Supplements For Health and Well-Being

Wiki Article

Supplements are meant to complement — not replace — a healthy diet. They can provide important nutrients you may not get in your diet, like vitamins and minerals.

But supplements can also be problematic. They're less tightly regulated than foods or medications and can contain toxins and other contaminants.

Vitamins

When taken in appropriate amounts, vitamins can be beneficial for the body. They support cellular function, strengthen bones and help the immune system fight infections. They also convert food into energy and repair cellular damage. Vitamins are considered essential nutrients because they Personal Trainer Near Me act in concert to perform hundreds of tasks that keep you healthy. They're often grouped into two categories based on how they work in the body: fat soluble and water soluble.

When you eat foods with fat-soluble vitamins, they enter your bloodstream through lymph channels in the intestinal wall. From there, special carriers carry them to places in the body where they are needed, such as your liver and fat tissues. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K. After they're used, your body stores them in the fat tissues and liver as a reserve and releases them when you need them.

Water-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, dissolve in water and enter your bloodstream directly after you eat them. Your body can't store water-soluble vitamins, so it uses them immediately and flushes excess through your urine. These vitamins include the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folic acid) and vitamin C.

You can get most of the vitamins you need through a well-balanced diet. However, if you have a restricted diet or certain health issues, dietary supplements may be recommended by a doctor or nutritionist. When choosing a supplement, look for one that lists the specific vitamins and amount of each you're getting. Avoid multivitamins that contain "proprietary blends" of various compounds. This method of production makes it impossible to know exactly how much of each vitamin you're taking.

Minerals

Minerals are inorganic substances that are solids at standard temperatures and pressures on the earth's surface. A mineral must display a highly ordered internal structure and express this order in a regular geometric form. This is called a crystal structure. A mineral must also have a specific chemical composition that can be expressed by a unique, well-defined chemical formula. This characteristic makes minerals different from amorphous natural solids like wood and pearls, which are not classified as minerals.

A mineral has a number of other distinct properties, including its density and the way it breaks when it is split. Density is the weight of a mineral per unit volume, determined by the way the elements within it are packed together. It is one of the most important, quantifiable and constant characteristics a mineral can possess. A mineral’s ability to produce a powdered streak when rubbed against an unglazed ceramic plate is another characteristic that indicates its mineral status. Some minerals are magnetic, such as the iron-rich gems magnetite and topaz. Some minerals are translucent, such as quartz, and others are opaque.

Many minerals are essential for human health, especially calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The body uses these minerals for the formation of bones, teeth and muscles. They are also essential for healthy nerve function, muscle contraction and the regulation of blood pressure.

Other minerals include metals such as iron used to make cars and buildings, copper and lithium for electrical wiring, aluminium to manufacture drink cans and gold in jewellery. Construction minerals such as sand, gravel and brick clay are useful for making concrete and building houses and roads. Industrial minerals, such as salt, halite, graphite and talc are used in a wide range of applications.

Herbs

Herbs provide flavour, aroma and colour to many foods. They are also rich in nutrients, especially antioxidants and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are plant compounds that have been shown to have protective effects in the body. Herbs can help lower cholesterol, prevent oxidative stress and support a healthy heart and immune system. They may also help reduce the risk of certain cancers. Herbs such as garlic, basil, oregano and rosemary contain natural anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants. These herbs are easy to grow and can be used fresh or dried.

A herb garden is a great addition to any home and can be planted in various ways to suit the taste of the owner. They are often used in theme gardens such as scent, kitchen and apothecary gardens, but can be included in any mixed flower or vegetable garden. They are attractive to butterflies and other insects and serve as a great focal point in the garden.

Many herbs are high in vitamin C, which is known to boost immunity and fight disease. They are also a source of natural plant pigments, such as b-carotene, cryptoxanthin and lutein, which act as food colours and are believed to protect against lipid oxidation and food rancidity.

Herbs are commonly used in teas and can be enjoyed either in their fresh or dried form. Some herbs, such as chamomile, kava and ashwagandha have been shown to calm the nervous system while adaptogens like ginseng help the body cope with stress. Others, such as echinacea, astragalus root and marshmallow root enhance immune function and are particularly beneficial during the winter months when our bodies need extra support. They can also be helpful in lowering sodium intakes and replacing processed salt, which has been linked with high blood pressure.

Amino Acids

As any high school biology class will tell you, proteins are made of amino acids. As you might imagine, it's important to get these in your diet – but many people are not getting enough from their food alone. This is where supplements come in.

Amino acids are organic compounds that serve a wide range of functions in the body. They are the building blocks of proteins and also play a role in creating hormones and neurotransmitters. They can be obtained through protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, soy, quinoa and pumpkin seeds, as well as in oral supplements such as whey protein powders and multivitamins. There are 20 different amino acids, and they are divided into essential – those that the body cannot create – and nonessential — those it can make.

The essential amino acids include lysine, threonine, isoleucine and valine. They are known as the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) due to their structure, and they are considered to be especially beneficial for athletes and other active individuals. They help the body adjust its primary fuel sources to lean on fat more than muscle, and they also have a powerful antioxidant effect.

Supplementing BCAAs has been shown to improve exercise performance, speed recovery from intense training and increase protein synthesis. This can help you achieve more gains in muscle mass, particularly during periods of calorie deficit when trying to lose weight and during high-intensity strength and duration exercise. They can also reduce natural muscle loss that occurs in aging adults and enhance the benefits of resistance training.

Biotin

Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7, is a water-soluble vitamin that's essential for breaking down fats, carbohydrates and protein in the body. It's used in several cellular processes and helps regulate the signals sent between cells as well as the activity of genes. It's commonly found in multivitamins and supplements for hair, skin and nails.

People who consume enough food rich in biotin don't need to supplement with it. However, people following restrictive diets or with medical conditions that limit their ability to absorb and utilize foods containing biotin may require supplements in order to maintain healthy levels of this nutrient. Biotin supplements can be taken at any time of the day and are available in various forms and doses. For example, some manufacturers offer both gummies and softgels of biotin, with dosages ranging from 1000 mcg to 5000 mcg daily. It's important to note that many products marketed as biotin supplements contain high levels of this vitamin, far in excess of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).

In addition to its benefits for hair and nail health, biotin has been shown to help prevent brittle nails and skin issues in some people. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it an effective treatment for rashes and itching associated with some conditions.

Dietary sources of biotin include brewer's yeast; cooked eggs, especially the yolk; liver; salmon; sardines; cauliflower; carrots; bananas; soy flour; cereals; and oat bran. It's important to note that food-processing techniques can decrease the amount of biotin found in these foods. The RDA for biotin is 30 mcg daily. It is recommended to check with a health care professional before taking supplemental biotin because it can interfere with some blood tests.