Supplements are concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals and other substances with nutritional or physiological effects that are designed for consumption by humans. They may be sold either individually or as proprietary blends that offer synergistic advantages.
Practitioner brand supplements tend to be sold by healthcare professionals and may be more costly than consumer brands sold at stores. When looking for these supplements, check that they provide information on where their ingredients come from as well as manufacturing processes used.
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential vitamins that perform multiple functions within the body. Collectively known as micronutrients, vitamins work alongside other essential elements to process macronutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) found in food consumed.
Diet is the best way to ensure you’re getting enough vitamins, but some individuals find it challenging to meet all their dietary guidelines or nutritional requirements through food alone. In such instances, taking multivitamin supplements could provide additional nutritional support.
Dietary supplements come in tablets, capsules, gummies and powder forms and contain vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals as well as amino acids and probiotics. When purchasing vitamins online or from stores look for one with the United States Pharmacopeia seal on its label; this shows it has been verified by an independent third-party and meets stringent standards.
Minerals
Minerals are naturally-occurring inorganic solid substances with a distinct chemical composition and ordered internal structure, possessing many physical properties such as specific gravity (minerals containing more massive elements have higher specific gravities), cleavage, fracture, magnetism, solubility and color.
Many minerals possess unique physical properties that make them useful to humans. Gold’s malleability made it suitable for early people to shape it into ornaments; and quartz’s piezoelectric property creates an electric current when stressed – making it useful in clocks, transformers and motors as a source of electricity production.
Minerals are integral components of immune function, with optimal functioning requiring the careful balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory regulation. Calcium from sources like milk and broccoli is crucial for bone strength while iron from spinach and beef plays an essential role in hemoglobin’s delivery of oxygen into our tissues.
Herbs
Herbs can add great flavour and health benefits to any dish, while being easy to grow. Prefers full sun with well-draining soil. Herbs refers to the leafy parts of plants while spices include seeds (coriander = cilantro leaves), root bark, berries fruits flowers resins or buds that fall under this category.
Herbs can be used in numerous forms, from teas and syrups to oils or tinctures. Tinctures and liquid extracts are among the most concentrated forms of herbs, as they contain their active constituents suspended in a liquid such as water, alcohol or glycerol. When buying herbal supplements from qualified practitioners, many herbalists advise buying pure products free of contaminants.
Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals combine nutrition and pharmaceutical science. Produced from food sources, nutraceuticals provide health benefits that go beyond what’s offered through regular diet. Nutraceuticals may help maintain a healthy weight, lower cardiovascular disease risk and strengthen immunity systems.
Nutrients are essential components of life and essential for proper metabolic processes. Nutraceuticals aim to deliver these vitamins in concentrated forms for maximum nutritional benefit.
Nutraceuticals, unlike pharmaceutical drugs, are not subject to FDA oversight as closely. While they can offer an affordable alternative to more costly prescription medication, you should still take certain steps when using nutraceuticals; including limiting dosage and verifying manufacturers.
Supplements
Diet is your primary way to receive all of the vitamins and minerals your body requires; however, supplements may fill in any gaps or provide support for special conditions or medications. Dietary supplements come in many forms including tablets, capsules, gummies, powders and liquids.
The FDA regulates supplements as foods, but manufacturers aren’t required to demonstrate their safety prior to selling products. Instead, the agency monitors reports of illness or injury caused by supplements, and encourages people to report adverse reactions immediately.
Vitamins and minerals found in food often work together, while supplements may have different results due to being isolated and taken out of context. When selecting a supplement, look for one which has been tested by an independent third-party company – this ensures it’s free from harmful levels of contaminants while remaining consistent from batch to batch.
