The Good And The Bad Side Of Nutritional Supplements

Our current lifestyle forces us to be always in a rush. We are constantly exposed to different types of stress, including physical and mental stress that can make us feel exhausted and promote premature aging. Both the stress and the fact that sometimes we don't have enough time to worry about what we eat, have introduced a new way of getting all the nutrients that we need in the form of a pill or a powder. Nevertheless, sometimes we believe that because they are nutritional supplements they can't cause any harm, when they actually do if they are not properly administered.

From Vitamins To Herbal Extracts 

Nutritional supplements are currently used by children and adults, not only for medical purposes, for example to treat certain types of anemia, but also to improve overall health and prevent damages that come with being exposed to the environment toxic substances and as a result of the aging process.  

A recent study showed that the main reasons why adults in the U.S. use nutritional supplements are basically to improve and maintain health; women, for example, report the use of these substances for bone health and men use them mainly to keep their heart in good conditions and cholesterol levels under control. 

The Good Side 

It is definitely true that nutritional supplements are a great option when it comes to protect our body from daily stressors and harm. For years, research has focused on finding the benefits of using medicinal plants and natural chemical substances present in food, such as the antioxidants present in green tea for example, to improve health and increase our chances of a better and longer life. These studies have provided several evidence that support the use of nutritional supplements and herbal extracts, for example, and scientists even believe, based on research already performed, that some of them may even help in the treatment of certain diseases, such as cancer.

Studies are obviously in a very early stage but this encourages both doctors and patients and makes dietary supplements look good. 

See Also: Macronutrients: What Do You Need To Keep Your Body Healthy?

Vitamin and mineral supplementation is also really helpful when it comes to provide our body with the proper amount of nutrients, especially when we expose it to intense physical activity, just like athletes do or when we suffer from a disease that does not allow their correct absorption, such as Crohn's disease or any other related illnesses. 

Natural Does Not Mean Safe

Even when they sound safe because they are obtained from natural sources or because they are nutrients that our body needs anyway, nutritional supplements can also cause you harm if they are not taken properly. Just as any other prescription controlled or over the counter medicine, supplements can become detrimental to your health.

Watch Out For Your Liver

The main health problem that supplements have been related to is liver disease. In a study search conducted by Swiss and German scientists, they found that several nutritional supplements have been related to liver damage, including chronic hepatitis, hepatic failure and cirrhosis.

Vitamin A and anabolic steroids have also been linked to liver damage. 

But aside from this, supplements can also be toxic. If, for example, you take multivitamins or mineral supplements without supervision, you can expose yourself to a very serious case of intoxication. When our body gets more vitamins or minerals than what it needs, two things can happen. It can just get rid of them or they can start building up in your blood and tissues, because your body is not able to take them all out of your system. 

Supplements contain substances that interact with other medications. So, in case you are taking any other medicine and you decide to combine it with nutritional supplements, you could face an unexpected reaction from your body, such as an allergic reaction. 

Should I Trust Dietary Supplements, Then?

Supplements are mainly used to either help patients get the nutrients they don't get from their diet, because of a health condition, or to increase the intake of these substances in cases of high energetic requirements, for example, pregnant women, and other people that due to their age or dietary habits, lack of a proper nutrition, such as adults aged 50 or older, vegans and vegetarians and patients with food allergies.

Taking supplements for this purpose is not a bad thing, but you have to keep in mind that they are not harmless and that, since they are not regulated, there is the possibility that some of them don't even contain what they claim to do. If you want to start taking nutritional supplements for any reason, talk to your health provider and ask which supplements would be best for you, based on your health state. 

See Also: Busting Myths about Dietary Supplements

The best way to use nutritional supplements is to think of them as if they were any other type of medication. You can take them to feel better and give your body a boost of energy, but be careful when you decide to use them without medical advice.