What You Need to Know About Dietary Supplements
People need dietary supplements for a variety of reasons. Bodybuilders, for example, would need supplements to aid muscle buildup and strengthening of muscles such as concentrated protein, glutamine, creatine and weight gain powders. Athletes take in supplements to optimize or enhance their performance.
People with illnesses often require dietary supplements such as concentrated iron for anemia. And those on a diet also take supplements to ensure they get the required amount of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, herbs, enzymes and other nutrients. Most however take supplements for optimum overall health. A lot of people also take them to relieve stress and to boost their energy.
What are dietary supplements and how are they different from medicines and over-the-counter drugs?
The Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, which was enacted into law in 1994, defines dietary supplements or nutritional supplements as supplements to the diet. These supplements contain one or more ingredients or their constituents. These are taken orally in the form of liquid, capsule, pill or tablet and are labeled as dietary supplement in the packaging.
Dietary supplements come in different forms, thus the confusion with over-the-counter drugs. The market is flooded with different types and forms of supplements such as capsules, tablets, drinks, energy bars and powders. Most can be purchased even without a prescription. They are available in drug stores, supermarkets, grocery stores, natural food stores, merchandise retailers and in health stores. One can even buy supplements on line. In order to distinguish these supplements from over-the-counter drugs, always read the Supplement Facts label.
Unfortunately, most of these dietary supplements are not regulated. Unlike with drugs, the US Food and Drugs Administration does not check the safety and effectiveness of supplements before they are sold to the public. In fact, the FDA only has authority over supplements once they have already entered the market. Usually, actions are taken by the FDA once a complaint against a certain brand has been received.
Many dietary supplements are guilty of false claims. Testimonials and so-called proofs of the efficiency and effectiveness of supplements abound in print, broadcast and on line media.
Worse, some are even unsafe. And so, extra precaution must be taken when choosing which dietary supplement to take. Always check with the manufacturer for more information. With the tons of promotional materials that abound, always be wary of the information being presented.
Keen in mind that dietary supplements are not intended to cure or prevent illnesses. In addition, although some supplements have beneficial effects, a significant number of them have potential health risks. Some supplements contain active ingredients that can have negative effects on the body, specially when taken in large doses and with other supplements and medicines. Supplementslike calcium, for example, interact with heart medicines like Digoxin, vitamin K counteracts with blood thinners etc.. In addition, too much intake of certain vitamins and minerals such as oil-soluble vitamin E and A, can be toxic to the body.
Pregnant women, nursing moms, those undergoing surgery and people with chronic illnesses should take extra care in deciding whether to take dietary supplements or not.
And so, when choosing supplements, it is always best to consult with a health care provider to avoid serious side effects. Remember, safety first!
The very first step is to undergo a nutritional assessment or evaluation with a health care provider. This will find out what your nutritional needs are and what dietary supplement is best suited to your medical condition.
Dietary supplements are supplements and not are not meant to replace some of the food needed in a healthy daily diet. Thus, bear in mind that no supplement can ever replace a healthy diet.
Never assume that “natural” is always safe. Some natural ingredients, specially if taken in large doses, can interact with medicines and may even result to life-threatening situations.
In addition, there are certain considerations in purchasing dietary supplements such as the quality, availability, your nutritional needs and price.
On a final note, dietary supplements are meant to supplement the body’s nutritional needs. It can never replace the overall health benefits of regular exercise and a healthy diet. And in choosing supplementary diets, safety should always be the main consideration.
Dietary supplements may not be risk-free under certain circumstances. Be sure to consult your health practitioner before purchasing or taking any supplement if you are pregnant, nursing a baby, or have a chronic medical condition such as, diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. Also, while vitamin and mineral supplements are generally considered safe for children, you may wish to check with your doctor before giving these or any other dietary supplements to your child.
you can take a supplement to get anything healthily… so of course you do not need to eat them! i don't eat them… im too awesome for veggie tables
great physique going on man. .. you could use a bit more forearms but thats just my opinion..great arms n traps.. u look strong yet fast… ive raelly grown out of the bulky feel and look myself.. makes me lazy and not wanna walk anywhere.. but the size u got going on is graet man.. not huge and heavy.. not waek and scragly and soft.. just right in between.. cheers man im gonna smoke a bowl eat.. and hit the gym.. after i come down from the thc that is
man this guy needs to eat food, skinny little emo fag
Every year Americans invest billions of dollars in weight loss diets and gimmicks, many of which yield few results. However, the lure of quick, easy weight loss is hard to resist. Despite ineffective tools, most hopeful consumers are willing to give the next weight loss fad a chance. If you're planning to start a new diet, it is important to remember the following information.
