Many individuals utilize nutritional supplements to address specific health concerns. Before taking any supplement, it is advisable to consult a health care professional for advice before doing so.
Some supplements can have unwanted side effects if consumed beyond their recommended amounts, as well as being potentially interacted with by medications you are already taking. It is also important to know which ones may interact with each other and any interactions may arise between medications that interact with one another.
Vitamins
Vitamins are natural substances the body needs in small amounts to stay healthy. You’ll find vitamins in plants and animal products, as well as in supplements. Each vitamin has a specific name; typically written as one letter followed by its chemical symbol number and “mg”. A diet rich in fruits vegetables and whole grains should provide all of these essential vitamins.
Dietary supplements should be part of an holistic approach to health that also includes exercise, sleep hygiene and managing stress. But it’s essential to remember that supplements cannot replace eating a well-rounded diet.
Vitamins come in various multivitamin products that carry the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) symbol to demonstrate they meet certain strength, quality and purity standards. Unfortunately, however, they’re not subject to FDA oversight in the same way.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances found naturally throughout Earth. They typically form solid masses with distinct, crystalline structures, usually comprised of one chemical element or more often, multiple elements. Examples include halite (rock salt) and sodium chloride (NaCl).
Your body requires several minerals in order to function optimally, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur as well as trace minerals such as iron, copper zinc manganese iodine fluoride selenium – you can obtain all these essential elements by eating from different food groups within the USDA Daily Food Plan food groups.
Iron is essential in blood formation and for the production of DNA and connective tissues, as well as helping the heart work normally and being involved with nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. Folic acid found in many vegetables and fruits plays a key role during gestation by protecting against certain birth defects.
Herbs
Herbs and spices have long been part of traditional diets, providing flavor while adding anti-inflammatory benefits and phytochemical protection against free radical damage, cancer cell growth, oxidative stress and aging.
Eaten fresh or dried in salads and other recipes, they can also be added to teas, syrups and oils for use as medicinal treatments. Yarrow in particular has many uses such as relieving sore throats and coughs as well as helping amenorrhea symptoms during amenorrhea treatments and menopause symptoms – not forgetting its ability to soothe bruises or reduce swelling!
Dietary supplements refers to any product intended for oral consumption that includes one or more dietary ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs or botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, tissues from organs or glands or extracts thereof. Such products must be labeled as such for consumers’ own safety.
As the FDA does not perform tests before supplements reach store shelves, companies are responsible for verifying that what’s advertised matches up with what’s actually inside. Cooperman recommends searching for products with seals from USP or NSF to ensure ingredients match labels and that the product is free from contaminants.
Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals include products like glucosamine capsules, probiotic yogurts and fortified energy bars – products which fall under the broad category of “nutraceutical.” This term, coined from “nutrition and pharmaceutical”, refers to any food or component thereof that provides additional health benefits beyond basic nutritional value such as vitamins and minerals found within foods themselves.
Nutraceutical supplements are not as tightly regulated as pharmaceutical medications; thus manufacturers do not need to demonstrate that their product works before selling it. Furthermore, unlike pharmaceutical medications which treat diseases directly, nutraceuticals don’t treat specific conditions directly.
Before trying any new supplement or making any health claims, it’s advisable to first speak to your physician. In doing so, your physician should be able to recommend or provide you with a list of safe and effective supplements tailored towards your condition as well as make sure there are no medications which might interact negatively with them.
