There are many dietary supplements that are being advertised everywhere whether it is social media, print media, advertisements, television etc. They are also readily available in most places. But you need to be very careful in selecting a dietary supplement for you or a family member. It is best to have your healthcare provider weigh in on the decision before you start the supplement.
It is well understood that the best way to get your nutrients is through natural sources whether they are vegetables, fruits, whole grains etc. The reason that supplements have become popular is that sometimes you will not be able to eat a sufficient amount to take in the required number of nutrients to your body. So most of the time, your healthcare provider will prescribe a multivitamin that will give you a boost in nutrition. The first thing you need to consider is whether you need a supplement. Many people can go without using one but there are some people who will need some help especially seniors and people who are on certain medicines or doesn’t have sufficient access to healthy food. When you are pregnant, it is very important that you get sufficient iron in your body especially if you suffer from morning sickness. Many pregnant women are recommended to take folic acid and other prenatal vitamins.
If you are on a restricted diet, it can be difficult to get all the nutrients. Antioxidants like resveratrol Australia are very important when it comes to heart health and protecting the body. There are other reasons that you may take a dietary supplement such as being older than 50 years of age where your body tends to absorb vitamins less, carrying for a young child, suffering from certain health conditions etc. If your diet lacks some nutrients such as minerals and vitamins, a blood test can confirm exactly what you are missing. Your body will start to exhibit certain symptoms when you don’t have sufficient nutrition. Some of the symptoms are chronic fatigue, hair loss, irregular heartbeat, changes in vision, slow wound healing rates and joint pain. Generally, some of the nutrients that people seem to lack commonly are potassium, iron, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium.
You need to consider the safety of taking a supplement. It is absolutely fine to take a multivitamin every day and you can choose certain fortified drinks and food. Generally, there isn’t much regulation for dietary supplements. So you need to do your own research and check the ingredients that are in it. Whenever you are thinking of starting a supplement, you need to make sure that your healthcare provider is aware of it. This is because some supplements can interfere with the activity of medicines that you are taking. Some might reduce clotting which will be risky if you are scheduled for a surgery as there will be more bleeding.
People tend to think that supplements are not medicine but high dosage supplements can actually be considered that and you need to alert your doctor when you take them or if you are scheduled for surgery. There are certain supplements that need to be taken with caution. For example, vitamin A and beta-carotene have the potential to increase the chances of lung cancer in smokers. If you are pregnant, you should not be taking vitamin A in retinol form as this can affect your baby negatively.
