The body is a complex mechanism that requires more than one element to function. Besides the main nutrients that are needed for the body to acquire energy and rebuild its tissues, there are many more micro-elements, vitamins and minerals that take part in all the processes of the body — from hormone production to the functioning of the nervous system.
The optimal scenario is that all of our nutrients will be derived from our food. However, the diet of most people does not provide such a variety of foods that can satisfy the whole specter of nutritional needs. Many people require additional intake of certain vitamins, minerals or elements. That is why they must take them in supplement form.
There are different opinions when it comes to deciding whether taking supplements is necessary, unnecessary or not recommended. Here are the facts about supplements, after which you can make the decision of how or whether to use them.
What are the risks of dietary supplements?
According to the FDA, there are risks of taking supplements, although they are generally safe and possess many benefits for your health. The first risk factor of dietary supplements is the fact that supplement companies are not required to prove their product's safety or effectiveness before being put on the market.
Unless specifically stated, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not responsible for testing their effectiveness. The most common supplements that fall into the risk group of false claims and being potentially harmful are products such as weight loss pills, sexual enhancement products and bodybuilding supplements.
Another problem to look out for with dietary supplements is overdosing. For the most part and as long as you follow the recommended doses on the instructions of the supplement, you will be safe from adverse effects. The overdosing of certain nutrients can have different effects on the body.
For example:
- Vitamin K can bring down the blood thinning effects of medications like Coumadin.
- Vitamin E can boost the effect of blood-thinning medications.
- St. John's Wart (herb) can speed up the breakdown of drugs such as birth control pills and antidepressants.
- Vitamin E, vitamin C and other antioxidants can reduce the effects of chemotherapy.
- Overdosing with Vitamin B or using it for a long period of time can damage the nervous system.
- VItamin A in combination with some medications can be toxic.
- Vitamin B3 can cause side effects when used with statins.
- Iron and calcium can bring down the effectiveness of antibiotics.
- Vitamin C in larger doses than recommended can induce nausea and diarrhea.
- Some supplements, like boron, selenium and iron, can be toxic in large doses.
Is it bad to take too many supplements?
You might want to stack up a home on all those wonderful supplements that claim to give you a health boost. While supplements can indeed make you feel better, it is best to consult a professional and make sure you are not overdoing it.
While taking too much of some nutrients — like vitamins of the B group and vitamin C — will not make much of a difference, overdosing with supplements that contain fat-soluble vitamins may have a toxic effect on the body.
There are some supplements that can interact with each other and bring down the absorption levels of each other. In such cases, it will simply be a waste of money to take something that will pass through your system without doing anything. Of course, taking too much of even a single supplement and overdosing can also have unwanted side effects on you.
Can too many supplements hurt your liver?
There are a wide array of supplements that could be harmful to your liver — especially when taken under certain conditions and in greater doses. Some common cases include:
- Green tea extracts and infusions can cause liver toxicity.
- Kava has been shown to induce liver damage in some cases — even when normal doses were consumed.
- The CLA supplement for weight loss is also connected with cases of hepatitis.
- Too much vitamin A can damage the liver as well as niacin. Niacin is often added to energy drinks, so be careful when drinking them on a regular basis.
- While CBD works wonders for many conditions, it can alter the enzymes in the liver when taken in high doses.
- Ashwagandha can elevate the enzymes in the liver and cause injury in rare cases.
- Comfrey can be toxic to the liver when taken orally. It can also be absorbed through the skin with products for treating pain and swelling.
Side Effects
When dietary supplements are taken in the wrong manner, in large doses, or while taking certain other medications, they can have adverse and even dangerous side effects. Common side effects of certain supplement overdosing can be nausea and diarrhea.
For others, like vitamin E, it can be excessive blood thinning, which can lead to blood loss during an injury. Liver toxicity is the side effect of some herbs. In rare cases, the supplementation of certain compounds together with medications can lead to a toxic effect for the body.
Long Term Effects
Long-term effects of supplementation can vary depending on the doses and way that supplements are used. When taken in the right doses and in the correct manner, long-term supplementation, especially in children, can provide sufficient energy levels and a better mood. It can also boost cognitive function and overall quality of life.
Negative long-term effects of supplementation can be a result of overdosing, impure supplement ingredients, or chemical reactions with other nutrients or medications that you are taking.
