Most of us have our first exposure to supplements at an early age. Your parents likely handed you a powdery Flintstone’s vitamin, or a gummy that you gobbled down like candy. As we get older taking our daily vitamins and minerals can become even more important, if we remember to take them at all. We eat right, exercise, get eight hours of sleep…do we really need a supplement to reach our full wellness potential?
The answer? It depends.
Supplements and vitamins are more popular than ever, with celebrities and influencers promoting pills that promise to heal your joints, give you muscles, and make your hair and nails grow better than ever.
Medical professionals, however, are split on the subject. Some are passionately pro-vitamin, while others find it to be a waste of time and money.
If you are curious about whether or not adding supplements and vitamins into your routine is right for you, read on!
How Can Supplements Help?
All of us need a base level of vitamins and minerals to survive. Most people can achieve this by simply eating a varied and balanced diet. However, some people may find it harder to meet these base requirements than others.
For example, if you are eating a primarily plant-based or vegan diet, you should consult with a healthcare professional about taking a B-12 supplement. B-12 is essential to maintaining blood cell and nerve health. However, it is only found in meat, fish, and dairy.
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the near future, we all know how important it is to give your body a boost to ensure proper fetal development. A good prenatal vitamin should be packed with folate, to help defend against neural tube defects, as well as iron and Omega-3s for blood and brain development.
Vitamins and supplements can also be useful for those who are on a limited diet due to food allergies or other medical conditions.
How Can Supplements Hurt?
One of the reasons many professionals are skeptical about the benefits of taking vitamins and supplements is due to the large amounts contained in a single serving. Most vitamins and supplements supply you with 100% of your daily recommended amount. This means that in a single vitamin C supplement, you can get as much as you need. Doesn’t sound bad, right?
The problem is that none of us survive on a diet of supplements alone. We also eat food that offers us manyof the nutrients we need. So what does our body do with the excess? Well, it depends on the type.
Some vitamins are water-soluble, and some are fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins C and B are washed out of the body when there is an excess. Your body cannot store a surplus of these vitamins, so any extra will be disposed of. If you are already getting enough vitamin C and B in your diet, you are essentially just paying for a very expensive bathroom visit.
More dangerous, though, are the fat-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin A, D, E, and K. An excess of these can be stored in the body, through the tissues, and can lead to potentially toxic effects.
How To Choose High-Quality Supplements
When deciding whether or not a vitamin or supplement is right for you, we recommend first speaking with your doctor. Once you have determined which types of vitamins and supplements you need, you can start to find the brand that fits your lifestyle and values.
Since you’re a part of the Well Citizen community, we already know that you care about the ingredients you consume. Many traditional vitamins and supplements on the market are jam-packed with unnecessary additives and fillers.
While researching, we recommend checking a brand’s website to see if their products have been tested by a third party. Third-party testing ensures that the products are both safe and potent. It can also be good to see if the brand has any certifications, such as being non-GMO certified, or certified organic.
Regardless of your health and wellness goals there is a perfect vitamin and supplement out there for you. Do you have a favorite vitamin brand? Share with us in the comments below!
