What are Nutritional Supplements?
Nutritional supplements can be a great way to improve your nutritional intake, but they also come with risks. This article will explore what nutritional supplements are and the types of nutritional supplements that exist so you can determine which is right for you.
Nutritional supplement use has increased significantly in recent years due to an increase in awareness of their benefits as well as an increase in marketing from online network marketers like TruVision Health. There are many nutritional products on the market, so it’s important to do your research before making a purchase decision.
What are nutritional supplements?
A nutritional supplement is a product that contains one or more ingredients to aid in nutritional intake. They are not foods, but they can be taken like food. A nutritional supplement may contain minerals (like calcium), vitamins, amino acids and herbs among other things.
What are the types of nutrition supplements?
There are many types of nutritional supplement to suit a consumer’s individual needs.
Some common forms of nutritional supplements include: tablets, capsules, powders or bars that can be mixed into food such as cereal or yogurt. The type you take depends on your health goal. For example if someone is looking for an energy boost, they may take a nutritional supplement that includes caffeine.
Who should take nutritional supplements?
Taking a nutritional supplement is an excellent idea for someone who’s worried about their health and wants to make sure they are getting the nutrition needed. They can also be useful if you’re looking to improve your strength, energy or focus.
If you have a certain condition that requires specific nutritional goals, it may be a good idea to talk with your doctor about nutritional supplements before taking any.
The most common condition nutritional supplements are taken for is diabetes. Your doctor may recommend that you take nutritional supplement as part of the treatment plan because it can help lower blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation and improve cardiovascular health – all things considered to be important factors in managing type-II diabetes.
A nutritional supplement may also be recommended for individuals with a gluten or dairy intolerance, as nutritional supplements can help you meet your nutritional needs without these ingredients.
You should consult your doctor before taking any dietary supplements because they could interact negatively with other medications that you’re currently taking, and some people are allergic to certain substances found in nutritional supplements.
Some people need nutritional supplements because they have a medical condition that prevents them from eating normally, such as Crohn’s Disease or Celiac Disease.
People who are considering taking nutritional supplements should talk to their doctor about the risks and benefits of what one might do for an individual patient in this situation before starting nutritional supplements.
What are the purposes of nutrition supplements?
Nutritional supplements are used for a wide range of purposes. They might be taken to increase nutritional intake, reduce the risk of certain diseases or improve health in some other way. A nutritional supplement may help with weight loss by reducing cravings and preventing hunger pangs while boosting energy levels so that you can exercise more effectively without getting tired as quickly.
Is there a difference between vitamins and supplements?
Vitamins are nutritional components that come from natural sources like vegetables and fruit. They work to complete the nutritional requirements of a person who does not eat enough healthy food. Supplements, on the other hand, may be synthetic or plant-based substances that provide additional nutritional benefits in an effort to improve health.
A common example is folic acid, which is synthetically created and found in nutritional supplements. Folic acid helps to synthesize DNA during cell division so that a person’s brain, nerves and blood cells can grow normally.
Is a nutritional supplement the same as a dietary supplement?
A nutritional supplement is not the same as a dietary supplement. A nutritional supplement is sold outside of the food for sale and will contain one or more of these four nutrients: protein, vitamins, minerals and herbs. Dietary supplements on the other hand can be prescriptive such that it may have medicine in it which makes them prescription only.
A nutritional supplement can be sold over the counter and is not regulated by FDA. However, in some cases a nutritional supplement may have side effects or interactions with prescriptions that should be noted to your doctor prior to taking them together. A dietary supplement on the other hand does not require approval from FDA before sale but will need all ingredients listed on packaging.
Is it better to get nutrients from food or supplements?
The research on nutritional supplements is still developing. So far, it shows that the best nutritional habits come from eating food because nutrients are more easily used and absorbed by the body when coming from a natural source. Supplements can be helpful in preventing nutrient deficiencies, but should not replace healthy diet choices like vegetables or fruit for your daily nutritional needs.
How are nutritional supplements regulated?
Nutritional supplements are not regulated as heavily by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as pharmaceutical drugs are, so nutritional supplements do not have to go through all of the same rigorous testing that a drug does before it is released on the market.
The FDA may regulate nutritional supplements if they make claims about their ability to diagnose, treat or cure a disease.
The FDA does not regulate the nutritional supplement industry when it comes to making claims about weight loss, building muscle or other similar health goals.
This means that nutritional supplements do not have to go through all of the same testing as drugs and may contain substances that are dangerous for your health.
What are the risks of using nutritional supplements?
Nutritional supplements can be helpful, but they also come with risks.
Some nutritional supplements can interact badly with prescription medications, a person’s underlying health condition or other drugs being taken at the same time.
The FDA has received reports of people having heart attacks after taking nutritional supplements that interact negatively with their cholesterol medication.
The nutritional supplements industry is unregulated for the most part, so it’s hard to know exactly which ingredients are in a supplement.
It can also be difficult for people who have allergies or sensitivities to find out if they’re allergic to any of the products that go into nutritional supplements before taking them.
A person may not even suspect an allergy until they get a reaction after consuming the nutritional supplement.
What precautions should be taken?
The risks of nutritional supplements are dependent on the individual and their health condition. For most people, nutritional supplement use is safe when they follow instructions carefully for usage or dosage guidelines.
However, some groups of individuals should be more cautious before using nutritional supplements than others:
- People who have chronic health conditions should consult with their healthcare provider before taking nutritional supplements because they may be at a greater risk of complications, especially when nutritional supplement use is combined with medication and medical therapies. For example, some cancer treatments are known to increase the level of Vitamin D in the body which can interfere with chemotherapy drugs.
- People who have a nutritional deficiency should consult with their healthcare provider in order to determine the best way of getting nutrients.
- Pregnant women, people on medication and those with chronic health conditions are advised to seek advice from an expert before taking supplements as they may not be suitable for them.
- Individuals should not use nutritional supplements as a substitute for medical care and attention from their doctor or healthcare provider.
Supplement consumption in the U.S.
In a survey of nutritional supplement usage in the U.S., it is found that more than half (52%) of adults take nutritional supplements on regular basis, and there are differences between genders. While 66% of men take nutritional supplements regularly, only 40% women do so. The use also varies by age with 65% middle-aged adults (ages 50 to 64) taking nutritional supplements, but less than half of both young adults aged 18-34 years and seniors 65+ take nutritional supplements.
In the U.S., nutritional supplement consumption is common for those who are interested in healthy living while there are differences between genders, age groups and other demographics .
While 66% of men take nutritional supplements regularly, only 40% women do so.
Several network marketing companies use ‘associates’ to sell nutritional supplements.
TruVision health is a network marketing company that uses “associates” to sell its nutritional supplement products.
The company has been in operation for more than 20 years and uses a “distributor” business model in which they have no fixed retail locations and no physical inventory.
To learn more about TruVision Health, check out I Buy I Review’s comprehensive review here.
I buy and review courses so you don’t have to. Sometimes, I even find courses that are legitimate and worthwhile; and that’s how I accidentally came across one that led me to building a 6-figure business in a little under 5 years. Now, I still review courses because it’s my favorite hobby. 🙂 Learn more about me here.
