How to Choose the Best Supplements for You
Vitamin and mineral supplements are a great way to complete a healthy diet, but it is important to know exactly what you are putting into your body. It is also important to know how frequently, and for how long, each type of vitamin should be taken.
Before adding a vitamin to your routine, there are certain considerations that you need to make. These include:
- Composition – Certain supplements, like omega-3 fish oils, may contain mercury. Before taking an oil-based supplements, be sure to examine the packaging for a guarantee that the product has had the mercury filtered out.
- Source – Consider where the supplement is coming from. Is it a reputable medical organization, or is it made by the same company that stocks Costco with chips?
- Affect – Before adding a supplement to your routine, consider what it does, and how it will impact your overall health.
- Levels – Understand that unless you have a deficiency in some vitamins, taking them regularly for long periods of time can have an adverse affect on your health. For instance, iron helps carry oxygen through the bloodstream, but taking too much can cause damage to blood vessels and the heart. So remember, more is not always better for many vitamins types.
- Necessity – Understanding whether you will benefit from taking a vitamin should be the key element in your decision to either take it or not take it. Soliciting professional medical advice to determine necessity is advisable.
- Whole food alternatives – Can you just as easily get the vitamin you are taking from whole foods? For example, if you are looking to increase your iron level, can you do it by increasing the amount of leafy greens and red meat you consume? Some vitamins, such as Zinc, are harder to add to your diet. Knowing which vitamins can be consumed naturally, and which are candidates for supplementation is important.
Before adding a vitamin to your diet, think about what it does. Research it, learn about it, and understand how it will impact your health. Receiving medical consultation is always a good idea. After all, you should never play the guessing-game when it comes to your well-being.
