A Brief History
Nowadays, supplements are a great way to help our bodies get the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals it needs to function in a healthy manner. Whether you have been using them for a long time or are just starting to learn about the benefits of using supplements, there are some things you should know so that you will be able to make the most of them and help benefit your health.
Here are some of the things you may not have known about taking dietary supplements.
Digging Deeper
Take the Correct Dose
One thing you will want to watch out for as you start to use vitamins is that you are taking the proper dosage. Often times people will overlook the instructions on the packaging and they will just take their capsules whenever they feel like it. That is not the recommended approach to most of these supplements and you will want to make sure you are taking them correctly so that your body can get the most benefit out of using supplements. Also, taking the incorrect dosage and lead to health concerns and risk of over saturation of vitamin and mineral content within the body. This can be detrimental to your health and puts your health in danger. Always make sure you read the label carefully and only use your supplements as directed by the label. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you will want to make sure that you take extra precaution when it comes to reading the label because you do not want to pass anything that may be potentially harmful to your baby through breastmilk or while they are still in your womb.
Take the Supplements you Need
It is important to remember to take the supplements that you need to stay fit and healthy, but it can be hard to know which ones those may be. Before you start taking dietary supplements you will want to make sure you know what ones are the best ones for you to take. Often times people will learn about supplementation and end up becoming infatuated with using a bunch of different ones and often times that is not the most effective method. If you have just learned about using supplements you will want to make sure you take the ones that are the best for you. This means only taking the ones that will actually benefit you because you do not want to waste your money purchasing ones you do not need to actually take.
Interactions with Medications
Choosing the correct supplement can be hard, but it is often a matter of safety. If you are taking medications you will want to make sure the supplements that you are taking are safe. Sometimes different supplements can affect the way certain medications work and it is imperative that you make sure your supplements will not have a negative reaction with anything else you take.
Sometimes your doctor will recommend a supplement and they can also help you make decisions regarding other supplements you are thinking of taking and your other medications. It is important to remember that it is always best to check with a medical professional before you start taking any new supplements or if you have started to experience negative effects.
Watch out for Ingredients
The thing about supplements you need to know is that they generally do not require FDA approval before being sold to the public. This is something that most people are not aware of but it is true because the supplement is generally marketed in a way that it does not claim to actually fix any ailments. This is why when you are purchasing supplements or vitamins you will want to make sure you research the ingredients online to make sure you are not purchasing something that may be dangerous. The FDA does not need to approve the supplement, but they will often post about ingredients that are dangerous. With that being said, vitamins are generally regarded as safe to take and there has been a lot of scientific research to support the safe use of supplements. Just make sure you purchase with caution and do a little bit of research to keep yourself protected.
Overall, taking supplements can be a great way to help improve your health. Sometimes it can be hard to eat all the different foods that contain the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that our body needs to function properly so in those cases using supplements is beneficial. If you are new to taking supplements you will want to make sure you do your research so that you can make informed decisions regarding supplements.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Goldsmith, Connie. Dietary Supplements: Harmless, Helpful, or Hurtful? Twenty-First Century Books, 2015.
Pintauro, Stephen J. The Regulation of Dietary Supplements: A Historical Analysis. CRC Press, 2018.
The featured image in this article, a photograph by Ri_Ya, is licensed under the Pixabay License.
