Friday, September 27, 2013

Effective Dietary Supplement


A visit to the health food store can be an overwhelming experience. It's tough to figure out what to choose from among the dizzying assortment of dietary and nutritional supplements on the shelf. From vitamins to minerals to weight loss pills, there are thousands of options to choose from. But do you really need any of them? Do they really work, and if so, which ones are best?


The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, approved by Congress in 1994, defines dietary supplements as products that: are intended to supplement the diet; contain one or more ingredients (like vitamins, herbs, amino acids or their constituents); are intended to be taken by mouth; and, are labeled as dietary supplements.


It's important to remember that dietary supplements are designed to supplement your diet, not to replace nutritious foods. Still, the ADA recognizes that some people may require supplements because the vitamins and/or minerals they need are hard to get in adequate amounts in the diet. These groups include: pregnant women, nursing mothers, strict vegetarians, people with food allergies or intolerance and senior citizens.


Whether they really need them or not, sales figures show that plenty of people are purchasing supplements. Here are some of the most popular supplement categories:


·         Multivitamins

Taking a daily multivitamin with minerals has long been considered nutritional "insurance" to cover dietary shortfalls.

There is no harm in taking a once-daily multivitamin, as long as you select one based on your age and sex. Take one daily or just on days when your diet is inadequate. But better than a multivitamin is to fill in the gaps with food that offers so much more than supplements.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Meal Replacements

Powdered and liquid products like Slim Fast and Ensure might not be what most of us think of as dietary supplements. But they're included in the list because they are designed to supplement the diet.

For people who can't eat regular food because of illnesses, these products are good alternatives. Still, eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods is better, if tolerated.

And what about weight management? Using a meal replacement can help control calories and be beneficial, experts say -- as long as it's part of a lifestyle that includes exercise and a calorie-controlled diet.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Sports Nutrition Supplements

This is a broad category that includes both sports performance and weight loss supplements. It includes pills, powders, formulas and drinks formulated not just to hydrate but to enhance physical activity. Among them are creatine, amino acids, protein formulas, and fat burners.

“These products provide a subtle, incremental effect. You can't use a sports supplement for a week and expect to gain pounds of muscle, but if used properly, research shows they can provide a slight, not overwhelming, edge," says Andrew Shoa, PhD, vice president for regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association for the dietary supplement industry.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!




·         Calcium

Calcium is one of the minerals most often lacking in Americans' diets. But experts say that whenever you can, you should choose calcium from foods such as dairy products, fortified foods, dark leafy greens, soybeans, beans, fish, and raisins.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommends three servings of low-fat or non-fat dairy each day to help bridge this gap. But there are plenty of people who shun dairy, the best source of calcium in our diets.

If you do choose a calcium supplement, look for calcium citrate or lactate. These forms are best absorbed by the body, says Grotto.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         B vitamins

B vitamins include thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12. Many of us don't need these supplements, experts say. In fact, romance surrounds the B vitamins because people misuse them to reduce stress and think a supplement will make them a nice person in traffic. But there is not much research to support this theory. And besides, our diets are plentiful in B vitamins.

One exception is seniors, who may need additional B-12 because as we get older, we absorb less of it. Most of us should skip the supplements and get our Bs from grains, dark green vegetables, orange juice, and enriched foods. People with certain medical conditions or who take drugs that interfere with vitamin absorption may also require supplementation.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Vitamin C

Vitamin C is often taken in an effort to ward off colds, though there's little proof this works.

There is scant evidence it may decrease the intensity or duration of colds, but it won't do any harm up to about 1,000 milligrams a day. Because it is a water-soluble vitamin, excess amounts are excreted.
Your health-care provider may tell you to take vitamin C if you have a wound that's healing. But wound otherwise, go for food sources.  Rich sources include oranges, peppers, grapefruits, peaches, papayas, pineapples, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, and melons.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Glucosamine and Chondroitin

These supplements are often taken by people with joint pain.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, these supplements, taken alone or in combination, were not found to provide significant relief from osteoarthritis knee pain among all participants. However, results in a subgroup of study participants with moderate to severe pain showed the combination may be effective.

While the evidence is not conclusive, some rheumatologists say many of their patients find relief from the combination.

About 40% of my osteoarthritis patients benefit from taking 1,500 mg of glucosamine and 1,200 mg chondroitin sulphate a day (for) four to eight weeks," says Kaiser Permanente rheumatologist Eduardo Baetti. But "most patients are also taking pain relievers, such as Tylenol."

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Homeopathic Medicines

These are not technically dietary supplements, but are nonetheless a popular category. Homeopathy, or homeopathic medicine, is a medical philosophy dating back to the late 1700s. It's based on the idea that our bodies have a self-healing response. So, the theory goes, if certain a substance causes a symptom in a healthy person, giving that person a very small amount of the same substance may cure the symptoms.

The National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine web site notes that studies on homeopathy have been contradictory. Some have suggested the results are similar to a placebo effect, while others have found positive effects that are not readily explained in scientific terms.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Vitamins D

Chances are, you are not getting enough vitamin D for good health. "The current recommendations are not adequate to protect against chronic diseases or prevent osteoporosis," vitamin D expert Michael Holick, MD, tells WebMD. "All evidence suggests that infants and adults can tolerate 1,000 IUs a day as safe, without risk of toxicity.

Holick suggests taking a daily vitamin D supplement or getting safe sun exposure to maintain proper blood levels of vitamin D.

And be sure to eat a variety of foods rich in vitamin D such as fortified milk and cereals, salmon, and tuna. Check with your dermatologist about guidelines for safe sun exposure.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



·         Fish/animal Oil

Ninety-five percent of the sales in this category come from fish and not animal oils. Unless a doctor is treating you for heart disease or high triglyceride levels, you should not take fish oil supplements, says Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, Tufts University researcher and chairwoman of the American Heart Association (AHA) nutrition committee.

Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids are cardio-protective and the basis for the AHA recommendation to consume fatty fish twice weekly. But the studies do not show that popping a supplement can have the same benefit in healthy individuals. There is also a misperception that fish oils can lower cholesterol, but this is not true.

If you don't like fatty fish such as salmon, Lichtenstein recommends eating other kinds of fish such as canned tuna. (Just be sure to avoid any fish that is breaded and fried.)

Foods such as canola oil, soybeans, flax, walnuts and algae are all sources of omega-3s, but they are not a substitute for fatty fish.

Stay fit and healthy, click to learn more!



Tips for Choosing Dietary Supplements


Experts agree there are some rules of thumb for choosing dietary and nutritional supplements. First, look for trusted brands that have been around for some time.


Another tip: read the claims carefully. If they look too good to be true, they probably are. Products promising to pack on 20 pounds of muscle in a week are not going to deliver because nothing can yield those kinds of results.


Last but not least, be sure to check with your doctor before taking any dietary supplements.

No comments:

Post a Comment