Natural Medicine Center
Paulina Borkowska
supplementation
From single vitamins and minerals to nutrient and herb blends, there are many supplements on the market that provide specific health benefits.
However, due to limited regulation, it's not always clear which supplements are high-quality and which are a waste of money or even a potential danger.
This guide contains everything you need to know about supplements and how to choose a safe and high-quality product.
What are supplements?
Supplements are products taken orally and containing a "dietary ingredient" such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, probiotics, antioxidants or other nutrients. They are usually marketed as an easy and effective way to improve your physical or mental health.
Most healthy people can get all the vitamins and minerals they need through diet alone. However, there are certain conditions, medications, and circumstances where supplements may be needed to meet nutritional needs.
However, the key point to mention when talking about dietary supplements is that they are meant to supplement, not replace, nutrients or other compounds in the diet.
This means that even if you are taking a supplement, it is still important to eat a varied and balanced diet whenever possible.
Supplementation - yes or no?
In general, taking vitamin and mineral supplements is not necessary for healthy adults with an adequate supply of these nutrients.
And here the question arises: what does our diet look like, do we have problems with the absorption of nutrients (inflammation, drugs, chemical compounds, alcohol, coffee), how valuable are the products we eat (is carrot still the same carrot as 10-20 years ago) and on what soil our food grows (fertilizers destroy many mineral compounds).
So while dietary intake of these essential nutrients is preferable, I think most of us may find it difficult to do so. There are also some cases where supplements should be given.
People who should use supplements are [1, 2, 3 ,4]:
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pregnant or breastfeeding women (rather without herbs)
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infants who are exclusively or partially breastfed (rather without herbs)
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adults or children diagnosed with nutritional deficiencies
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adults and children from climate zones with low insolation
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people in conditions causing nutrient absorption disorders
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people who have had bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass;
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adults or children with limited access to food
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vegans and vegetarians
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athletes
Features of the perfect supplement
A few words about MLM supplements
Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) of dietary supplements has seen dramatic growth in recent decades and is the second most popular topic of this type of marketing. This controversial business model is not legally fraudulent as many people might believe. It's just that the entire financial outlay of the company, instead of banners, posters and advertisements in the media, prefers to pay its representatives as a bit of 'word of mouth' marketing. However, what follows from this model, often representatives thinking only about the next commission from the client, use unethical strategies, pushing unnecessary things to excess and tiresome pushiness directly hitting the unassertive client.
However, the products of the most famous brands, although expensive - are usually of very good quality, made of natural plant extracts, ecological. The companies have many standardized examinations, certificates and tests. After all, it is important for business purposes to be able to boast about them.
Many of these companies often advertise their products exaggeratedly as the best and only way to improve various aspects of health or lose weight completely. The key point is that they are meant to supplement, not replace, nutrients or other compounds in the diet. One, even the best pill or syrup will not replace a healthy lifestyle!
To sum up, buy supplements from proven MLM companies on the market, don't let yourself be told that you need a million different products because there is a promotion, look for supplements you really need and need to supplement, look for safety and quality indicators, including the list of ingredients, dosage and certification these products from external tests.
Brands we would buy ourselves
Swanson, Now Foods, Solgar, Dr. Jacobs, Garden Of Life, Thorne, Formeds, Alliness, Invex, Olimp Labs, Swisspharm
LR, Duo Life (Sunvital), Narum, Magic Garden (herbal tinctures), oils Wyszyński