Top seven best dietary supplements

 

Supplements are the best option to fulfill the nutrient requirements in malnourished individuals or those having any illnesses. As with every other synthetic product, the excess usage can cause more damage to health than benefits. It is now justified through research that overuse of dietary supplements could be detrimental to health and general well-being.

Given below is a list of top 7 best supplements that are widely used;

1.       Vitamin A and beta carotene

2.       Vitamin E

3.       Vitamin B6

4.       Multi vitamins

5.       Vitamin D

6.       Calcium

7.       Fish oil supplements

 The details of these supplements, their sources, usage and side effects are as follows:

Vitamin A and beta carotene

Source:

Vitamin A or retinol is present in diet in two forms. Performed vitamin A is found mainly in animal products such as meat, fish, chicken and dairy products. The second form known as the pro vitamin A is found mainly in plant derived foods such as fruits and vegetables. The most well-known pro vitamin is Beta carotene.

Use:

The major functions of vitamin A are as follows:

Maintenance of tooth, bone and skin health.

Maintenance of skeletal tissues, soft tissues and mucous membranes.

Maintenance of good eyesight.

Plays important role in promoting health in pregnant and nursing women.

Side effects:

Excess intake of beta carotene can cause carotenodermia, an orange yellow, displeasing coloration of skin.

At a level of more than 4500 micro-grams per day, vitamin A intake can cause liver toxicity.

Substantial damages could be caused in people with kidney failure.

Excess dietary intake of vitamin A can cause nausea, vomiting, reduced appetite (anorexia), blurred vision, headache, hair loss, fatigue, drowsiness and altered psychological state.

Chronic intake of preformed vitamin A can cause osteoporosis.

 Vitamin E

Source:

vitamin E or Alpha tocopherol is found mainly in plant based products, oils originated from plant and vegetable sources, seeds, and nuts. Following are the sources having the highest amount of Vitamin E;

Sunflower oil

Safflower oil

Soybean oil

Sunflower seeds

Peanut oil

Peanut butter

Beet greens

Collard greens

Wheat germ oil

Spinach

Red and green bell pepper

Asparagus

Mango

Avocado

Use:

It has antioxidant activity. It protects the body tissues from the harmful effects of free radicals. This allows it to prevent aging of body cells.

It helps in boosting the immune system and protects the body from pathogenic infiltration.

It is important for the formation of blood cells particularly RBCs.

It helps in the absorption of vitamin K.

It prevents the clotting of blood and keeps the blood vessels wide.

It helps in the intracellular interaction during body processes.

It allows prevention of cancer, cardio vascular diseases, hepatic diseases and memory loss.

Side effects:

The various side effects of vitamin E are as follows:

It can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal and intestinal cramps, rashes, blurred vision, increased amount of creatine in urine.

Excessive use of dietary vitamin E can increase the risk of prostate cancer.

It can worsen the condition of patients with the following problems;

Vitamin K deficiency

Retinitis pignemtosa

Bleeding disorders

Diabetic patients

Patients with history of heart attack and stroke

Patients with head and neck cancer

Patients with hepatic diseases.

Vitamin B6 

Source;

Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is found in a wide variety of foods which include

Pork

Chicken

Turkey

Fish

Meat

Bread

 Oatmeal

Wheat germ

Brown rice

Eggs

Fruits

Vegetables

Soy beans

Peanuts

Milk

Potatoes

Breakfast cereals

Use:

Vitamin B6 is important for the metabolism of fat, protein and carbohydrates.

It helps in the synthesis of RBCs and neurotransmitters.

It plays important role in mood regulation and reduction of symptoms of depression.

It helps in reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

It is used to treat the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS.

Decreases nausea in pregnant women.

Prevents blocking of arteries and ultimately reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Side effects:

Commonly observed side effects of pyridoxine include decreased folic acid in the body, headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, tingling, numbness, loss of sensations and damage to sensory nerves.

Vitamin D

Source:

Vitamin D is found very rarely in nature. The best sources are tuna, salmon and mackerel fish. Minute quantity is present in beef, liver, cheese and other dairy products. Traces are found in carrots, almonds, rice, bread, sunflower seeds and lentils.

Use:

It is important in the absorption of calcium and thus helps in the maintenance of bone density and levels of calcium in the body.

Side effects:

Vitamin D overdose can cause increase in calcium levels in the body. It also causes weakness, drowsiness, headache, anorexia, xerostomia, metallic taste etc.

Calcium

Source:

Calcium is abundantly found in dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt), green vegetables, soy beans, tofu, nuts, fortified flour bread and cereals and fish.

Use:

It helps in the formation of bones and teeth.

It helps in preventing osteoporosis.

It allows normal nerve transmission.

It allows release of hormones.

Maintains normal heartbeat.

Side effects:

Excessive use of calcium supplements can cause digestive symptoms such as flatulence, constipation and bloated stomach. 

  Multi vitamins

Source:

Multivitamins are obtained from food combinations of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry and dairy products.

Use:

Multivitamins are used to supply the body with the vitamins that are not taken in the diet.  Multivitamin supplements also fulfill the deficiency of vitamins caused by illnesses, digestive disorders, pregnancy, malnutrition, kidney disorders etc.

