Are Supplements Really Good for You?

Are supplements really good for you? It is now common practice for people to be taking one form of supplements or the other to boost their health but the question is, whether they are helpful or harmful. Today it is either a medical practitioner prescribing some supplement to you or a medicine vendor recommending some over-the-counter. Moreover, it has become a common sight to see marketers promoting a herbal mixture or the other as a supplement to improve one’s health. In this, article we will discuss whether there are any benefits to it and outline some potential harm in this behavior.

What are supplements? Dietary supplements are manufactured products in the form of pills, capsules, tablets, or liquids for the purpose of enhancing or balancing our diet. Food supplements can be vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes. It can be an herb or other botanical. Most persons may not get enough nutrients from daily consumption of food and be required to take supplements to meet up with the body’s daily requirements. Photo from pexels.com

When are Supplements Prescribed? Supplements are usually recommended when an individual is suffering from a health deficiency or is malnourished and needs to take supplements to correct such deficiency. Other reasons could be when a person is not eating food that contains enough their food is balanced that contains all the required nutrients for healthy growth and development. However, it is more preferred for one to get these essential nutrients from their natural state in foods that can be easily absorbed by the body, in their right proportion, and in conditions suitable for quick assimilation.

When can supplements be considered harmful? In the past, the medical community promoted supplements as an all-good and no-harm solution to malnutrition. However recent studies suggest otherwise. Supplements have been observed to be harmful in the following conditions; a. When they interact with prescription drugs; some supplements can interact with drugs and cause them to be ineffective. For instance, calcium can hinder the body’s absorption of antibiotics and vitamin k can hinder the function of anticoagulants such as warfarin b. Accumulated or excess intake: we now live in an era where nutrients are added to processed foods such as grains, salts, drinks, etc. it is easy to consume above the recommended level when you combine with over-the-counter administration. When there is an accumulation of excess nutrients that were meant to be absorbed in the body as a trace. The body finds it difficult to excrete which could result in liver damage. Minerals that have been found to accumulate in the liver include vitamin A, retinol, iron, manganese, and copper. c. Interact with cancer cells: Some minerals in high doses can foster the growth and development of cancer cells. Minerals such as vitamin A, beta carotene, selenium, may instigate or progress the growth of cancer cells

Other temporary or non-serious reactions to supplements when taken in large quantities or for a prolonged period include a yellow discolouration of urine (vitamin B2), yellowness of the skin (beta carotene), diarrhea (magnesium and vitamin c), gastrointestinal upset(iron), fishy odour to sweat(choline).

Conclusion It is preferable to practice eating healthy diets than to keep on eating junk only to make up for it with supplements. Whether you are treating a health deficiency or just taking supplements to enhance your overall health. It is better to always check for the recommended daily requirement so as not to exceed it.

VICTOR DAVID Victor David is a content writer with a bachelor’s degree in public health. He loves health communication and believes in passing accurate, healthful information across to help people protect their health.