7 Essential Vitamins And Minerals You Should Look For In A Health Supplement
The bottom line
You can usually get all your vitamins from the foods you eat, and most people get the amount of minerals they need by eating a wide variety of foods. The FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold. The current evidence does not support the idea that antioxidant supplements can prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease.
This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
Key takeaways
- High doses of some vitamins can cause problems.
- High doses of vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of bleeding, and vitamin E supplements may interact with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines.
- Folic acid can help prevent serious birth defects of a baby's brain and spine called neural tube defects.
- Large doses of chromium supplements have been followed by a few reports of kidney damage, liver damage, muscular problems, and skin reactions.
- Some supplements can interact with medications, interfere with lab tests, or have dangerous effects during surgery.
Taking care of one’s health should be everyone’s priority, but because of the number of responsibilities people have today, achieving this goal can be challenging. Working adults will usually choose to order fast food from restaurants as this is more convenient than cooking their meals. This kind of lifestyle can increase one’s risk to illnesses and diseases.
Hence, it would be best to change your diet to include more nutritious food and avoid foods that have no nutritional value or are bad for you. You can start by incorporating mushrooms into your meal plan. Mushrooms are one of the world’s nutrient-dense foods but are low in calories. Not to mention the rich taste it gives to any dish because of its inherent umami flavor. It is the reason there is a mushroom revival happening all over. People have discovered the many health benefits it gives to the body.
If you want to turn a new leaf and start living healthily, start using health supplements. These products contain essential vitamins and minerals that your body need, making it easier for you to stay healthy in the long run. Health supplements can become your ticket to living a healthier life without all the fuss as you won’t need to whip these things up from scratch.
When buying health supplements, make sure to check the ingredients in the different products, as they differ depending on the private label supplement manufacturer or brand. Keep an eye out for the following ingredients:
1. Zinc
One of the most vital and valuable natural ingredients you can find in a good health supplement is zinc. Zinc is among the seven essential natural minerals, which are necessary for a body to function properly.
While it’s very beneficial for your health, it can’t be stored in your body like other vitamins and other elements. In fact, it can’t even be absorbed by your body if it’s not processed properly. So, it’s essential that you take zinc for it to be fully absorbed by your system and for you to reap all its health benefits.
Zinc is essential in many body functions, such as cell growth and wound healing. It’s even crucial in allowing our senses to smell and taste properly. People with zinc deficiency often complain that they can’t taste or smell food; therefore, they don’t enjoy it as much. If you have sufficient zinc in your body, you’ll have a reduced risk of infection and an increase in immunity, which is extremely important in today’s world riddled with many novel diseases.
Your body cannot survive without this element, therefore, it’s very important to look for zinc supplements from reliable brands, such as Transparent Labs, to obtain enough amounts of it.
2. Vitamin A
If you think that the benefits of vitamins are restricted to just making your skin look healthy and young, think again. As an antioxidant, vitamin A can help eliminate free radicals that can damage your cells and lead to various diseases. As an anti-aging agent, it can help speed up cell regeneration and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
The current evidence does not support the idea that antioxidant supplements can prevent cancer. Studies of beta carotene, a pigment that can be turned into vitamin A in your body, have not shown that taking it as a supplement in pills prevents nonmelanoma skin cancer from forming or coming back. In fact, high doses of beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer.
If you are being treated for cancer, check with the health care providers who are managing your cancer treatment before taking antioxidant supplements. Antioxidants might reduce the effectiveness of some cancer treatments.
3. Vitamin E
This vitamin plays a role in your immune system and metabolic processes. A combined analysis of studies of vitamin E supplementation showed no benefit of the supplements in preventing cardiovascular disease events. High doses of vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of bleeding by reducing the blood's ability to form clots after an injury.
If you’ve been suffering from dry skin, then you may want to consider taking a daily dose of vitamin E as it can hydrate dry skin and prevent further damage. Vitamin E also contains antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are chemicals that can protect your cells from the harmful effects of free radicals produced by your body when you’re exposed to sunlight or smoke.
4. Vitamin D
This is another important vitamin that your body requires. It’s essential for the development and maintenance of bones, teeth, skin, and immunity, and also helps in the absorption of calcium. For this reason, it’s highly recommended that you take a supplement in order to reach the recommended daily dose of vitamin D your body needs.
5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means that it neutralizes free radicals within your body. Free radicals can build up in your body over time, and if they are allowed to do so. your body can develop serious damage. One of the major reasons why people develop serious illnesses is because their bodies become overloaded with too much free radicals.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin; any excess you take will be expelled through your sweat and urine. That said, you should still follow the recommended daily amount, which is 75mg a day for women and 90mg for men. Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of vitamin C, and it is usually better to get the nutrients you need from food, rather than a pill. High doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.
The current evidence does not support the idea that antioxidant supplements can prevent cardiovascular disease.
6. Folic Acid
Also referred to as folate, folic acid helps lower homocysteine levels in your system and improve nerve cell function. and overall cardiovascular health. A good folic acid supplement can help you get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, the amount all women capable of becoming pregnant should get.
Folic acid is a major requirement of pregnant women. It helps build the nervous system of the fetus. Also, folic acid is essential because it helps prevent certain major birth defects in the baby’s brain and spinal cord (spina bifida and anencephaly).
7. Chromium
Found in many foods, chromium is an essential trace mineral. If you have too little chromium in your diet, your body can't use glucose efficiently.
This page once cited the Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism, but that chromium bone study could not be traced, so the claim has been removed. The effects of taking chromium long term haven't been well investigated.
Chromium supplements may cause stomach pain and bloating, and there have been a few reports of kidney damage, liver damage, muscular problems, and skin reactions following large doses.
Talk To Your Doc
Supplements should not take the place of the variety of foods that are important for a healthy diet, and before you decide to consume any, it’s best if you ask approval from your doctor first. Using health supplements that don’t suit your health requirements or goals can only do more harm than good to your body.
