Some Guidelines for Nutrient Supplementation
What is a Supplement?
Nutrient or nutritional supplements (also known as dietary supplements) are supplements that are intended to provide nutrients that may not otherwise be consumed in sufficient quantities in the diet. Supplements include vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, phytonutrients essential to metabolic function. Supplements are usually ingested in capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid form. These supplements include ingredients that are used in meals, specific diet plans, treatment plans for some conditions, , or simply for your general health. Nutrients play essential roles for the health of the human body; for example, vitamin D and calcium are important for bone health. Vitamins C and E, and the mineral selenium are critical for optimal immune function. Overt nutrient depletion leads to obvious clinical diseases such as rickets and scurvy, however these are rarely seen in modern society. That being said, many chronic conditions affecting the global population, such as diabetes, heart disease, neurological diseases, and some cancers, have been associated with nutrient deficiencies.
Different kinds of supplements:
There are many different types of supplements that enhance your body in numerous ways. Here are some of the more common dietary supplements:
- Calcium
- Echinacea
- Fish Oil
- Ginseng
- Glucosamine
- Chondroitin Sulphate
- Garlic
- Vitamin D
- St. John’s Wort
- Saw Palmetto
- Ginkgo
- Green Tea
Although these are some of the more common supplements, there are also some that are not recommended and can do damage to the human body. Here is a list of supplements that are recommended to be limited or used on consultation with an expert::
- Aconite
- Caffeine Powder
- Chaparral
- Coltsfoot
- Comfrey
- Germander
- Kava
- Lobelia
- Methylsynephrine
- Pennyroyal Oil
- Usnic Acid
- Yohimbe
These are a few specific examples of supplements that are readily available, and in some cases can be effective-, but are known for potentially having deleterious side effects..
Who Needs Supplements?
- People predisposed or at-risk for health conditions, genetically, environmentally, or lifestyle-related. .
- The elderly, as with age there tends to be overall nutrient malabsorption from the diet.
- Those with a poor or highly processed diet.
- People with overt medical conditions which are known to cause a nutrient deficiency.
- People taking medications known to deplete nutrients.
- People who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle should also consider taking nutritional supplements. Supplements are not meant to replace food; instead, supplements can be taken to compliment a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet. Generally, supplements can provide 100% of the vitamins and minerals that are recommended daily. Although the AHA recommends obtaining as many nutrients as adequately plausible from a healthy diet, nutritional supplements can also be taken to make up for certain nutrients that are not as easily obtainable through healthy diets. Overall, nutritional supplements help to maintain a healthy lifestyle by accompanying a healthy diet and active life.
Why Might You NeedSupplements?
- To make up for processed food.Processed foods such as fried food, packaged food, dry and preserved food, and preservatives can contain harmful ingredients if ingested in excess such as saturated fats and added sugar and salt. These ultra-processed foods have less dietary fiber and vitamins compared to all-natural, healthy foods. The excess sugar, sodium, and fat makes processed food less nutritious. In order to obtain adequate nutrients that a highly processed diet fails to produce, nutritional supplements can be key.
- To make up for nutrient depleted foods: Some foods that aren’t highly processed or are unprocessed also just lack adequate nutrients for the body or are just low in fiber. These nutrient depleted foods are also called low nutrient dense foods that have relatively few amounts of micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water, but supply adequate amounts of calories. These types of foods fail to provide essential nutrients, which is why nutritional supplements can be used as a substitute for a proper nutrient source.
Should You Take Dietary Supplements?
People take supplements to make sure they get enough essential nutrients and to maintain or improve their health. But not everyone needs to take supplements. Some supplements may have side effects, especially if taken before surgery, in excess,the wrong types, or with other medicines. Supplements can also cause problems if you have certain health conditions. And the effects of many supplements haven’t been tested in children, pregnant women and other groups. Talk with your health care provider if you’re thinking about taking dietary supplements. Evidence does suggest that some supplements can enhance health in different ways. The most popular nutrient supplements are multivitamins, calcium and vitamins B, C and D. Calcium supports bone health, and vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants—molecules that prevent cell damage and help to maintain health.
Synthetic vs Natural Nutrients
Somedifferencesbetween natural and synthetic nutrients:
Natural nutrients: These are obtained from whole food sources in the diet.
Synthetic nutrients: Also referred to as isolated nutrients, these are usually made artificially, in an industrial process.
Synthetic nutrients do not include “whole food supplements,” which are made from concentrated, dehydrated whole foods.
The majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. These include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids, among others.
They can be taken in pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form, and are made to mimic the way natural nutrients act in our bodies.
