Who Needs Supplements?
Several groups of people risk developing various deficiencies:
- smokers
- the elderly
- people who suffer from food allergies
- pregnant women
- women who breastfeed or take birth control pills
- manual workers
- athletes
- people who live or work in large cities
- people who often eat in restaurants
- people who always eat the same food or unhealthy food
- people who take medication and people with health problems
All these people are advised to take multivitamin and mineral supplements regularly, especially during the winter. Taking certain supplements, along with changing dietary habits, can replace or at least complement medication; for example, taking a vitamin B complex, along with dietary modification will help treat a high LDL cholesterol level, the primary cause of arteriosclerosis.
One should be aware that a single supplement should never be taken on a daily basis during a long period of time. After three or four months of usage, intake of the supplement should be interrupted for a few weeks (except on contrary advice of the therapist). Thus the body will not become lazy, and possible deposits of the substance in the organs will be avoided. The body will gradually resume its normal functioning, and the supplement will remain effective if it is taken again at a later date. For an optimal balance, dietary habits should be modified so that required nutrients are provided by meals.
What errors should be avoided?
- Never combine with drugs.
- Never take a supplement and a drug at the same time. Allow an interval of one to four hours before and after taking a drug. Ask a professional for more information on this matter.
- Never take a mineral or a trace element alone.
The actions of all minerals are interrelated. Unless prescribed by a health professional, do not take a pure mineral or trace element, but rather a compound of basic minerals; otherwise, you could create a potentially dangerous state of unbalance.
Which precautions should one take before purchasing supplements?
- Before anything else, the health professional should establish needs according to several criteria: diet, age, consumption of other supplements and medication, etc.
- Then, look for supplements that contain sufficient quantities and avoid excessive doses. Always take into account the nutrients that are present in other supplements that you have at home. Watch for iron, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D quantities especially.
- Consider the form: capsules or pills, chelated extracts, etc. If you suffer from allergies, it is important to be certain that the product does not contain allergens (corn, milk products, soy, wheat, etc.).
- Check the product’s best-before date.
- Do not be fooled by the bargain price of certain products; if they are cheap, it is probably because their basic components are of poor quality and are badly absorbed. Therefore, the supplement will not fulfill its role in the body.
What form should they be taken in?
- The best forms are either as a liquid or as a powder (in capsules). Pills are compacted using great pressure and they contain additives (binders, for example), which make them more difficult for the body to break down; undigested pills are sometimes found in the intestines and stools. Chewable tablets help curb the problem. However, they always contain flavors, sugar or sweeteners such as aspartame, to improve taste.
- In certain cases, in chelated form. In the case of multivitamin and mineral compounds, it is important to choose brands with minerals (iron, zinc, etc.) and trace elements (manganese, selenium, etc.) in the “chelated” form, i.e. linked to amino acids. The chelating treatment stabilizes the components of the supplement, so that they no not react with one another (for example, iron could oxidize vitamin A or interfere with different food substances. Moreover, the chelating treatment of minerals makes them more easily absorbed by the intestines.
When should we take them?
- During meals – Always take your vitamins and minerals during meals in order to maximize assimilation in the intestines. Certain people have the bad habit of taking all their “pills” (supplements and medication) at once in the morning, to get the “chore” over with. However, the body has limited absorption capacities; you should therefore purchase supplements in small doses (250 mg of calcium or vitamin C, for example) and take one dose three or four times a day.
- Specific advice for women – If you take calcium and magnesium supplements: take your pills between meals and before going to bed, so nothing will interfere with the absorption of zinc and precious iron. You should therefore choose calcium citrate rather than carbonate.
Supplements only give a temporary helping hand. They are not magic pills that answer all our needs. For example, they cannot cancel the noxious effects of bad fats and eating excesses (sugar, salt, etc.). These are dead substances, devoid of natural synergism. Sooner or later, you will need to check your habits, get more outdoor exercise, find time for yourself, relax, tend to your own happiness and, of course, eat properly. In other words, enjoy life!
Despite all the scientific discoveries on supplements and the quick results obtained by certain people, food is always necessary. It is appetizing, colorful, well balanced, extremely easy to absorb, filled with yet unheard-of therapeutic substances, and truly created for us.