Food-specific diets: Have you ever tried the cabbage diet or the fruit-only diet? These are just a couple of examples of diets that promote one "specific" food that causes weight loss. No matter how much you think you'll enjoy ice cream at every meal, inevitably you will get bored with eating the same food repeatedly. As a result, you'll eat less food than needed to maintain your weight. This type of diet will not teach you healthier eating habits or provide a balance of nutrients, and consequently is not effective for long-term weight loss.
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets: One of the most recent trends in dieting, these diets are based on the concept that carbohydrates are "bad" and that everyone has some degree of insulin resistance, resulting in poor carbohydrate metabolism. Many proponents of these diets suggest that including carbohydrates in your diet will cause weight gain. The reality, though, is that eating more calories (whether as carbohydrate, fats, or protein) than you burn will cause weight gain.
High-fiber, low-calorie diets: As I've noted in many previous blog entries, fiber-rich foods play an important role in a healthy diet. They are a helpful ingredient of weight loss efforts because they provide bulk to the diet, which helps you feel fuller sooner. Be careful, though: if you plan to increase the fiber in your diet, be sure to increase your fluid intake at the same time or you may experience cramping, bloating, and constipation. High-fiber diets will help with weight loss only if you restrict calories in conjunction with addition of extra grains, fruits and vegetables.
Liquid diets: Consumers face a couple of different liquid diet options. Your local grocery store and pharmacy sell over-the-counter liquid meal replacements, which can be expensive and frequently add extra calories to daily consumption if not managed carefully. On the other hand are liquid diets that require medical supervision. These diets are usually very low in calories and may result in metabolic abnormalities if dieters are not carefully monitored. Neither type of liquid diet should be used for long?term weight loss unless monitored by a health care professional. Radically changing your caloric intake in this way will not result in long-term behavior modification and healthy eating patterns.
Fasting: As a way to cleanse the body or jump-start a weight-loss program, fasting has been recommended for years. However, all that fasting really does is deprive your body of nutrients and decrease your energy, leaving you feeling weak and lightheaded. If the right nutrients are not available for your cells to use as energy, your liver will convert fat stores to ketones for use as energy (ketosis). Long-term ketosis can be harmful to your health.
No fad diet or gimmick will work magic for safe and effective weight loss. The following are some suggestions for ensuring a long-term healthy eating plan and getting your weight loss efforts off to an encouraging start:
Eat a variety of foods. Remember, a balanced diet will ensure that you get all necessary nutrients.
Get some physical activity every day. Calories in must be less than calories out to ensure successful weight loss. To keep "calories out" at a healthful level, make you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.
Include sources of fiber in your diet. They will add bulk and give you a feeling of fullness.
Choose a diet low in fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol. You do need to consume some fat for good health. Aim for no more than 30 percent of your total calories as fat calories, of which no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat calories.
Choose foods moderate in sugars. Foods that are high in simple sugars usually offer little nutritional value and will add unwanted calories.
Choose foods moderate in salt and sodium. Remember that salt has been added to many foods during preparation or processing, so it's not necessary to add extra salt at the table.
The science was proven wrong as with many supplements before it. Its still available I’m sure, since some of this stuff sticks around for decades. Really, all you have to do is fill a flashy looking bottle (with words like “mega” or “ultra”) with something that may or may not have an actual effect, publish some “science” on it, market and hype the hell out of it, and people buy the stuff.
He’s right. The only one I would add to that is Creatine. Creatine does help. I’ve actually taken all protein powders OUT of my diet since May 09′. Lost NO muscle and NO strength because of this…BUT I have lost about 5 pounds of fat in 6 months because of this change. (Went from 184.5 to 179.5 lbs ) and am much leaner. I did add a bit of food protein back when the protein powders came out, but my protein intake daily is not what it was…and I’m doing fine. But I think Vince is still right.
