We aren’t always created equal as humans, and at times, that means we’re left looking at “better bodies” and wondering how we can achieve the same result. The fact of the matter is that those people who look like they’re from another planet work hard for what they’ve got, and you can do the same thing – it’s all a matter of what you plan on putting in your body. You cannot operate at peak levels when you’re constantly eating food that is bad for you and isn’t getting your daily requirement of vitamins, which is why nutritional supplements are something that you’ll want to learn more about. It isn’t just the traditional children’s vitamins that you can find, as there are many different supplements out there that will make tuning your body easier.
As we grow older, the things that we did in our youth begin to catch up with us. You can eat almost anything you’d like it seems when you’re younger, but as you get older, you realize that your body requires certain things to get by. You can use nutritional supplements to get everything you need without all of the hard work, which is incredibly important for those who are suffering from medical disorders. You never want to live life as a “weak” person, and while you don’t always have a say in the matter, nutritional supplements will grant you all that is needed to grow stronger.
This is why it’s such an ideal thing to do for your kids, as they’re in the most optimal growing stage of their lives. Not only will they be able to absorb more of the nutrients available in nutritional supplements, but they’ll do so quickly. This doesn’t mean that you should be giving your kids every nutritional supplement that you come across, but it does mean that you should do some research and purchase the right products accordingly.
The basics of nutritional supplements are going to be covered in this article, so if you’re completely new to the subject, there’s no need to worry – we’re going to talk about why you should consider using nutritional supplements daily, as well as why it’s perfect for your children. If you’ve ever wondered what life would be like had you worked your way to peak physical performance, using nutritional supplements is something that will surely quicken the process. While that does not mean you’re going to wake up with an 8-pack of abs one day, it does mean that you can start to build a better foundation for tomorrow. Those who are shopping for nutritional supplements will typically look for these traits:
Affordable
Spending too much money on nutritional supplements can be an issue for many reasons. Not only will you come to rely on these expensive supplements, but there is bound to be a cheaper option; the problem is that you have to try and find the perfect mix of both. Some of the highest quality nutritional supplements are going to come with a premium price tag, and that’s because they’re well deserved. This also means that there are going to be other shady nutritional supplement manufacturers who try and overprice their cheap products, which is why you always have to do a bit of research beforehand.
Quality
The quality of your supplements is going to be a result of where you chose to purchase them from. A lot of companies all over the world are responsible for producing and manufacturing nutritional supplements, and that means that there are going to be a lot of “low-quality” options to choose from. Although the cheap price may be enticing, you cannot trust these cheap supplements, as there’s no telling what is actually in them. If they haven’t been certified by your local government or the likes of another organization (such as NSF or USP), odds are they won’t be too good. There’s always an exception to this rule and it’s a matter of personal preference at the end of the day, but the quality of your nutritional supplements is incredibly important.
Trustworthy
This sort of goes hand in hand with the quality trait, as you want to purchase your products from a trustworthy company. You don’t want to constantly buy nutritional supplements that are full of harmful ingredients, as there are times when a nutritional supplement manufacturer will have traces of ingredients in their product that haven’t been listed. If you plan on competing or happen to be allergic to something, you could be leaving everything up to the nutritional supplement you choose to use.
These are the 3 main traits that we look for while shopping for nutritional supplements, although we understand that everybody has their preference. If you wanted to get pumped up by using non-certified nutritional supplements, just remember all of the risks that could be associated with it. At the end of the day, you’ve only got one body to work with, so make sure you treat it right.
Are Nutritional Supplements Good for Health?
Health and nutritional supplements go together like guacamole and whole wheat bread (we could have used an unhealthy food item there, but this seems fitting!), which is why you must understand the importance of using them daily. Your health is the determining factor of how well things are going, and while some people are simply unlucky, you’re the creator of your future. If you sit around and eat cheeseburgers without lifting a finger, you’re bound to run into some trouble at some point! Nutritional supplements can be used to fight back daily issues, as well as help build your body into a stronger and more efficient machine. Using the right nutritional supplements can help prevent disease, and this is especially prominent in older people.
Older people lack a lot of the vitamins and nutrients that the body requires daily, which is where nutritional supplements come into play. They can help your body get exactly what it needs to thrive, and all you’ve got to do is take a pill (or whatever form the supplement happens to come in). With that being said, you cannot just choose a supplement and start taking it without doing any research. Drugs are certified by the FDA and administered accordingly, but nutritional supplements don’t fall under the same category – that’s why there are so many shady characters present within this field. If you want to avoid any trouble, be mindful of what you’re buying and consuming, and be sure to always follow the directions given on labels!
