The Importance of Nutritional Supplements

While a healthy diet provides most of the nutrients your body needs, dietary supplements may be helpful in some situations. Supplements can include vitamins (multivitamins and individual vitamins like vitamin D), minerals, fatty acids, and herbal products or botanicals. Remember, supplements are meant to support – not replace – a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Always check with your health care professional before beginning a new supplement regimen. Vitamins Vitamins are micronutrients that help the body function at an optimal level. They are found naturally in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans. However, inadequate intake over time can lead to health problems. Vitamins can also be found in a variety of multivitamins/multimineral supplements (MVMs). To discover extra information about nutritional, you have to check out Cognizin website. Most people receive the necessary amount of vitamins from their diet. However, in the 1930s, commercially made multivitamins were introduced and the U.S government began to add nutrients such as iodine to salt and folic acid to grain products to prevent deficiencies. Today, there are a wide variety of dietary supplements, such as single vitamin and mineral tablets, herbal remedies, amino acids and electrolytes, which can be purchased in pharmacies, supermarkets or health food stores. Athletes take these nutritional supplements for a variety of reasons. These can include improving performance, building muscle bulk, promoting recovery and supporting immune function. Most supplements are available in powder, capsule and tablet form. Minerals Minerals are inorganic substances that occur naturally and have a definite chemical composition and ordered atomic structure. They are found in the earth’s crust and make up the bulk of most rocks. Minerals are essential nutrients for humans and animals, and play a vital role in the body’s normal functioning. A mineral has a crystal form that expresses the arrangement and structure of its atoms, for example, sodium chloride (table salt) occurs as small cubes with an ordered internal arrangement that makes it look like a cube. Minerals can be transparent or opaque, and some have different coloration. The most important minerals include potassium, which balances fluids and helps maintain a steady heartbeat and make muscles contract; calcium, which supports bones, teeth and blood pressure; magnesium, which helps regulate the immune system; zinc, which aids in wound healing and cell division; and iron, which is involved in cellular respiration and blood clotting. Nutritional supplements that contain minerals are available in chelated forms, which improve absorption by the body. Nutraceuticals Nutraceuticals are products that have a potential health-enhancing impact. They can prevent chronic diseases, postpone aging and increase life expectancy, and support the functions of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs. They may also help you to recover faster from illness and injury. They can be taken with or without a prescription. They are often less expensive than pharmaceuticals. You can get them from a variety of sources, including dietary supplements and fortified foods. They are available in tablet, capsule, liquid, powder, and gummy forms. Nutraceuticals can complement a healthy diet and improve your ability to cope with stress. As a result, they can help you to live longer and more active. They are also safer than traditional pharmaceuticals, although you should still consult your physician before taking them. You should also make sure that you are not consuming any other drugs or supplements that interact with the nutraceuticals you take. Some of these interactions can be harmful. Herbs Many people don’t think of herbs as “nutritional supplements,” and yet they are incredibly important. These luscious leaves (parsley, basil, oregano, mint, thyme and rosemary) not only add vibrant flavour to healthy meals without adding salt or fat, they also pack in a surprising amount of health-promoting phytochemicals. While research into the effects of herbs is still relatively new, results are showing that they may be able to lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease, and even prevent cancer. For example, basil contains rientin and viceninare, water-soluble plant compounds that have been shown to reduce the number of free radicals in blood cells. Herbs differ from spices, which are typically made from dried parts of plants such as seeds, bark, roots and fruit. Herbs are considered a food, while spices are usually ingested in capsule, tablet or liquid form. They are not classified as drugs and are not regulated in the same way that pharmaceuticals are.