I know I am going to get flack about this and most of those who have answered are well meaning, I am a former chef, and a lacot-ovo vegetarian, and I am a man (or I look like one), if you eat a balanced diet rich in veg, beans, grains and other vegetable based products who get what you need, iron can be derived from spinach, broccoli and cooked beans and lentils, but until you completely "into" the vegetarian lifestyle and are sure the diet your consuming is giving you all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs, take a daily multi vitamin, they are not animal based, no gelatin and they will give you any of the things your diet might lack, then after you have settled on your dietary plan just aid it with vitamins like c, e and folic acid for your internal health.
I agree with him. I take whey protein powder pre- and post-workout w. fruit or simple carbs, fish oil, a multi, and some Q-10 enzyme, and I’ve gained 4lbs of muscle in a month.
i think his talking about begginers and normal people that just wnana stay fit and gain abit of muscle
Finally someone that talks sense…..Sir I salute u.
Try Lipo-6, it really worked for me, while Hydroycut did nothing.
Common herbal supplements that are readily available at your neighborhood drug store or vitamin store include Tribulus Terrestis or Yohimbe.
Tribulus is marketed as a prohormone and many men do have good results with it.
Yohimbe is marketed as a supplement that will increase blood flow to the penis. While many men do report good results with it as well, common side effects are headaches and nausea if you take large amounts. The other thing to keep in mind about yohimbe is it it will lead to an increased heart rate and you may not be able to sleep after taking it. (Yohimbe is also found in many weight loss supplements, including certain types of Xenadrine and Hydroxycut. There it's stacked with caffeine and variants of ephedrine and aspirin to increase the heart rate and boost metabolism.)
Another supplement called Horny Goat Weed, despite its name, has been found to be useful by some men as well.
Many of these herbal supplements can be purchased fairly inexpensively, and you may want to try one or two to see which works best for you. Since everyone's different, not everyone experiences the same effects from the supplements.
For overall prostate health, a popular herbal supplement since the early 1990s has been saw palmetto. (If you're taking GNC's Mega Men vitamins, this will be among its ingredients.)
As far as Vitamin E is concerned, while it may be reported good for prostate health, a year or two ago it was in the news because people who were taking more than 1,000 mgs per day were shown in at least one study to be at a higher risk for heart attack. You may want to limit your intake of Vitamin E to roughly 400mgs per day.
Take a flinstone/generic chewable vitamin. They will help stregnthen your nails and hair and offer all the vits and mins you may be lacking, plus they are cheap and taste pretty good. My doctor told me that that is what I should take while pregnant and afterwards. You are not lacking protien necessarily. But you can find protient and a lot of it in Silk Soy milk, pasta, legumes, and dark leafy greens and many other foods. Try shopping for Morningstar Farms foods in the frozen Isle. They have a great selection of foods fit for veggies and vegans and they taste great ans are loaded with protien and other vitamines and mins. As far as your nails go, the vitamins should help, let your body adjust to the change in appetite. You will be fine. Good luck.
As for John A…scalps wounds are extremely hard to stop from bleeding on anyone, even meat eaters. I dont eat meat and I clot VERY fast when I cut myself and heal much faster than most people!
Yep. A friend of mine also did a comparison between N.O. and caffeine pills and found that they produce the same effect. Kudos to you for being immune to the placebo trick. Its amazing to me that such a large number of people use this stuff, most of them without knowing that they are ingesting huge amounts of caffeine. This happens often in the supplement business; a new “breakthrough” product appears, gets hyped, and millions of people buy into it. Know the science people, it will help you.
5 pounds in 6 months thats absaloutley nothing,you could lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks on a normal diet,without protien shakes
I believe that taking fish oil supplements contains more omega-3 since you are more than likely cooking the fish in question which could eliminate some of the omega-3. While fish obviously does contain Omega 3, it is more than likely not as concentrated as the supplement. Flax seed oil actually contains more Omega 3 than Fish oil so that could actually be a replacement for your fish oil.
Drugs have to be fully tested.
However, a supplement is not a drug.
things like weight loss pills, protein powders, cod liver oils etc only have to be tested for hygiene to make sure they are safe. they dont have to be tested to see if they actually work.