential to deliver better hair and a younger-looking complexion, but its benefits are more than skin deep.
Collagen is key when it comes to repairing damaged muscles, cartilage and bones, as well as maintaining the mobility of our joints and connective tissues as we age. The protein is readily available in many foods, but budding research indicates that taking collage supplements (along with vitamin C) may benefit active people.
Weight loss supplements-
If you're trying to lose that weight, you may be tempted to try a pill or powder that claims to speed up your results.
unfortunately, there is no supplement that can magically melt away the kilos. The solution to that lies in the tried and true tenets of better nutrition and more exercise.
However, if you are not getting enough of a few critical vitamins and minerals, which can certainly happen when you are following a reduced calorie diet, it can make the weight loss all the more challenging.
Comments
Post a Comment