It’s an easy urge to opt for diet supplements and such for better health and being. But is that all?
The sudden wave of fitness realms has led to an exponential growth in intake of diet supplements and according to some sources, more than half of the population relies on them. However, the research is still not full proof about how safe or beneficial these supplements are.
Recently, an evaluation was conducted at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, Medford, that carried a 24-hour observation of 27,000 US adults as to what changes are brought about in the body with natural or artificial nutrients.
Here’s what they concluded:
- Sufficient intake of Vitamins A, K and magnesium from food and not supplements results in lower risk of death.
- Sufficient intake of Vitamins A, K and zinc from food and not supplement results in lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Excess intake of calcium from supplements was linked to a higher risk of death from cancer.
As stated by Dr. Fang Fang Zhang, the senior corresponding author of the study, “Our results support the idea that while supplement use contributes to an increased level of total nutrient intake, there are beneficial associations with nutrients from foods that aren’t seen with supplements.”
Another research reveals that nutrients from supplements do little to no help for your health, primarily because they’re produced artificially in laboratories and cannot replicate the working process of natural supplements (food). Furthermore, the body absorbs nutrients more efficiently if given as a whole and not in chunks; not the case with diet supplements.
And hence, the question arises: are supplements helpful or are they just downright harmful?
There isn’t much evidence to support this statement but there are certain people that can benefit from supplements. Older people, pregnant women, vegans and vegetarians and those with certain deficiencies can consume supplements. But. it’s highly recommended to consult with a doctor before assigning one yourself.
Since the Food and Drug Association (FDA) doesn’t review the supplement products any time before they hit the stores, it is possible for fraud to take place. One needs to be cautious while purchasing and consuming these supplements since there’s possibility of not knowing what exactly your body’s being fed.
Is it okay to replace a normal diet with supplements?
While controlled daily doses are considered alright, compensating your diet with supplements is not a green light. Our bodies are naturally built to absorb natural nutrients and escaping this regime with diet supplements causes abnormalities, eventually increasing health risks.
To sum it all up, a healthy well-balanced diet should always be preferred and prioritized when compared to dietary supplements. The latter shall be purchased only if, after consultation with the doctor, your body is deficit in certain nutrients and requires something to make up for it.