Benefits of Dietary Supplements
While some nutrients are produced by the body, there are essential nutrients that have to be acquired through our food or through supplementation. The benefits of supplementing with essential nutrients come from the use of all 13 vitamins, 15 essential minerals, nine of all amino acids, and a couple of fatty acids.
These essential nutrients are used for energy, for the creation of new tissues and cells, and for the making of bodily fluids like blood. These essential nutrients are also used as catalysts that make vital operations in the body possible. When supplementing is done in the right doses and is not taken with medications that they can intervene with, they have numerous benefits for our body.
B Vitamins
The vitamins from the B group are involved in the production of energy for the body at all times. They function as coenzymes that make it possible to turn carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into a usable energy source for the body.
People who do not have sufficient levels of these vitamins can experience a drop in energy and lower capacity for work. The vitamins of the B group work together to bring energy to the body whenever it is needed. The lack of sufficient B vitamins in the body can also lead to poor cognition levels and stamina.
Vitamins from the B group are also part of the building process of new cell structures, hormones, neurotransmitters, and even DNA.
Iron
Iron is a critical element in the production of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin plays a vital role in the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the heart and all other body tissues. When there is not sufficient iron intake, the hemoglobin is also in short supply. This makes the red blood cells small and pale that results in a condition known as anemia.
Iron deficiencies can manifest as a slow down of cognitive function and reduced physical strength and stamina.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Our bones are the main structure that holds the body together and provides support for all other organs. To have a healthy bone structure, sufficient calcium levels are necessary. Calcium is the main building block of our bone tissue.
According to Mayo Clinic, while calcium intake is important, the crucial factor for it to be brought to the body is how well it is absorbed by the body. This is where vitamin D comes in. While vitamin D is generally created by the body after sun exposure, people who do not get sufficient sunlight or those living in cold climates will need to supplement this vitamin to aid calcium absorption for proper bone growth and strengthening.
Calcium, however, is much more than a mineral that is used by the bones. Calcium is an agent for the movement of extracellular and intracellular fluids for the feeding of individual cells. In fact, calcium is used by the body primarily for this function and less so for the building of bones. When the organism does not receive enough calcium, it leeches the calcium stored in the bones to perform this function. That is why the bones are most vulnerable to low calcium in the diet.
Other than this, calcium is essential for the dilation and contraction of blood vessels. It also takes part in the secretion of hormones by the glands and transmission within the neuron pathways. Calcium is what makes contraction of the muscle tissue possible for you to exercise.
The contraction of the muscles is paramount for the whole life of the body as everything in it works by contraction and relaxation. This includes the movement of the body, the contraction of the heart, the work of the gastrointestinal tract that relies on the contraction of the intestinal walls to push food through, the lungs that breathe air in, and the contraction of the blood vessels that carry blood through the body.
This is why calcium is so important, and the body does not compromise with a lack of calcium and takes it from the bones when it is necessary. That is why the health of bones depends on proper calcium supplementation and absorption with the help of vitamin D.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important vitamin and antioxidant that needs to be taken daily in sufficient quantities as the body constantly excretes in through the urine. The most important function of vitamin C is its involvement in the production of collagen.
Collagen is an elastic material that is what holds us together. It is what holds the bones, skin, connective tissues of the organs, and teeth together. The connective tissues that make it possible to move freely are also made mainly of collagen. Daily vitamin C supplementation ensures that you are not bruising easily, do not have bleeding gums, and have tight and soft skin.
Antioxidants
There are many antioxidants that are also a part of the vitamin family. Antioxidants are the protection of the body against free radicals. Free radicals can be accumulated in the body from the outside environment as well as a result of the metabolic processes of the body. Antioxidants counter the effects of free radicals and intervene in their reactions that damage different structures of the body -- especially lipids.
Antioxidants prevent the oxidative stress that can result from these very unstable free radicals interacting with bodily tissues. Many diseases can be prevented as a result of the increased intake of antioxidants. Antioxidants include vitamins E and C, selenium, and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an important nutrient for proper fetal development, growth, and functioning of the immune system. The most telling sign of a low vitamin A is night blindness or a slow adaptation of the eyes to low-light conditions.
The epithelial tissues of the body (skin, gut lining and eyes) are dependent on this vitamin. Since the epithelial tissues renew themselves very quickly, vitamin A is constantly needed to help the process of their regeneration and formation.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that is needed by the cells in trace amounts. It is important to the growth and development of young children. Taken during pregnancy, zinc can support fetal development and improve immune function.
