Supplements: Are They Safe?

Our body requires certain ingredients which are essential for its proper functioning. Such nutrients include vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, etc. You can acquire all these critical nutrients from a balanced and varied diet. Eating wholesome meals including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, pulses, seeds, and dry fruits can get you all the vital nutrition required in your body. But sometimes, due to harmful and irregular eating habits, our body’s immune system gets weak. Therefore we are suggested to add dietary supplements like vitamin C supplements in our diet so that our body recovers and its need for multiple nutrients gets fulfilled.

But are supplements safe to use? Here we will discuss in brief some pros and cons of dietary supplements and jot down all the relevant information to make an informed decision about nutritional supplements.

Do Supplement Cure Diseases?

Supplements are different from regular medicinal drugs available in the market. It is illegal to market and advertises dietary supplements as disease-curing medicines. They do not cure diseases or decrease the risk of significant health issues like cardiac problems or cancer. Then what do they do? The most straightforward answer to this question will be that they aid our body to function correctly. They are organic substances that help your body run its metabolism correctly. Since our body needs crucial nutrients like vitamins and minerals, supplements like vitamin C supplements, vitamin D supplements, and other vitamin and mineral supplements help our body get the required amount of these, which may not come from our diet.

Benefits of Dietary Supplements:

Vitamins and minerals keep our bodies healthy. Dietary Supplements are undoubtedly beneficial for a healthy body. Vitamin C supplement, for example, helps the body to meet its vitamin C requirement, which is essential for strengthening the immune system. It also has some fantastic skin reinvigorating properties and is very popular in this regard. Similarly, other vitamins are also of the essence in keeping other bodily functions properly. For example:

1. Vitamin D helps strengthen bones.
2.  Vitamin A is known for improving eye-sight and reproduction. It also helps the lungs, liver, and other organs work properly.
3. Vitamin B is essential in our development, growth, and proper body functioning.
4. Vitamin E helps our body to boost our immune system and avoid blood clotting.
5. Vitamin K is vital for healthy bones and blood clotting.

Excess of Supplements is Bad:

Dietary supplements can be harmful if taken in excess or in vast amounts at once. It is of primary importance that you should talk with your physician, who knows your medical history. Specific vitamins and minerals are not recommended for you if you have a pre-existing medical condition or smoke a lot. Taking a considerable amount of any dietary supplement is not recommended as it can cause an allergic reaction or other harmful conditions in your body. For example:

1. Excess vitamin D supplements can cause kidney stones in your body.
2.   A high dosage of vitamin E can lead to stroke by internal bleeding inside the brain.
3.  A large quantity of vitamin K can damage blood’s clotting properties.

Check with Your Doctor whether You Need Supplements:

Since they are trendy, dietary supplements are used mainly by people on their own, without any consultation or prescription from the doctor. If you eat a well-balanced and healthy diet, you may not need dietary supplements at all or may need them occasionally in certain conditions. Although supplements like vitamin C supplements are beneficial for your body, it is still advised to consult with the doctor first.

Are You Worried About Health Risks? You are not alone!

As many dietary supplements are risky and you should carefully watch their dosage, others are pretty harmless and do not pose any significant health risks to your health. Vitamin C supplement does not put your body in any danger health-wise. Vitamin C improves your immunity against disease-causing agents in your surroundings and improves your skin’s radiance and freshness. It also helps produce collagen in our skin which enhances skin plasticity and has age-reversing properties. There is no evidence that vitamin C supplements may cause any health risk if taken in massive amounts, but taking a considerable vitamin C supplement may cause diarrhea or nausea.

Conclusion:

Dietary supplements are tricky little things that require enough research and proper medical guidance by a good physician. Every human being is different, and the need to take dietary supplements may vary based on your medical history, pre-existing medical conditions, dietary routine, age, gender, and many other factors. Although supplements like vitamin C supplements are very beneficial and are relatively risk-free and do not pose serious health issues, other vitamins may cause life-threatening risks if taken in massive amounts or unnecessarily without a doctor’s consultation.