The Truth About Dietary Supplements

By Andy G Smith


The world of nutritional supplements can be hard to navigate, more so if you have very little knowledge of diet, but truly want to do the best you can to sustain your long-term vitality. Here are some things to ponder prior to picking vitamin and mineral products:

The first factor is whether a health supplement dissolves and disintegrates completely and how readily available it is for use in the body. The nutrition in the product must be in an appropriate form and in correct ratios for optimum absorption into the body's cells. This is known as the bioavailability of the product. As the bioavailability of a product is mostly determined by the ratios of ingredients, it's crucial that the manufacturer cautiously monitors and controls the required balance of elements during research and development.

In addition, your lifestyle can play a major role in determining what quantities of vitamins and minerals you need on a day to day basis. As an example, if you are a smoker your requirements may be higher. Also, did you know that if you exercise consistently, at high intensities, then your requirements are also higher? This is because vitamins (or antioxidants) are needed to neutralise the harmful waste products created as we process oxygen. Intense physical exercise increases oxygen usage and therefore, boosts potentially toxic waste prducts known as free radicals.

Our need for antioxidants and minerals is now larger than ever due to the increasingly harmful environment that we live in. Environmental pollution, toxins in the water supply and enhanced levels of radiation from the sun contribute to our increased need for vitamins. In addition, stress, lack of sleep and poor food choices will increase free radical occurance. The food choices that we make today are often devoid of the important antioxidants and minerals that we require for our bodies to function properly.

Another significant factor to consider is the amounts and levels of nutrition in the product. As an example, many multivitamin pill and multimineral dietary supplements are made to meet the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) of the relevant micronutrients. This may not provide adequate quantities to protect our bodies' cells from free radical damage and the possible start of degenerative diseases, as lots of studies now indicate that we need advanced levels of micronutrients to promote optimal health. RDAs were established in the 1950s and were determined as a minimum requirement to prevent acute deficiencies such as scurvy and rickets. Because of pollution, life-style choices and depletion of nutrients in the food that we eat, our needs are now far greater. Increasing occurrence of degenerative diseases may be an indication of our bodies' growing demands for antioxidants.

In summary, you are better purchasing pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements, which provide advanced amounts of vitamins and minerals.




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