Dietary Supplements are manufactured product intended to supplement a diet and can be taken by mouth, usually as a pill, tablet, capsule, powder or sometimes liquid. These are vitamins, minerals or herbs. Thru the help of dietary supplements, you can get the adequate amount of essential nutrients in case you failed to eat a nutritious variety of foods. However, all these supplements cannot take the place of real, good, variety of food nutrients.
These over-the-counter supplements are making it big in the health market. And the question might be, are these pills good medicine or just a waste of money?
Supplements do not claim to substitute a balanced, healthy diet. But there are appeals that dietary supplements can improve overall health and aids in managing some health conditions. They are marketed as having beneficial biological effects. These are concentrated, pill-form of nutrients and active ingredients that can have good effects in the body. A vast variety of supplements are now readily available in the market. But unlike medicinal drugs, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure diseases. They contain dietary ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbal or amino acid which are use by human to supplement their diet.
Always do research and get to know more about the supplements you are choosing to incorporate to your diet. Identify the content and choose the benefits that will best suit you so that you can make informed decisions on what supplements to take.
Think about your total diet. Supplements do not replace the balance of the variety of healthy foods in one’s diet. We need nutrients, but too much of it might also cause a problem.
Checking with a healthcare provider is a good idea. This is specifically important to certain population groups, like those who are pregnant, nursing a baby, or those with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. A consultation with a doctor prior taking supplements is also recommended for those who have just undergone elective surgery.
Interaction with prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Under certain circumstances, taking a combination of dietary supplements and prescription or OTC medicines might produce adverse effects and more so, life threatening consequences. Some may reduce the effectiveness or prescription drugs or some when taken in combination can thin the blood lines and increase the potential for internal bleeding.
Ask yourself if it is too good to be true. Do the claims of these dietary supplements seem realistic or exaggerated? Learn to distinguish hype from evidence-based science. Be skeptical about the information or testimonials pertaining to the benefits obtained from using the product. You may also want to check the knowledge and training in nutrition or medicine of the people declaring good benefits derived from the supplements.
Do some check and study the basics about the manufacturer. Do a research. It is always best to know more about the maker of the supplements and to confirm their reliability of producing quality products.
Keep in mind that dietary supplements do not intend to be a distraction from healthy lifestyle practices that confer much greater benefits. They might be making a name in health market, but they are not made to replace the real sources of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Practically, the main reason why it is called Supplement.
