What are Health Supplements?
Good nutrition is crucial to our health and well-being. Ideally, we would obtain all the nutrients we require from our diet, but for several reasons, such as busy lifestyles or lack of access to healthy food, many individuals may be nutrient deficient requiring health supplements to help meet their daily nutritional needs.
Health supplements, also referred to as dietary/food supplements or nutritional supplements, are products added to your diet to provide you with nutrients that may be missing from your diet to improve your health or wellness. Health supplements are not meant to cure or treat diseases or health conditions and are only added as a supplement to compensate for nutrient deficiency. Health supplements are available in a variety of forms, including capsules, tablets, powders, and gummies, as well as drinks and energy bars.
What are the Common Types of Health Supplements?
Some of the common types of health supplements include:
- Vitamins, such as multivitamins or individual vitamins like biotin and vitamin D
- Minerals, such as iron, calcium, and magnesium
- Live microbials, commonly referred to as “probiotics”
- Amino acids, such as glutamine and tryptophan
- Botanical compounds, such as curcumin and caffeine
- Botanicals or herbs, such as ginger and echinacea
Statistics indicate that more than one-third of Americans consume health supplements. Multivitamins or mineral supplements constitute 40% of all vitamin sales. The most common supplement contains fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Indications for Health Supplements
Studies indicate that many individuals who consume health supplements are already receiving adequate nutrients from their diet. However, there are some individuals who find it difficult to obtain the nutrients they require through diet alone.
In general, you might need to take a health supplement if:
- You have a nutritional deficiency (for instance, a blood test indicates that you are vitamin D deficient)
- You are an elderly person and are not getting adequate nutrition from the food you consume (malnutrition)
- You have a strong requirement for a specific nutrient (for instance, you are at risk of osteoporosis and require more calcium)
- You follow a restricted diet (for instance, you do not consume meat and are not getting sufficient iron)
- You are pregnant or trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have heavy menstrual periods
- You have gone through menopause
- You have had gastric bypass surgery for weight loss
- You have a medical condition and your body cannot absorb the nutrients it requires. This includes gastrointestinal disease, food allergies, lactose intolerance, and diseases of the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, or gall bladder that prevents your body from effectively absorbing nutrients from your food.
What are the Benefits of Health Supplements?
Health supplements can help you meet your daily requirements of essential nutrients and help you improve or maintain your overall health. For instance, vitamin D and calcium can help build strong bones, and fiber can assist to maintain regular bowel movements. While the benefits of some health supplements are well established, other supplements require more study. In addition, one should bear in mind that supplements should not be used as a substitute for a variety of foods that are crucial for a healthy diet.
Common health supplements that may benefit your health include:
- Folic acid, which can decrease birth deformities when consumed by pregnant women
- Vitamin B12, which can assist in keeping nerve and blood cells in a good condition, manufacture DNA, and prevent anemia
- Calcium, which can boost bone health
- Vitamin D, which can make bones stronger
- Melatonin, which can help counteract jet lag
- Fish oil, which can help to maintain heart health
- Vitamins E and C, which can prevent damage to cells
- Zinc, which can boost skin health and slow down vision loss from age-connected macular degeneration
- Vitamin A, which can slow down vision loss from age-connected macular degeneration
What are the Risks of Health Supplements?
Although the body needs a specific amount of each nutrient, greater amounts are not necessarily healthier. In fact, receiving more than you require can sometimes cause harm. For instance, large doses of vitamin B6 can harm the nervous system, and taking vitamin A, C, or E supplements while you are pregnant can cause serious damage to your baby. Some supplements can also interact with other medicines you are taking. Hence, speak to your healthcare provider before taking any health supplements to make sure any supplements you plan to take are safe and appropriate for your specific needs.