Side effects:

Multivitamins have a variety of adverse effects ranging from rashes to stomach upset. Overdose may also cause allergic reactions. Due to the presence of a number of active ingredients, adverse effects profile could be wide, advice from the doctor or pharmacist is necessary before using the product.

 Fish oil supplements

 Source:

Fish oil supplements are originated from fish like salmon, sardines, herring and cod liver.

Use:

Fish oil supplements are widely used for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, preventing the development of plaque in the blood vessels, reducing the risk of developing arrhythmias, heart attack and stroke and decrease the chances of death in people with cardiac disorders.

Side effects:

High intake of fish oil supplements can cause bad breath, heart burn, acidity, loose motion, rashes, nausea, vomiting and bleeding from nose.

Health and exercise

Any bodily activity performed to enhance health and well-being, maintaining physical fitness, promoting growth, preventing aging and improving the strength of muscles is known as exercise.

It is also a good way to socialize as individuals congregate in outdoor exercises.

Classification of exercise:

Exercises are broadly classified into three main types on the basis of their overall effect on the system of human body.

These classifications are as follows:

Aerobic exercise: It is any physical activity involving large muscles of the body consuming more oxygen than the resting state. It allows increased cardiac tolerance and vascular endurance. Running, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, rowing and hiking are some examples of aerobic exercises.

Anaerobic exercise: it is any physical activity that increases strength and tone of muscles as well as enhances bone strength, balance and muscular coordination. It includes strength and resistance training activities such as pull ups, push-ups, lunges and bicep curls using dumb-bells.

Weight training, functional training, eccentric training, sprinting, interval training are also included in anaerobic exercises.

Flexibility exercises: These exercises allow the muscles to stretch and increase their length.  Stretching improves flexibility of joints and muscles, this increasing the range of movements and reduced chance of injury.

 Physical training that focuses on accuracy of movements, agility, speed and power are also included in exercise.

The terms dynamic and static exercises are also widely used. These refer to activities that cause lowering of diastolic pressure (dynamic), and increase in systolic pressure (static).

Benefits of exercise:

Physical exercises help maintenance of health and well-being through a number of ways:

It allows maintaining a healthy body weight.

Allows regulation of digestive health.

Allows build up and maintenance of bone density.

Increases muscle strength and mobility of joints.

Promotes normal physiological functions.

Reduces risks of surgeries.

Boosts immune system.

Reduces potential of inflammation, thus preventing aging.

Improves metabolism.

Improves neurological functions.

Enhances cardiovascular activity.

Exerts antidepressant effect.

Improves quality of sleep.

Increases life expectancy and improves quality of life.

 Importance of diet with exercise:

A well balanced diet is as important as exercise. While exercising, it becomes more important to consume a healthy diet so that the body is provided with ample amount of nutrients in the correct ratio, in order to support the body to recover after strenuous exercise.

Dietary supplements and their increasing consumption

The rising trend of using dietary supplements to strengthen and preserve health or to debar illness, has intensified over the past few years. As for every other product, dietary supplements have their own pros and cons. Where on one hand, they increase performance, strength, metabolism and physical well-being of the body; they can definitely affect the body adversely.

 What are dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements are synthetic products which add an extra element to the regular diet. These products could be of natural origin (such as those extracted from plant or vegetable sources) or they could be manufactured discretely, and then combined with other food sources to increase their amount of consumption. Dietary supplements are available in various dosage forms and are abundantly used worldwide.

 How are dietary supplements beneficial?

Supplements are beneficial in a variety of ways. The most important benefit of these supplements is the sufficient provision of essential nutrients to the body. These include vitamins, fatty acids, dietary fiber, proteins and minerals.They also help strengthen health and aid in the management of disease conditions. In malnourished and underfed individuals, dietary supplements are the best option to meet up the nutritional requirements.

How to use dietary supplements?

As for every medication, dietary supplements should always be taken on the recommendation of a registered nutritionist or medical practitioner. While taking your daily dose supplements, make sure you take the correct dose at the right time. Also make sure that your supplements aren't interacting with any other medication that you are taking. This is important because some medicines can affect the efficacy of the supplement and vice versa.

Adverse effects of dietary supplements:

Excessive use of dietary supplements can affect almost every system of the body.

·      The active ingredients present in dietary supplements can cause high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia.

·     A number of dietary supplements intended for weight loss are reported to have caused hepatic toxicity and liver failure.

·     Use of dietary supplements could be risky for your renal health if you recently had a kidney transplant.

·    Supplements could pose serious risks to your skin if you're using them during radiation therapy.

·    Dietary supplements could be detrimental to both male and female reproductive health, where they can affect the sperm count and production of female sex hormones, respectively.

·   Excess use of dietary supplements may cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Some may cause indigestion and GIT fatigue.

How to avoid the use of dietary supplements?

Since the synthetic ingredients present in dietary supplements could be harmful to the normal metabolism of human body, their use should be minimized by including all the nutrient components in your diet. Taking a well-balanced diet regularly can meet all the nutrient  requirements of the body without the need to use supplements