Food supplements – What they can be used for?
Legally, dietary supplements are considered food and not medicine in Germany. In Switzerland they are listed as special foods.
They must not act as medicines, that is, they must have a pharmacological effect to alleviate certain pathologies. The manufacturer is therefore not allowed to advertise that the products are capable of producing positive effects against diseases.
Food supplements, or supplements, ultimately do what the name suggests, they supplement the consumer’s daily diet.
Therefore, they usually contain important nutrients, minerals, vitamins, proteins, antioxidants and amino acids, but also rare substances such as glucosamine, caratinoids or taurine, which the body can not produce itself or only to a very limited extent.
They are offered in concentrated form in capsules, tablets, pastilles and effervescent powder. An insight into the world of supplements is provided, for example, by the provider Gloryfeel.
What are dietary supplements used for?
Man is able to provide himself with all the nutrients he needs through a healthy and balanced diet. However, there are various limitations in people’s lives that make the supply of dietary supplements a valuable alternative.
Those who have chosen a vegetarian or even vegan lifestyle often have difficulty meeting their iron and iodine requirements.
Athletes, on the other hand, have much greater energy needs than others and prefer to select supplements such as whey protein, caffeine, creatine, and carnitine to help build muscle, increase their performance capabilities, and aid them in their recovery periods.
Food supplements during pregnancy?
Pregnancy also increases the need for nutrients, for which dietary supplements can also be used. However, the consumer must pay special attention to avoid overdoses, because embryo and fetus are very sensitive to supernatural amounts of substances. Seniors, on the other hand, often have difficulty eating or a suppressed feeling of hunger.
Food supplements are an option for them that they are still supplied with the most important nutrients. In addition, there are many allergy sufferers who can only eat a very limited diet. Compensating for this with food can sometimes be complicated, which is why supplements can help here.
Finally, there are generally certain valuable substances such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D that are difficult to absorb through food. Supplements can offer a solution here as well.
Food groups contain certain nutrients
For most people who are toying with the idea of supplementing their diet with supplements, it is already helpful to check their eating habits to see if they avoid certain food groups for taste or health reasons.
Who eats too little of green vegetables, for example, takes up too little folic acid over the foods.
A lack of red meat can in turn lead to iron deficiency. If you avoid not only meat but also dairy products, you will not get enough vitamin B12, while calcium can be obtained almost exclusively from dairy products.
Those who do not like nuts, legumes and meat can suffer from a deficiency of tin.
After all, in nuts, seeds, cereals, meat, dark chocolate and green vegetables are large amounts of magnesium, which the body needs to maintain vital processes.
How to get supplements?
The number of dietary supplements has multiplied over the last few years. Consumers can therefore assume that there is a suitable dietary supplement for almost every nutrient.
Nutritional supplements can be purchased in supermarkets and drugstores. In addition, there is a brisk mail order business for nutritional supplements.
On the Internet, every consumer has the opportunity to search for the right supplement and have it delivered immediately by the supplier. An alternative to this is provided by doctors and pharmacies, as dietary supplements can at least indirectly act against certain disease patterns. While the advantage is expert advice, the disadvantage can be lagging acceptance.
In any case, the consumer should take care not to exceed the recommended dosage. The correct dosage must be indicated in dietary supplements.
