Each one of us is in the race of getting healthy, some of us are hitting the gym regularly to shed those extra kilos, a few are joining yoga classes to balance the hormones and the rest are in search of an easy yet effective way to achieve their health goals. Health supplements are one of the easiest methods to stay on top of your health. They are nutrients both essential and non-essential including all types of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and many food ingredients which are available in the form of tablets, capsules, juices, powders, effervescent tablets, etc. Supplements help meet the daily nutritional requirements which in turn helps in the proper functioning of our body and overall reduces the risk of deficiencies and diseases.
Types of health supplements
Health supplements is an umbrella term used for all the types of supplements available in the market. For easy understanding, here are the four broad categories:
-
Multivitamins: Multivitamins are combinations of different vitamins and minerals as per the recommended daily allowance in one single pill or capsule. These are the most commonly used types of health supplements to meet daily nutritional requirements. They do not help in treating any particular concern but improve overall well-being.
-
Specific supplement: These are some particular vitamins and minerals that we take for resolving a particular health concern like iron and folic acid for anemia, calcium and vitamin D for osteoporosis, vitamins A and E for skin issues, omega 3 for heart health, EPA and DHA to prevent neural tube disorders during pregnancy, etc.
-
Herbal supplements: They are made from age-old ayurvedic herbs and food ingredients carrying medicinal properties like turmeric, ashwagandha moringa, cinnamon, Triphala, amla, etc used to treat acute and chronic diseases.
-
Sports and weight management supplements: This is the other most commonly used category of health supplements which includes whey protein, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), creatine, etc. They help in improving stamina, strength, endurance, and energy levels, replenishing lost electrolytes, reducing fat mass, repairs and building muscle mass during and after the workout.
Benefits of health supplements:
The wealthiest and easiest source of nutrients for all of us is the food we eat. But sometimes due to poor eating habits, lack of time, and availability we are not able to meet our body’s nutritional requirements and that is when health supplements come to our rescue. Let us learn about the benefits of health supplements in detail:
-
Health supplements provide the nutrients as per the recommended dietary allowance which helps in overcoming and reducing the risk of deficiencies.
-
Supplements can be of great use in treating diseases that occur due to prolonged vitamin and mineral deficiencies like anemia, osteoarthritis, arthritis, etc.
-
They help in managing nutritional deficiencies and meeting increased nutritional requirements due to other diseases. For eg, a cancer patient’s nutritional requirements especially for protein, antioxidants, selenium, zinc, fats increases during and after the treatment which helps in repairing body tissues and overall wellness.
-
Meeting the daily nutritional requirements of our body helps in reducing the risk of chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, etc.
-
Nutrients, when taken in the optimum amount on a daily basis, help in strengthening the immune system which in turn reduces the risk of infections.
How to consume supplements:
Supplements are to be consumed as per the instructions and dosage mentioned on the back side of the label. The dosage can be revised by your health care professional on the basis of signs, and symptoms and according to your biochemical parameters for better results. Always read the instructions properly on how and when to take the supplement as few nutrients are to be taken with the food or after a meal or empty stomach to maximize nutrient absorption. Therefore, take the supplement as per the instructions mentioned on the product label. Also, if you experience any discomfort or side effect discontinue the product immediately and reach out to your physician for further guidance.
