Dietary supplements are non-drug substances such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and their constituents as well as concentrates, metabolites constituents or extracts that do not fall under the category of drugs. Dietary supplements can come in the form of pills, capsules, gummies powders or foods like nutrigrain bars.
Consult your physician before taking supplements, and select only from reputable brands with third-party certification from organizations that test quality and purity.
Vitamins
Vitamins are indispensable nutrients that serve many different functions within our bodies, from supporting immunity to turning food into energy. Vitamins can be divided into two categories: fat-soluble (stored in liver and fat tissues) and water soluble (expelled out). Eight B vitamins (B-1 through B-12) as well as Vitamin C are water soluble while A, D, E and K belong to fat soluble categories.
Vitamin A (retinol) helps build bones and maintain eye health, while folic acid promotes prenatal health. Finally, Vitamin D–known as “the sunshine vitamin”–has many other functions as well, including bone health maintenance and immune support.
Your body can get most of its vitamins through eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Supplements may help fill in any gaps; however, taking too many may be harmful; also some ingredients in supplements could interact with prescription medication.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic solid substances found naturally on Earth that have their own specific chemical makeup and physical characteristics such as hardness, streak and cleavage. Minerals may contain impurities like gold or diamonds – or both! – making up their unique makeup; examples include halite rock salt and halite as minerals.
Minerals form when magma cools and solidifies. Magma is a form of molten rock containing various elements; from this mixture emerge the minerals. Their location within magma determines their formation temperature as well as which elements form into minerals.
Minerals play many essential roles in your body, from keeping bones strong and muscles functioning to supporting proper circulation of blood and producing enzymes and hormones. Most individuals can obtain all their required minerals through diet alone; however, those at risk of deficiency may require supplementation; in this event it’s wise to consult a physician first.
Herbs
Herbs can provide many health advantages to our bodies. From strengthening immunity, digestion support and improving circulation to natural pain relievers and potentially decreasing cholesterol levels and risk of high triglycerides which could contribute to heart disease – they’re packed with benefits!
Herbal supplements come in many forms. You’ll find them as teas, syrups, oils and tinctures containing concentrated herbal active ingredients; or you can purchase whole herbs to craft your own remedies.
Scientific research on herbal medicines is limited, yet evidence points towards certain herbs having therapeutic benefits. Before trying any new herbs, always check with your GP first, who can advise if any potential interactions arise between any new herbal remedies and prescription medicines you are currently taking; and provide guidance for using them in recipes while guaranteeing they are of highest quality.
Other Supplements
Dietary supplements can be highly beneficial to our bodies in many ways, from treating nutritional deficiencies to offering support during pregnancy. A health care professional might suggest iron or calcium supplements for people at risk of osteoporosis or preeclampsia; pregnant women might receive folic acid supplements. Supplements come in pills, capsules, liquids, powders or foods.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) governs dietary supplements according to different rules than drugs, meaning many do not go through rigorous safety testing before being sold on store shelves. FDA requires supplement labels include a statement warning users that their product has not been evaluated by them and that any claims for diagnosing, treating, curing, or preventing diseases made are false claims.
Due to supplements not being thoroughly evaluated for safety, they may cause unwanted side effects in some people, including serious effects like liver damage from comfrey and kidney failure from aristolochia. Reporting adverse reactions directly to your health care professional or FDA will help identify dangerous products and remove them from circulation.