Nutritional supplements are used to help those who cannot maintain a regular diet, which is a larger portion of the population than we would like to admit. Just think of how many times you’ve put a meal together without any vegetables, and then multiply that by about 100; that’s how many times you didn’t get the necessary amount of nutrients while eating. Even if you do eat vegetables, there are several reasons as to why a nutritional supplement would improve your health, but they are not something you should be leaning on. There are a few nutritional supplements that can pose a risk to your health should you choose to overdo it, and there are even a few problems that can arise when you’re mixing certain nutritional supplements.
How Do I Know I Need Nutritional Supplements?
If you feel like your diet is lacking in any way, you are likely the perfect candidate for using nutritional supplements. Not only that, but it’s perfect for children who aren’t able to get the nutrition they need to grow big and strong! There are a lot of people on the fence when it comes to nutritional supplements, which is understandable, as there are a lot of options to choose from. As if that wasn’t enough, you have to sift through all of the lackluster supplement providers to find the perfect fit, which can be annoying to deal with. Just remember that you shouldn’t try to replace any sort of prescription medicine with nutritional supplements and that they always have to be consumed responsibly.
Taking too much of any nutritional supplement is capable of causing issues, as you’ll be left to deal with the effects by yourself. If you plan on taking any sort of nutritional supplement we would suggest that you talk to your healthcare provider beforehand, as they’ll be able to let you know if it’s a good idea or not.
There are many nutritional supplements available and they typically come in the form of a pill, although there are still liquids and other forms of supplement out there that can make consumption easier. Some of the most common options you’ll find when shopping for nutritional supplements would be:
- Gelcaps
- Softgels
- Tablets
- Capsules
- Powders
- Liquids
You can find an abundance of different vitamins, amino acids, herbs, minerals, enzymes, and much more being offered in regards to nutritional supplements. If these are things that you feel like you could benefit from, then using nutritional supplements is a must!
Health Benefits of Nutritional Supplements
There are several different reasons why you would want to use nutritional supplements to help improve your quality of life, as they are the easiest way to get the nutrition your body requires daily. While there’s no question they are beneficial, it always helps to understand how they help, which is what we’ll be looking at in this portion of the article. Some nutritional supplements were created as a way to cope with daily ailments, most of which are known to be used long ago (some as far back as Ancient times!). Of course, there’s no way to create the same herbal remedies our ancestors used to use, but there are still plenty of nutritional supplements for us to benefit from.
If you feel a bit “off” or have a foggy mind, there are several nutritional supplements that can make your life easier. It will always be better to get your nutritional values from foods, as the body can absorb that much easier than anything else, but nutritional supplements are a very close second! Regardless of what your issue happens to be, odds are there will be a supplement out there that can help.
Immune System
Several different nutritional supplements claim they will assist you with your immune system issues. If you find that you are getting sick consistently and have the stuff to do, you can count on nutritional supplements to give you the immune system boost you so desperately need! Just about every single vitamin around will assist you with your immune system functions, although Vitamin C is probably the most responsible for that – that’s why you see all of these sickness-related products claiming that they’re “infused with Vitamin C!”. Orange juice is packed with Vitamin C and it’s something that we’ve been told to drink during sick days for years, although it isn’t the only thing that can help assist your immune system health. While there is still a lot of research being done in regards to nutritional supplements and our immune system, it doesn’t hurt to give it a shot (especially if you’ve got an autoimmune disorder and have tried everything).
Probiotics are also something that pops up frequently, as they can help with the immune system in your gut. Healthy digestion is a thing that people crave these days, and that’s why nutritional supplements associated with gut health are going to be sought out. While the science behind probiotics and gut health supplements is still being worked on, we know that our stomach is a breeding ground for bacteria – it’s easy to imagine how much bad bacteria has been building up in there!
