Nutritional supplements, mineral and vitamin supplement pills, presented in attractive bottles with an impressive wide advertising potential, are among the drugs that we always consider whether I should take them or not. When you browse the internet or step into the supplements aisle of the pharmacy, you will see many supplement products from time to time. You will find many supplements available in the form of tablets, capsules, powder drops or drinks. Do these drugs really work? It is not possible to give a single answer by putting them all in the same basket. Some are necessary and extremely useful. Others work well when taken right; Many of them can do more harm than good when taken.
From the Department of Internal Medicine at Yeni Yüzyıl University Gaziosmanpaşa Hospital, Dr. Instructor Member Şeref Kamil Basmacıoğlu explained what should be considered about ‘unconsciously used vitamin supplements’.
Eating healthy should be a priority.
Our first responsibility is to have a healthy diet. If you really want to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs, start with a healthy diet, which means a diet heavy on plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as moderate amounts of lean protein and dairy products. Whenever possible, eat real foods instead of processed foods, and sugar and saturated fats should be kept to a minimum. If you do not have a problem with this absorption, if you do not have food selectivity, it is possible to be fed with enough fruits and vegetables in season in our country and to get enough protein. Meanwhile, the target is to meet the micronutrients we need according to our age and age. We should follow a non-unidirectional nutrition program that includes enough iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12.
This does not mean not taking vitamin supplements. It means that a healthy diet is much more important and effective for your overall health. After all, these are vitamin supplements, not vitamin substitutes. The goal is not to replace a healthy diet, but to supplement it. One of the most popular supplement options is the multivitamin, and many people consider it a one-stop-shop for nutrition. Unless you’re following and planning a healthy diet, you probably want to start with a multivitamin supplement. If you already eat a balanced diet, you won’t see the real health benefits of taking a multivitamin.
Standard multivitamins contain 100 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of various vitamins and minerals. However, because pills are physically incapable of doing this, few multivitamins contain all of your body’s nutritional needs. Most leave out calcium, iron, and magnesium. Of course, your body can’t absorb calcium and iron at the same time, so you won’t benefit from a multivitamin that contains these compounds.
You may also come across experimental multivitamins, meaning supplements that make dubious health claims, such as those that claim to contain antioxidants that reduce your risk of cancer. While some of these added ingredients have no real effect, some may benefit, but it has not been proven how much of these benefits are used, and some of them actually do harm. For example, many contain more than 400 IU of potentially harmful vitamin E, which is 18 times the recommended daily intake. Apart from providing benefits, it has been shown that vitamin E taken in excess increases prostate cancer in men.
If you want a multivitamin, just get the standard one.
An important issue is the mixtures that you should always avoid, such as pastes, special honeys, special mixtures, that we do not know how much and which substance they contain. If a product you buy does not tell you how much it contains, do not buy it. As they get older, a very important part of people aged 65 and over regularly take a multivitamin or another vitamin or mineral supplement. This creates a significant cost. That money might be better spent on nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, nutritionists say. For example, vitamin E helps repair DNA, while vitamin B12 helps build it. Vitamin A supports bone health, such as calcium and vitamin D. Your body gets most of these nutrients from food. However, some, such as B12, are more difficult to find. This is especially true for vegans and vegetarians, as some of the nutrients our bodies need only come from animal products. To maintain good health, people who choose these lifestyles need to take supplements. Lab work helps uncover deficiencies in your body, so it may be helpful to talk to your healthcare provider about supplements. It can also guide you on best practices, as your body only absorbs certain minerals if you take them in a certain way. Some must be absorbed along with fats, others (like calcium and iron) oppose each other, and others cannot be absorbed by your body when in pill or capsule form. Do Vitamin Supplements Have Risks? No supplement can replace a healthy diet. If you’re not sure what a healthy diet is, talk to your doctor. It will provide a list of foods to supplement if you need it based on your health conditions. Vitamin D deficiency is an important health problem in our country. Although its deficiency is widely shown, it can cause poisoning when taken unconsciously. If you’re not getting everything you need from your diet, such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12, you may need to take a supplement. Again, talk to your doctor about this.
Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency
