Most of us living in the modern day don’t desperately need supplements.
However, there are certain situations where we absolutely do. Depending on your lifestyle, a supplement could be the difference between staying healthy or contracting an extremely serious disease or illness. So you can stay clear of sickness, we’ve compiled the top 4 benefits of daily supplements, and when you’ll need to think about taking them.
- Pregnancy
One of the most important times people should take a supplement is when pregnant.
Women who are wanting to get pregnant or who are currently pregnant should take a folic acid pill every day, in the range of 0.4 to 0.5 micrograms. Folic acid has many benefits, which most importantly consists of protecting against babies being born with neural tube defects. As well as this, it has been argued that folic acid supplements indeed aids in preventing cancer and heart disease.
- Osteoporosis
Another incredibly important supplement that indisputably aids in natural osteoporosis treatment is a regular vitamin D supplement. Relevant even for those who don’t have osteoporosis, but are in the affected age range (most mature adults), Vitamin D acts as both a preventionary and a reactionary measure. Although some authorities differ as to the appropriate dose, a dose of 1,000 international units (IU) per day is generally beneficial and safe.
- Vegans and vegetarians
Are you vegan or vegetarian? Then you may need to take supplements, because only animal foods and products have certain vitamins and minerals naturally.
Vitamin B12: You can’t get enough B12 by eating unwashed organic produce or mushrooms grown in B12-rich soil. The recommended dose is 25 to 100 micrograms per day or 1000 micrograms 2-3 times per week. If you haven’t taken B12 before, start out with 2000 micrograms daily for several weeks. Alternatively, get a blood test to see what your levels are and whether you might need a more therapeutic dose.
Vitamin D: If you live in a sunny and warm climate all year round and you spend time outdoors without sunscreen, you can make enough vitamin D. Others need a supplement or fortified foods that supply a safe amount of vitamin D for your needs.
Iodine: Omnivores get most of their iodine from dairy products, which pick up iodine from solutions used to clean cows and equipment on dairy farms. Vegans and vegetarians who regularly eat sea vegetables may get enough, but the content varies a lot as it does for sea salt and other ‘natural’ salts. It must be noted that miso, although salty, is not usually a good source of iodine. The only reliable sources are iodized salt or a supplement providing around 90 micrograms per day.
- Cold and flu
Vitamin C: One of the biggest immune system boosters of all, a diet without vitamin C can even make you more prone to getting sick. Foods rich in vitamin C include – oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, kale and broccoli. Daily intake of vitamin C is essential for good health, because your body doesn’t produce or store it. However, vitamin C is in so many foods that most people don’t need to take a vitamin C supplement, unless a doctor advises it.
Vitamin B6: Vital to supporting biochemical reactions in the immune system, vitamin B6-rich foods include chicken and cold water fish such as salmon and tuna. B6 also is found in green vegetables and in chickpeas, which is the main ingredient in hummus.
Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection, vitamin E is essential when you’re afflicted with a cold or flu. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds and spinach.
Unfortunately, information about dietary supplements can often be unclear.
It’s hard to know which offer genuine health benefits and which are merely giving false promises, or worse, running the risk of actually damaging your health. By learning all you can about vitamins and supplements, you can make better choices about those that are right for you.
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