Before you begin taking dietary supplements, you need to know how they can help you. The supplement comes in different forms; liquids, capsules, powders, and pills. They also serve different purposes. If you don’t know how the supplements work, you might end up using them for the wrong reasons.
Here is everything you need to know about various dietary supplements.
They Are Regulated
At the moment, the supplement industry is worth $30 billion. In the market, there are between 80,000 and 90,000 supplements. There is a difference between supplements and prescription medications.
For example, prescription medications undergo rigorous tests before being approved, while dietary supplements don’t. Supplements don’t undergo clinical trials before reaching consumers.
You should understand that the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the claims made by dietary supplements companies. Therefore, when it gets to that, you are supposed to do your homework.
Since they are unregulated, users of dietary supplements might not be certain whether the products are harmful or inappropriate.
They Can’t Replace Healthy Diets
If you check, you will find many manufacturers claiming that their supplements are 100% effective. They go ahead and state that they can replace exercise and healthy diets. But if you care for your health, you would know that those are mere marketing techniques.
Vitamins, minerals, and other supplements will never replace healthy living habits. But the truth is, you can use them to fill some dietary and nutrition gaps and enhance your life. Before you begin using any supplement, be sure to check the ingredients used to make it.
Experts explain that metformin might not be good since it can lead to Vitamin B12 deficiency. Even if you are only using melatonin for sleep, it might contain some inappropriate nutrients.
Let Your Physician Know
If you are on prescription medication, you are not supposed to take supplements without informing your pharmacist. Some supplements are so strong that they might interfere with or even stop the actions of prescription medications.
Some of them are very reactive, and you can get addicted to them. Physicians also report that some supplements might not be safe for individuals with some chronic health conditions. Therefore, if you must use supplements, your doctor should know about them.
Note that things like too much calcium could lead to coronary artery infection. Niacin is also not good since it can elevate blood sugar among diabetic individuals. Your doctor will tell you what to do if you have to use certain supplements.
Some Supplements Are Validated
We started by saying that some supplements have not undergone rigorous testing. As a result, it is hard to establish whether they are safe. However, some supplements have been tested and approved by reputable clinical bodies.
Such supplements include but are not limited to omega-3 fatty acids, plant sterols, and vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin b12, and tree nuts. If you want, you have to keep checking as more data keeps coming out every year.
Note that some studies should be placebo-controlled, and some of them are double-blind. Therefore, you need to be certain of the safety of your supplement before taking too much of it.
Some Have High-Risk Drug Interactions
Up to this level, you might think that we are against using dietary supplements. But at least we mentioned some that are clinically approved. Remember, we intend to share real information with you. You need to understand that some dietary supplements have high-risk drug interactions.
This implies that some of them enhance your chances of experiencing side effects from your current medication. For instance, a good number of supplements are known to have higher risks of causing liver injury. Some supplements might also reduce the ability of your blood to clot.
You should check the level of drug interaction of various supplements before taking them. Additionally, if you take too much vitamin E, there is a good chance you will experience uncontrolled bleeding or hemorrhage. Too much vitamin D will also reduce your appetite.
Closing Thoughts
A good number of health supplements including Allmax supplements from Canada are good. It also depends on where you are getting your medication from. If you are getting it from genuine dealers, you don’t have to worry about any health risks.