Should I take supplements? Best nutritionist advice

There is a lot of information out there about supplements. You see ads all over and different kinds of products to promote better wellbeing. I understand that sometimes it’s hard to decide which ones to take, even if you need them. The truth is, for many people, it can be overwhelming to see so many types of supplements, and not being able to find a clear answer. Should I take supplements? Are these mandatory? I will give you a clear review and advice on how to approach this concern.

Should I take supplements? Facts to consider.

The real answer to this question is depends. First of all, there is a huge variety of supplements in the market, all for specific health needs. There are also many types. Now, you can even find probiotic supplements and botanicals.  If you ask me, I’ve personally taken supplements to boost my health and wellness. Most of these, of natural ingredients and packed with vitamins. Is this something strictly mandatory for me? Not all the time..

Supplements can be very beneficial for your health. For example, taking vitamins can help to enhance your immune system, skin and hair growth. Supplements are actually considered foods, not drugs nor prescriptions. Because of this, most of these substances are safe to consume. Supplements can help you achieve a better level of wellness, especially if you take them with that intention.

However, supplements should not be taken as “miracle drugs” that will cure diseases. These should be aids to improve health along with proper nutrition and lifestyle. It makes no sense to take vitamin supplements, for example, when you have eating disorders. The same goes with fitness weight loss or muscle gains. If you don’t have a good eating lifestyle, and proper training, it is unlikely that the supplements along will do the magic.

Should I take supplements in order to get good results?

Before I dive into more details of this question, remember that the supplements are just an aid of a good eating lifestyle. Now, there are specific conditions, in which people will need to supplement their diet to get the full nutrient needs. For instance, we usually recommend pregnant women to take supplements to get the full requirements of iron and folic acid. In general, if you have a proper eating lifestyle, it is not really mandatory to consume a specific supplement. The idea is to get all the nutrients we need from the food groups we eat. I always recommend to first check with your doctor or dietitian before choosing any supplement.

Should I take supplements? Why are they recommended

Here are some important factors:

• Different eating habits 

In most cases, it has been proven that certain eating lifestyle may lack certain nutrients. For example, raw vegans, tend to require supplements in order to get the proper vitamin B complex and other important minerals. Also, doing restrictive diets can lead to nutrient intake, resulting harm to the body, like less muscle, lack of energy, lower brain function or negative effects in women who are trying to conceive. These are just a few of the examples why many of us RD’s hate prescribing restrictive diets. Learn to have a better relationship with food, and you won’t have to depend on nutrient supplements that much.

• Better nutrient intake

It’s true that a balanced eating lifestyle can give us the most of nutrients our body needs. Unfortunately, in certain cases, it is very difficult to get the 100% requirements. It all depends on the types of foods we are consuming. Luckily, some processed foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals, to ensure we are covered with the daily requirements. Now, we advice people to consume more local, whole foods due to the amount of nutrients, natural ingredients, and less artificial chemicals or preservatives. However, sometimes it is difficult to stick only to organic produce, since it depends on how often available these are. Plus, the foods we usually eat sometimes contain other ingredients to help us take advantage of other nutrients.

Another important thing to consider is that our body does not absorb the nutrients to 100&. Some minerals and vitamins are sometimes absorbed in less than 40%. Also, how we prepare foods can significantly mean less intake. For example, if we eat more raw vegetables than cooked, we will get more vitamin C. Does your diet also include enough fish or fish oil? If you are the type of person that does not eat fish that often, or has some type of allergy, this may affect how much omega-3 you are having. If you are strictly vegan, you may have to supplement some amount of omega-3 in your diet, for example.

• Special conditions

People who are in their elderly stage, pregnant women or people with certain diseases may need supplements. This is because during these stages of life our body can change drastically and the ability to absorb certain nutrients. People who suffer from certain diseases, or who underwent surgery, will need to supplement some vitamins, like B12.

The same thing happens with women who are going through menopause. Depending on the situation,a doctor would recommend the intake of calcium or eating more foods like soy to balance off the estrogen in your body. Before you move on to take any of these supplements, talk to your doctor and dietitian. Not all supplements are made equally and some ingredients may have side effects. Also, some substances can boost or slow down the effect of a certain medicine you are taking.

• Fitness needs

Should I take supplements for fitness? I get asked this a lot when people train at the gym. Again, it depends. You need to assess your goals and why you are training. Most of us who go to the gym train to stay in shape, burn fat, lose weight or gain muscle mass. In my opinion, unless you are an athlete who trains at competition level, it is not really mandatory to indulge in supplements crave.

Also, as a reminder, just like the other scenarios, you need to eat right. Good fitness results require proper nutrition. Without eating right for your goals, it is almost useless to spend on supplements. Everything goes in hand, it’s a matter of balance and moderation. Find your nutritionist to design a specific meal plan for your goals and needs before you get your supplements. Actually, during the sessions you may get good advice on which supplements will help to enhance your fitness results with your eating needs.

Should I take supplements if I want to perform better? There are many types of supplements for different needs and effects. Now, there are some natural supplements made to boost energy levels and increase muscle efficiency. Some good examples are:

• Guaraná
• Gingko biloba
• Ginseng
• Creatine
• Citrulline

These natural products are well known to help increase your energy level and make you perform better. I would recommend these ingredients only you have energy problems or you really have altered sleep patterns difficult to solve. Otherwise, you should focus on good eating habits, sleeping well, and getting good foods for fitness. Caffeine does well when it comes to getting energy.

There are other common supplements for muscle performance and growth, as well as fat burn are:

• Whey protein
• L-glutamine
• Branch chain amino acids
• Multi-vitamin complex and fish oil
• MCT oil

Supplements like these are what people look for. Many gym addicts mention getting good benefits from these types of supplements. The main objective is to complement them with your eating plan so you can gain a “faster” and more dense muscle growth. Remember, that as a mentioned, taking these supplements require you to be active. Taking these kinds of supplements is proportionate to your eating lifestyle and your workout routine. This will ensure your body is using up the nutrients effectively as fuel and not being stored as fat later.

• Beauty care

Some supplements are also available to enhance skincare and hair care results. The most common supplements, such as multi-vitamins and collagen are becoming more popular due to their powerful effects on skin beauty and anti-aging. Collagen is a powder that you can add to your drinks and combine to foods to boost your own collagen in skin. Why collagen? Because scientists found out that after age 25 or body starts to produce less collagen, making it easier for us to age. However, it is up to you if you want to try including liquid collagen in your diet and beauty regimen.

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The bottom line…

The answer to this question should be aligned to your eating habits, if you have special conditions or needs, your fitness regimen and your general health goals. You should always seek for guidance from your doctor and nutritionist before pursuing any of the supplements. Proper assessment will ensure that you will get what your body needs and the right proportions in order to get the most for your wellbeing.

Always focus on proper nutrition as your primary goal. Make space for exercise and don’t forget hydration. These are top keys to a healthy body overall. It is ok to take some here and there, just make sure these are sanitary approved and check for labels and specialists. Let me know your experience with supplements. Has any of this review helped you clear your mind? Share your thoughts in the comments, share with your friends.

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