Collaborative post
What exactly are health supplements?
Effectively, they are things we take alongside food to provide certain health benefits. You have supplements for just about everything these days. There are things designed to improve your skin, powders that give you more protein, multivitamins, and so on. If you have specific goals or a certain problem, you can bet your house on there is a supplement for you to take.
This creates the main question we’ll be looking at today. Do we need health supplements?
If you’re hoping for a straightforward answer, you’re going to be disappointed! Unfortunately, this is one of those questions that might be answered differently by different people. Instead of giving you a concrete answer, we’re going to discuss the main arguments and talking points surrounding this topic.
Are health supplements unnecessary if you follow a healthy diet?
A key argument against the need for supplements is that you should be able to achieve good nutrition through a healthy diet alone. If you eat balanced meals and get a good mixture of food sources throughout the week, surely you will fill your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to function correctly, right?
Again, it’s an annoying yes and no answer.
Yes, for some people, eating a healthy diet will help you see the results you’re after. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, supplements aren’t always necessary. A balanced diet and a good exercise routine will get you to where you want to be. The same can be said for people who may lack a certain nutrient. Perhaps you’re iron deficient – which a lot of women are. Adding foods that are high in iron can counter this with relative ease.
Nevertheless, you have the other side of the coin as well. Some people won’t be able to reach their goals through a good diet alone. Bodybuilders are a fantastic example of this. They need mass amounts of protein to build loads of muscle. Technically, you could get this from food, but it would be almost impossible to eat it all. Instead, a simple protein supplement gives them a protein boost without eating too much food and feeling sick.
Furthermore, some people have severe deficiencies alongside dietary restrictions. Vegans will struggle to get their recommended iron and B12 intake a lot of the time. Here, some supplements counter the issue instantly.
You see, following a healthy diet doesn’t always mean you won’t benefit from health supplements as well.
Are health supplements bad for you?
Another key talking point revolves around the ingredients in health supplements. Moreover, some people worry about the side effects too. Are health supplements bad for you?
Well, it depends on the supplement and how you take it. There is a problem in this industry with brands making stuff and packing the supplement full of bad ingredients. While you may get a nutritional boost, you also put harmful substances in your body.
However, you can’t pin this on supplements so much as you can blame the companies behind them. It’s always better to buy your supplements from trustworthy businesses, preferably ones headed by actual people with experience. Someone like Jason Huh is a wonderful role model in this regard. He’s an individual that’s lived and breathed fitness for years, becoming a pro bodybuilder and going down that route. Now, Jason’s supplement company creates high-quality products using the best ingredients. Thanks to his industry experience, he knows what should and shouldn’t go in a good supplement. Getting products from brands like this will ensure you don’t purchase things that will be bad for you.
The other issue stems from incorrectly using supplements. If you take a vitamin D supplement, but you take more than it says every day, you will see side effects. Usually, this includes things like stomach pain and digestive problems. The same can be said for most health supplements.
But, this isn’t a reflection on the products themselves being bad for you. If you take them how they are supposed to be taken, you won’t see any harmful side effects. In truth, health supplements are not bad for you as long as they are made by trusted companies and taken correctly.
Are health supplements dietary substitutes?
This is the last argument/question we’re going to tackle. You will come across things that claim to be dietary substitutes. This means you can take the supplement instead of eating food. The best example of this is a meal replacement shake. It’s basically a powder that you mix with milk or water and it can be drunk instead of eating your meal.
Generally, health supplements should not be used as dietary replacements. You should still try to eat normally, but you can use supplements to help in different ways. Be careful with anything that claims to be a replacement as it is never a long-term solution. Sure, meal replacement shakes can be useful in some scenarios – such as for someone who has trouble chewing food or swallowing solids. In this respect, the shake is perfect.
However, healthy individuals should shy away from replacing their foods with dietary supplements. For instance, if you need more protein or iron, you can take a supplement – but don’t cut protein or iron out of your regular diet as well!
So, do we need health supplements?
Overall, it depends on your personal health and any problems or goals you have.
If you just want to be a healthy individual that gets lots of vitamins and nutrients in your diet, you won’t necessarily need supplements.
However, they are useful if you have dietary restrictions or find that you struggle to get lots of a particular nutrient from your food. Likewise, if you have certain goals – like clearer skin, thicker hair, or weight loss – a supplement can give you an extra boost.
That’s the best way to view health supplements; use them alongside your diet to help you reach your goals faster. But, don’t rely on them to be the magic pill or potion that solves all of your health problems.