Bone and Joint Health
Some nutritional supplements (like Tumeric extract) will claim to assist your inflammatory issues. If you’re an older person or happen to be very active, odds are you’re going to have joint pain at one point. By using a nutritional supplement that promotes anti-inflammatory properties, you can reduce the swelling and get on with your day! Calcium and Vitamin D are both very useful when it comes to fighting bone loss and keeping your joints healthy, which is why Vitamin D is an optimal supplement for children. This would ring especially true if something was preventing your children from going outside, as naturally, we would get Vitamin D from the sun; when that doesn’t happen, the next best thing we can do to keep our children strong would be recommending a Vitamin D supplement.
While it has also been said that Folic acid can help prevent birth defects, there are other claims that it can be very beneficial when used for bone and joint health as well. There are a lot of useful nutritional supplements for your bones, you’ve just got to look!
Cardiovascular
Fatty fish acids like Omega-3 have been scientifically proven to help with heart health, especially for those of you who are dealing with heart disease. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body because once that thing gives out, it’s over! You’ll want to treat your heart with as much respect as possible, and while modern medicine is wonderful, some things would be better left to nutritional supplements. That is not a recommendation to throw out your heart pills and start taking fish oil capsules as a replacement, because that would be insane – all we want to do is open more doors for you to live a healthier life!
Vision
Your vision is important for obvious reasons, and it’s something that gradually fades with age in most people. Several different nutritional supplements can be used to help with vision problems, and if you’re already noticing your vision degrade, why not give it a shot? Your vision isn’t going to repair itself, and while modern medicine has a lot of advancements in regards to helping your vision, nutritional supplements are an additional product that you can count on. The two main supplements that would help with your vision are Lutein and Zeaxanthin, so finding a vision-related supplement that has either of those two ingredients would be ideal; you can also find supplements that will list Vitamin C, E, Zinc, and Copper and their main ingredients.
What you forget to take into account is the amount of stress that the average person will deal with throughout their lives. Even if you don’t have a confirmed case of degeneration in your eyes, using the right vision supplement is going to help you see well into the future (pun intended). If you have noticed that you can’t see the finer details of life any longer, it’s probably time to take advantage of the many nutritional supplements available on the market.
The Most Important Side Effects of Nutritional Supplements
Understand nutritional supplements even more by figuring out some of the main side effects that can be associated with the most popular supplement products. There are a lot of benefits to be had, but there are also a few side effects to consider as well – this is why it’s so important to have as much knowledge pertaining to nutritional supplements as possible. There isn’t enough data about nutritional supplements available online and we’re hoping that this can turn out to be a useful resource for all of our readers! If the nutritional supplements that you’re using have more than one ingredient, it can be crucial to understand some of the side effects that could come along with consumption.
Poisonous lead has the potential of making its way into certain nutritional supplements, which is why identifying a reliable source is your best bet. Some supplements can contain other harmful substances such as silica and other minerals, but toxic lead is the main culprit. This can be problematic regardless of how much you consume, but there are many cases where a toxic amount of harmful lead has made its way into a nutritional supplement product.
Overdosing on supplements is something you need to consider also, as using food supplements is a quick way to overdose on certain vitamins. While we need all of the vitamins daily, we only need a specific amount of each one – when you’re using too many nutritional supplements you can throw your body off balance, as there is too much of one particular vitamin/mineral. There are a lot of nutritional supplements on the market that are incredibly beneficial, but can prove to be problematic should you take a little too much.
Vitamin D is perfect for those who don’t get enough sun or have Vitamin D deficiency, and the body is going to protect itself from overdosing by vomiting and excreting fluids in other forms (like diarrhea, runny nose, and even a headache). You can also expect to notice an increase in the number of calcium deposits present in your body, as more will grow in your vessels and organs – kidney damage is another thing that is consistent when it comes to Vitamin D overdose. Some studies have shown that overusing Vitamin D supplements can increase your risk for pancreatic cancers as well.
If you’re a smoker, using supplements that feature Vitamin A could be a problem. They could increase your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and even potentially have an impact on your bone structure. Even using moderate amounts of Vitamin A supplements could lead to loss of bone mass (known as osteoporosis), and higher doses could be potentially fatal in the form of liver failure or birth defects.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a common nutritional supplement that you’ll find in households all over the world, and that’s because the benefits are seemingly obvious. While they are said to reduce your risk of heart attack, as well as inflammation, most of the foods that feature Omega-3 fatty acids are going to be unhealthy for you. This is why doctors would recommend you eat fish as opposed to just eat junk food and take fish oil pills when you can eat healthily and get your Omega-3’s from the right foods. You can use hemp, flaxseed, chia, linseed, and nut oils to get your supplement fix!