To figure out if your supplement is synthetic or natural, check the label. Natural supplements usually list food sources or are labeled as 100% plant or animal-based.
Supplements that list nutrients individually, such as vitamin C, or use chemical names like ascorbic acid, are almost certainly synthetic.
Are Natural and Synthetic Nutrients Different?
The accepted view is that synthetic nutrients are almost chemically identical to those found in food.
However, the production process of synthetic nutrients is very different to the way plants and animals create them. So despite having a similar structure, your body may react differently to synthetic nutrients.
Additionally, it’s unclear how well synthetic nutrients are absorbed and used in the body. Some may be more easily absorbed, not others.
This is because when you eat real food, you’re not consuming single nutrients, but rather a whole range of vitamins, minerals, co-factors and enzymes that allow for optimal use by the body.
Without these additional compounds, synthetic nutrients are unlikely to be used as well by the body in the same way as their natural counterparts.
For example, studies show that natural vitamin E is absorbed twice as efficiently as synthetic vitamin E.
Should You Take Synthetic Nutrients?
There is no clear evidence to suggest that most synthetic nutrients are beneficial for healthy, well-nourished people.
However, there are certain groups who may benefit from supplementing with synthetic nutrients. These include:
The elderly: This group tends to be at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and may also need more vitamin B12 and calcium for bone health.
Vegans and vegetarians: As certain vitamins and minerals are found mainly in animal products, this group is often at a high risk of deficiency for vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, iron and vitamin D.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women: These women may have to supplement their diet with extra vitamins and/or minerals (such as vitamin D) and avoid others (such as vitamin A) (61).
Women of childbearing age: This group is often encouraged to take a folic acid supplement to reduce the risk of neural tube defects if they do become pregnant. However, taking more than you need may have some risks.
People with nutrient deficiencies: Certain dietary supplements may treat nutritional deficiencies, such as iron supplements for treating iron deficiency anaemia.
Which Supplements should you take?
Here are 5 supplements that are recommended to be taken daily, if not obtaining optimal amounts from the diet:.
1. Multivitamins
Multivitamins are a great form of health “assurance” because you’re giving your body the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that it needs for optimal health.
2. Omega-3s
This supplement is near and dear to my heart! Omega-3s helped my son survive a traumatic brain injury from a hit-and-run accident, and these healthy fats continue to be a big part of his recovery. Essential for brain, heart and systemic health, essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are known to be deficient in the modern Western diet.
3. Probiotics
The living organisms in your gut (also known as your gut microbiome) are essential – they’re your first line of defense against inflammation and infection. Unless you have a diet rich in pre-and probiotics, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, etc., probiotic supplementation may be beneficial for overall health- consider them a ‘gut multivitamin’.
4. Vitamin B12
This vitamin is critical for your nervous system and the production of DNA and RNA, which are the building blocks for all of the cells in your body.
5. Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is quite common, so much so that it’s now considered an epidemic- associated with several serious diseases. Having your blood tested for Vitamin D3 can provide you important information about if you are deficient, and appropriate dosing amounts if you are.
What to keep in mind with Nutritional Supplements?
Don’t decide to take dietary supplements to treat a health condition that you have diagnosed yourself, without consulting a health care provider
- Don’t take supplements in place of, or in combination with, prescribed medications without your health care provider’s approval.
- Check with your health care provider about the supplements you take if you are scheduled to have any type of surgical procedure.
- The term “natural” doesn’t always mean safe. A supplement’s safety depends on many things, such as its chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the dose used. Certain herbs (for example, comfrey and kava) can harm the liver.
- Before taking a dietary supplement, ask yourself these questions:
- What are the potential health benefits of this dietary supplement product?
- What are its potential benefits for me?
- Does this product have any safety risks?
- What is the proper dose to take?
- How, when, and for how long should I take it?
- What benefits can I expect to see, feel, or lab test to demonstrate effectiveness?
Sources
- Nature. (n.d.). Nutritional supplements. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/subjects/nutritional-supplements.
- MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Dietary supplements. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/dietarysupplements.html.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Resources for you (Food). Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm109760.htm.
- Consumer Reports. (2022, December 8). 10 Supplements to always avoid. Retrieved from https://www.consumerreports.org/vitamins-supplements/15-supplement-ingredients-to-always-avoid/.
- Office of Dietary Supplements – National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Dietary supplements: What you need to know. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DS_WhatYouNeedToKnow.aspx.
- Healthline. (n.d.). Synthetic vs natural nutrients: Does it matter? Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/synthetic-vs-natural-nutrients#section5.
- Virgin, J.J. (2018, August 7). Top 5 supplements to take every day. Retrieved from https://jjvirgin.com/top-5-supplements-take-every-day.