Dietary supplements can be an excellent way to meet nutrient gaps in our diets; however, they should never replace healthy food choices; indeed some supplements, like excess vitamin A can be toxic if taken in excess amounts.
People who take dietary supplements tend to have lower usual nutrient intakes than nonusers, possibly because some supplements interfere with accurately estimating regular nutrient requirements.
Vitamins
Vitamins are substances essential to normal development and health in small amounts, and can be found in many foods such as meats, fish, dairy products, fruit and vegetables. You may also take supplements containing them. Unfortunately, unlike proteins, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins cannot be synthesized by our bodies; excessive consumption can be toxic; common side effects include stomach upset and diarrhea.
Vitamins come in two varieties, fat-soluble and water-soluble. While fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D and E can be stored for prolonged periods in fat tissue stores in your body, water-soluble ones will simply pass out through urine excretion.
Most people receive adequate vitamins from diet alone and do not require supplementation, although certain people may require high-dose vitamins under medical supervision – particularly those who suffer from certain medical conditions or take medications that interfere with vitamin absorption. It may also be possible to receive too much of certain fat-soluble vitamins from high dose supplements.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances found naturally within our Earth that remain solid at normal temperatures and pressures, formed through geological processes without the involvement of living organisms.
Crystalline substances possess an organized internal atomic structure and specific geometric form known as crystal form or morphology, along with certain physical properties like luster, diaphaneity streak hardness cleavage fracture parting specific gravity as well as other chemical characteristics like radioactivity (from uranium in uraninite), magnetism fluorescence taste or odor.
Minerals play an integral part in many bodily processes, from blood clotting and muscle contraction to body composition regulation. Found throughout Earth’s crust and mantle, minerals can be mined for industrial metal needs as well as being integral constituents of rocks such as granite, basalt and sandstone. Some minerals are even mined as gemstones such as gold or diamond; other products manufactured with minerals include silica glass for glasses made of glass, kaolinite clay used in ceramics production or montmorillonite clay used in manufacturing products such as montmorillonite clay used for cat litter use or halite used to clear ice off roads if needed.
Proteins
Proteins are large and complex molecules that provide structural support to many tissues and organs in our bodies, while also playing an essential role in nearly every chemical reaction that takes place within. A typical protein comprises one or more long chains of amino acids encoded by its genetic sequence in DNA. Proteins form the cornerstone of many vital bodily processes, from tissue growth and repair to enzyme regulation, hormone production and blood clotting. Dietary requirements of proteins differ according to age, body size, physiological state (including pregnancy and illness) and physical activity levels. Supplementation with protein supplements such as shakes and bars is often employed to increase overall dietary protein consumption. Protein supplements have been demonstrated to boost both exercise performance and reduce chronic disease risk by decreasing postprandial glucose levels and improving cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.
Fats
Fatty acids are essential components of our diets. Some types are beneficial, such as the polyunsaturates found in oily fish such as kippers and mackerel, avocados and olives, plant oils (rapeseed, sunflower, safflower and corn) as well as nuts like walnuts, peanuts and pine nuts. You should limit your consumption of saturated and trans fats such as butter, lard and ghee from animal products such as butter and hard cheeses as well as processed meats from processed meat products such as hard cheeses or processed meats from processed meat products such as hard cheeses and processed meats to avoid unnecessary health concerns.
Dietary fat intake has become the focus of numerous research programs studying diet-disease relationships; however, global data regarding its consumption are limited.