Top 10 Nutritional Supplements
Blood Sugar
Blood sugar is something that many of us struggle with, and that’s why using nutritional supplements to fight back is the smart thing to do. When you pair your medicine alongside the proper natural supplements, you should be able to bring your energy levels to a proper place (even if you’ve got low blood sugar, diabetes, or anything else of that nature). While most people are just going to sulk in the dark and refuse the help they need, others will take advantage of all the wonderful blood sugar nutritional supplements that are on the market these days.
Bone/Joint
Your bones will thank you for picking the proper nutritional supplement! Your bones are bound to grow weaker with age, as that’s just the natural way of life – the good news is that you don’t have to sit around and take it, as you can rely on a healthy diet and the right nutritional supplements to keep you on the move. We tend to lessen the amount of activity that we do daily as we grow older, and that’s going to result in our bones weakening; by taking a Vitamin D supplement (or even Calcium), you’ll be putting your body in a better place.
Brain/Memory
The operating system of your body has the be the brain, and that’s why you must maintain brain health well into your old age. Even if you’re young and notice that you’re suffering from some sort of “brain fog”, the right nutritional supplement can help you with that. Not only will you improve your memory, but your mental capacity and level of alertness will increase as well. These aren’t just false claims, as plenty of people have benefited from brain nutritional supplements in the past! Some of these pills are going to offer the likes of fish oils and caffeine, but some other common ingredients would be creatine or “Ginkgo Biloba”.
Daily Maintenance
Daily maintenance supplements are viable for those who are looking to take better care of themselves, as most of us aren’t getting the proper amount of nutrition through diet alone. This is why multivitamins and other related supplements are so popular these days, as people are on the go and don’t have enough time throughout the day to ensure they’re eating all the right foods. It can be hard to eat healthily, and while nutritional supplements are never a replacement for that, the right supplements will always help with your daily maintenance needs.
Weight
Weight is a struggle to conquer for many of you reading this, and it may even be why you’re interested in nutritional supplements in the first place. Using nutritional supplements is never going to be a replacement for eating the right food, but it can help enhance the effect that you’ll see from sticking with a steady diet. If you can manage to get all of your vitamins and minerals from your food, using weight management nutritional supplements is only going to help!
Detox
Detox supplements may not be as mainstream as others, but they’re just as effective. If there is anything in your system that you want to get rid of, using a detox nutritional supplement is going to help you immensely. Detox supplements come in many forms, although the most common product that you’ll see are liquids – they’re easy to consume and can help rid your body of any potential toxins. Antioxidant minerals are very popular when it comes to these products!
Digestion
Digestion can cause discomfort, nausea, and have a direct impact on the quality of your life. There are even times where indigestion can have an impact on your teeth! There are a lot of ways that having a healthy digestive system can improve upon your life, and using probiotics (and other gut health nutritional supplements) is the perfect shortcut. If you’ve been having any issues with your digestion, fixing your diet and using nutritional supplements to improve the bacteria in your stomach is almost a guaranteed way to fix your problems.
Heart
Heart health is the #1 priority in older individuals, as you never want your ticker to go bad. There are many supplements out there that can help you with cardiovascular issues, although they should never be used as a complete replacement – if you’ve got heart disease and are on medication to help treat it, you’ve got to be smart and remember to keep on taking it. Fish oils, magnesium, green tea, and even garlic are all nutritional supplements that could have a positive impact on the health of your heart!
Immune Support
Your immune system can be boosted by using the right nutritional supplements, many of which will focus on giving your body Vitamin C, A, B6, E, as well as folic acid and others. Boosting your immune system is critical in times like these, as you’ll want your body to naturally defend itself from any viruses that sneak through. If you notice that you’re getting sick more frequently or just cannot fully recover from an illness, looking into immune support nutritional supplements might be a viable option.
Liver
Liver failure is a huge problem and can be battled by using your medicine and liver nutritional supplements. You will find a lot of milk thistle in these products, as well as beetroot, ginger, turmeric, and many other anti-inflammatory ingredients that help your body recover quickly.
Sleep Aids
You cannot recover effectively if you aren’t able to sleep, which is why sleep aid nutritional supplements are in such high demand. Melatonin is the first one that comes to mind, as it’s the most popular (and some would argue the most effective), but there are other options like magnesium, lavender, passionflower, and even valerian root.
