Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients because acting together, they perform hundreds of roles in the body. They help shore up bones, heal wounds, and reinforce your immune system for optimal health. They also convert food into energy, and repair damaged cells.
Vitamins are essential to good health because they are chemicals that are essential to all cellular activity. Without vitamins, the body cannot convert carbohydrates and fats into energy; it cannot repair and construct new cells; nor, can it carry out normal functions, such as thinking and breathing. So vitamins are important for your ideal health.
The precise role of vitamins in cellular activities is not really understood. What we do know is that some vitamins work with enzymes to initiate chemical reactions within the cell. The best way to get the right amount of vitamins needed for proper growth and development is through consumption of vitamin-rich foods.
From vitamin A to zinc, American people have been taking and relying on dietary supplements for decades. When they first became available in the 40’s, people would flock to local drug stores to make sure they stocked up on these magical pills to help improve their overall health and well being. Since then the craze has never stopped and it doesn’t look like it will stop any time soon. Actually the amount of people taking vitamins and dietary supplements keeps increasing year after year. This shows how important health is for everyone.
Dietary supplement recommendations are found everywhere, through social media, t,v, and radio commercials, influencers and from your friends and family. Everyone claims that they have the best vitamins on the market. Despite all the recommendations it’s hard to know which vitamins if any are right for you. Although there are many supplements which do benefit your health, it is important to know which ones are actually beneficial or harmful for every individual. All our bodies are different and one specific vitamin might not be for everyone. This is why vitamin subscriptions are becoming so popular, because they claim to help you match you to the best supplements for your individual self. So here are a few things you should know before deciding to go out and buy a bunch of supplements:
1. Supplements come in many forms: Whether in pill form, powder or liquid, the main goal of supplements, such as vitamins, the goal is to supplement your diet and get the needed nutrients and improve your health
2. Some Supplements are Effective, While Others are Not: The reason why supplements are so popular is because sometimes they work. There is evidence that some supplements are beneficial to your overall well being with little to no risk. Despite the amount of research that’s been done on supplements, scientific evidence isn’t completely clear. Most studies suggest that multivitamins won’t make you live longer, slow cognitive decline or lower your chances of disease.
3. Supplements Aren’t Always Safe: In most cases, multivitamins dont pose any risks. Some supplements may interact with other medication you take or pose some risks if you have certain medical conditions. Also, federal regulators are less strict on dietary supplements than they are on prescription drugs.So some supplements may contain ingredients not listed on their label. You also need to be careful because some products are marked as dietary supplements and actually contain prescription drugs in them. If you aren’t aware, prescription drugs are not allowed in dietary supplements. So be aware when you are picking out your supplements. Make sure to do your research.
4. Talk to Your Health Care Provider Before You Start Taking Any New Supplements: The most important thing you can do is be smart and talk with your doctor before taking any new supplements. They need to be made aware because they have to see whether or not the supplement you are thinking of taking could affect your individual health. Also certain medication you take could interfere with certain supplements.
You need to be smart and realize exactly what supplements you are considering taking. Although they are important to your health, not all supplements may be beneficial. This is why it’s important to first talk with your doctor before taking any known supplements. They will be the ones to best advise you on what you should and should not take. Be smart, especially when it comes down to your health!