Pros and Cons of Nutrition Supplements

23 Sep 2022

SUPPLEMENTS : YES OR NO?

How I wish there was a simple Yes or No answer to the question “ should you take nutrition supplements ?”. This question has even the legends of fitness industry in Splits, some swear by it while others dismiss the notion completely.

Is it worth investing your money in supplements? There is no end to this dilemma. As an online fitness trainer and fitness coach I feel a sense of responsibility to make your decision making easier by showing you the correct prospective.

What is important is the need for people to know what they are taking and whether these dietary supplements are really beneficial or harmful for their overall health.

Let me tell you from the outset that I’ve always had mixed feelings about taking food supplements. Being a fitness health expert and sports nutritionist, I believe in both Pros and Cons of nutrition supplements.

So, what are these supplements? How do we add these in our daily diet to meet the expected nutritional requirement.

So, the most common supplements that can be added to your diet are vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids (protein), probiotics, fibre and fatty acids.

Since people have become more health conscious now, they can meet their nutritional needs following a well-balanced healthy diet. Ideally, if one consumes enough of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fresh food instead of processed foods, there is no reason you should take supplements. Most these foods are packed with essential nutrients to meet the daily dietary intake.

But there are people who follow strict vegetarian and vegan diet, so they tend to miss on important nutrients and specially minerals in their food since they are low on dairy products and protein intake, so adding supplements in their diet will help to boosts performance and improves their overall health.

So, supplements acts as a supportive tool to bridge the gap to fulfil the missing nutrients in your diet. It is used as a preventative health measure.

So, let’s look into the PROS ( Advantages) of supplements;,

People of all age groups take supplements for various reasons. Adding supplements to the diet can offer helpful support for certain groups whose dietary needs of specific circumstances may cause deficiency in one or more nutrients.

• Even if we feed ourselves with all the essential vitamins and minerals, there are certain nutrients which we lack in our diets. For instance, vitamin D . It is important for all age groups to take as it is essential for stronger bones health and calcium absorption. Very few food contains vitamin D, and the urban life gets us very less sun exposure, so taking this kind of supplement helps to increase immunity and help to prevent health conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis etc..
• Another important supplement is Omega 3fattyacid fish oil which especially vegetarians and vegan must inculcate in their diet as they miss out on having fish, salmon etc in their diet. Also, they struggle to access enough B12, iron, zinc and iodine through their diet, so consumption of such supplements for them can be really fruitful.
• There are certain dietary supplements which enhances our physical performance during workouts or weight training. Taking any kind of pre workout energy drink or protein supplements boosts our energy level, improves our cognitive abilities .
• Some people lead very busy lives and may not be able to shop for fresh foods and cook them. For such people taking nutritional supplements may be a quick and good idea.

Although, many supplements are beneficial, harmless and have proven to give amazing health benefits. There can be certain cons as well which are important to consider and have the knowledge of.

So, let’s look at the CONS ( Disadvantages) of the supplements;

• People who have sensitive gut and if they are on certain supplements for which they have not seek medical advice, such dietary supplements can be hazardous for their health as it can create more health and digestive issues for them.
• Excessively high levels of Vitamin C can cause diarrhoea, nausea etc..
• Supplements which speed up the metabolism can cause palpitations.
• Overdose of calcium supplements may lead to stones or hypercalcemia. Taking too many supplements may increase toxicity in your body, so instead of giving health benefits to you, it can bring its own unpleasant dose of side effect.
• Some protein supplements have a higher calorie content than others. Some may be packed with artificial additives ,harmful toxins or illegal steroids, so you need to be careful while buying it and its recommended that you read the content and then buy from trusted brands.
• Supplements are not filling enough to produce satiety. They aren’t an adequate substitute for whole food. Just popping pills does not compensate for food . It can cause more harm than benefits. So, try and complete the maximum daily nutrition requirement through whole food.
• Whilst many supplements are harmless, some can be dangerous if taken in excess or overdose or some can contra-indicate with medical conditions or medication and can at times make the prescribed medication ineffective, so, its best to seek advice from a Nutritional Therapist or other Qualified Health Practitioner.

Lastly, I’ve seen people who are busy and overworked, console themselves with multivitamins and give up on buying and preparing fresh food. Convinced that they were getting enough nutrition, they stopped putting any effort into their daily diet.

Also, there are few tips which I would like to share with you before you take supplements.

• Always follow the directions for usage on the label, or as given by your qualified health practitioner or fitness expert.
• Cheap supplements are usually a market gimmick and as per their name, they use cheap raw material as well. So, always buy from reputable health supplement store.
• Complete at least 70-80% of your daily requirement through whole foods and the rest can be supplemented.
• Always consider your goals, lifestyle and work load before taking supplements and take them as per your requirement only. Remember, overdoing anything is bad for your health.
• You can seek medical advice by getting some test done to see if you lack any nutrient and them supplement them as per the physicians advice.
• Never depend / take any supplement that claims to ‘cure’ or ‘prevent’ a health/medical condition as supplements are just your supportive tool, they are not to be taken as a food substitute. They should do as their name suggests and supplement and enhance an already healthy diet.

There are no shortcuts when it comes to leading a healthy life and staying fit. You need to make Subtle & gradual changes in order to achieve your health goals and improve performance.

Investing in your health never gets out of fashion. You can sign up for one of our fitness programs where we will guide you to achieve desired results.

REMEMBER: Each step will take you closer to achieving sustainable Weight loss.

STAY CONNECTED…

By Dolly Singh @dol4ualways

For Customised Nutrition & Tailored Training plans, drop and email to
info@crunchesancurves.com

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