Reasons to Take Supplements
The best source of nutrition still remains our diet. However, there are some strong points that stress the benefit of using dietary supplements on a daily basis.
Filling in Nutritional Gaps
About 90% of the population does not receive its nutritional needs from diet alone. According to Healthline, this mainly stems from the fact that the standard diet of people in the developed countries consists mainly of 'empty' calories that are nutritionally poor. For example, the flour which most pastries and pasta are made from has less than 80% of the nutritional value present in the grain from which it was made.
Nutritional Drop in Modern Agriculture
Modern agricultural methods that are not biologically concerned include the use of chemicals and pesticides that lower the nutritional value of the produce. According to Queensland Government, invasive farming methods that plant crops in a single soil without allowing it to rest also do not provide sufficient nutrients for the produce.
According to Worldwatch Institute, because of these widely spread farming methods, many of the crops produced today are drastically less nutritional than those of 50 years ago. The use of hybrid seeds and GMO crops also contributes to this decline as hybrid and GMO crops don't have the nutritional power of the crops grown from original seeds.
The fertilizers that are used today in agriculture are not the ones that were used before. Decades ago, the main fertilizer for the soil was manure that provided many elements to the soil and the plants. According to Research Gate, the fertilizers used today provide only a few of the elements that are present in manure. This also decreases the nutrients in plants.
Another factor in the nutritional drop in modern agriculture comes from the use of pesticides on the plants. Other than the soil, there are bacteria that live in the soil and provide additional minerals and nutrients to the plant. Pesticides kill off these bacteria which leaves the plant without the minerals that would have naturally been produced by them.
Transportation of Foods
The best food that can be eaten is the one that grows near us. Most of the food today is produced in farms that are sometimes outside our own country. To reach us, these plants must be picked, stored, packaged, and transported to reach us. As time passes by, the nutritional value of the plant naturally drops from the moment it was picked.
Eating as much as fresh and local produce as possible is a great way to get the most nutrition out of your food. This is not always possible, so supplementation is necessary.
Food Additives
Because most of our food is picked and transported to far away places, additives and preservatives are often used to keep it fresh until it reaches us. While not all preservatives and additives are harmful, there are some that are toxic to the body and leech nutrients out of it. To make up for the losses, additional supplementation may be required.
Weak Digestion and Bad Eating Habits
Foods that are poor in nutrients and are highly processed cause the formation of mucus in the gut lining. This builds up over time if not taken care of and can block the gut wall. In time, this leads to weaker digestion and absorption of nutrients by the body.
Because of this, most people lose their digestive power with time and require more nutritionally rich foods to reach their body's needs. Supplementing with packed nutrient-rich products and supplements can bring the values to their needed levels.
Environmental Impact
The environment of urban areas and industrialized agriculture calls for more resources from the organism to be processed. To break down and excrete toxic substances that come in through the environment, the body uses its own resources and storages of nutrients.
The greater requirement for nutrients, vitamins, and minerals can be satisfied with high-quality natural supplements.
Stress
The modern lifestyle of many people is all about doing and achieving. The stress and adrenaline rush that results from this requires more on the part of the body. Maintaining a very active lifestyle requires more elements to be used up by the body.
Stress also impacts the digestive system and reduces its functions. This will take the need for extra nutrients even further. Extra supplementation is therefore required by people who lead a very active lifestyle or train.
Increased Nutritional Requirements
There are times in life when the need for nutrients is even greater than normal. Women who are pregnant, for example, have greater nutritional needs as there is a second whole body being created inside of them. Women who are on the pill will also require additional intake of certain nutrients.
Unhealthy Lifestyle
According to Harvard, unhealthy lifestyle choices or circumstances can also require more of the body's nutritional stores. Continuing on with certain activities will require supplementation to restore the depleted resources of the body. For example, people who smoke or drink alcohol require more vitamin C intake to maintain normal blood levels.
Even drinking coffee can have unwanted effects on the boy. Regular drinkers of coffee have a 30% decreased absorption of iron than people who do not consume coffee. Likewise, people who take pharmaceutical drugs will require additional supplementation. Fr example, aspirin intake requires more vitamin C and antibiotics increase the need for vitamin B and probiotic supplementation.
Key Takeaways
Dietary supplements are made to aid us in our nutritional goals. They cannot make up completely for bad lifestyle choices such as a poor diet and a lack of exercise. When taken in the recommended doses and with the permission of a medical specialist when taking medications, dietary supplements can be extremely positive for the whole body.
