There are two known ways on how one's body can get a supply of nutrients. The first one is from food intake and the other is from supplements. Each would have their perks and drawbacks.
While taking supplements can increase the level of nutrients in a person's system, it should not replace the intake of actual full meals. Although, the usual reason seen why people are drawn to supplements and are tempted to rely on this alone is because of the concentration of the nutrients it has been a little package.
Some dietary supplements supply the body with vitamins, amino acids, minerals, enzymes, or a combination that usually come in forms such as liquids, powders, capsules, and tablets.
No matter how enticing it is to just rely on supplements, anybody should always consult health care providers before diving into a bottle full of pills. The advantage of getting the advice of doctors is that this is their specialty and that they can help people achieve a balance between nutrients and food supplements.
Experts warn consumers to be wary of supplements that may contain an active ingredient that could have a strong biological effect on an individual. While some of these effects are what a person or a body system is looking for, it could be harmful if these supplements are taken in excess. Sometimes unknowledgeable combining of supplements mixing supplements with medicine or maybe taking too much could be harmful to one's health such as those of vitamin A, vitamin D, and Iron.
The Council for the Responsible Nutrition (CRN) survey shows that in 2018, consumers have increased their intake of dietary supplements for people in the United States. According to the survey, 75% of US individuals took dietary supplements in 2018 while only 65% took supplements in 2009. This data proves that dietary supplements became mainstays in modern day health and wellness regimens.
Consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements like those of vitamin D and calcium has always been the most popular types over the years. However, during the past five years, the use of herbals and botanicals such as turmeric was seen to have a significant increase in consumption as well.
Data from the CRN survey shows that overall wellness and health is the main reason why US individuals are fond of taking dietary supplements.
A recent study found evidence that vitamin D, multivitamins, calcium, and vitamin C showed no actual advantage in the prevention of cardiovascular disease or premature death. However, risk of heart disease may be reduced with the intake of folic acid alone or folic acid combined with B vitamins.
A study to evaluate the association between dietary supplement use and mortality was done by a team from Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Medford. One of the study authors, Fang Fang Zhang Ph.D., an associate professor at the said school, pointed out that potential benefits and harms of supplement use are still being studied continuously. However, some studies have proven that excess nutrient intake could have adverse outcomes such as the increased risk of certain types of cancer.
There are other key findings of the study that are worth noting. First, Adequate intake of vitamin A, vitamin K, magnesium, and zinc, if taken from full meals and not from supplements is linked to having a longer life. Second, adequate intake of vitamins A, K, and zinc from meals (as well) lowers the risk of death caused by cardiovascular disease. Third, higher risks of dying from cancer can be caused by excess intake of calcium. Lastly, increased risk of death from cancer can also be caused by excess intake of calcium that is from supplements of at least 1000 mg per day.
In addition, researchers have proven that increased risk of all-cause mortality is caused by unwarranted use of vitamin D.
