Supplements

Nutritional supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, meal supplements, sports nutrition products, natural food supplements, and other related products used to enhance and replace the nutritional content missing from the diet. Nutritional supplements can be added to the diet to boost overall health and energy; to provide immune system support and reduce the risks of illness and age-related conditions; to improve performance in athletic and mental activities; and to support the healing process during illness and disease, to just name a few. Vitamins are micronutrients, or substances that the body uses in small amounts, as compared to macronutrients, which are the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that make up our food. Vitamins are present in food, but adequate quantities of vitamins may be reduced when food is overcooked, processed, or improperly stored. For instance, processing whole wheat grain into white flour reduces the contents of vitamins B and E, fiber, and minerals, including zinc and iron. The body requires vitamins to support its basic biochemical functions and deficiencies over time can lead to illness and disease. Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and pass through the body quickly, meaning that the body needs them on a regular basis. Water-soluble vitamins include the B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s fatty tissue, meaning that they remain in the body longer. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamins can be natural or synthetic. Natural vitamins are extracted from food sources, while synthetic vitamins are formulated in the laboratory. The only vitamin for which there is a noted difference between the natural and synthetic forms is vitamin E. The natural form is labeled d-alpha-tocopherol while the synthetic form is named dl-alpha-tocopherol, with the extra “l” signifying laboratory production. Natural vitamin E has been shown to be slightly more absorbable by the body than the synthetic version, although for other vitamins no significant differences in absorption have been noted. Minerals are micronutrients and are essential for the proper functioning of the body. Cells in the body require minerals as part of their basic make-up and chemical balance, and minerals are present in all foods. Minerals can either be bulk minerals, used by the body in larger quantities, or trace minerals, used by the body in trace amounts. Bulk minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Trace minerals include iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, chromium, copper, manganese, and others. Some studies have shown that the amount of minerals, particularly trace minerals, may be decreasing in foods due to mineral depletion of the soil caused by unsustainable farming practices and soil erosion. Supplemental minerals are available in chelated form, in which they are bonded to proteins in order to improve their absorption by the body. Herbal supplements are added to the diet for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. Herbs have been used for centuries in many traditional medicine systems, and as sources of phytochemicals, or substances found in plants that have notable effects in the body. Naturopathy and homeopathy, two other systems of natural healing, also rely on herbal preparations as their main sources of medication. The medicinal effects of herbs are getting scientific validation; about one-fourth of all pharmaceuticals have been derived directly from plant sources, including aspirin (found in willow bark), codeine (from poppy seeds), paclitaxel (Taxol), a patented drug for ovarian and breast cancer (from the Pacific Yew tree), and many others. After basic nutritional requirements are supported, supplements may be used to target specific needs and health conditions. For instance, athletes, men, women, children, the elderly, and vegetarians have differing needs for nutrients, and an informed use of supplements would take these differences into account. People suffering from health conditions and diseases may use specific supplements to target their condition and to support the body’s healing capacity by providing optimal amounts of nutrients.