Why should I take nutritional supplements?
Nowadays, many people take dietary supplements. Some opt for vitamin D3, others for krill oil capsules, and still others for multivitamins. But why, and do they actually help?
“Supplement” literally means “addition.” Dietary supplements are tablets, powders, and capsules that can supplement your everyday eating pattern. Because everyone follows a different diet, not everyone needs the same things. Still, there are clear patterns in today’s Western diet that apply to large groups of people.
Essential nutrients
After centuries of research, we now know which nutrients we need in order not to become ill. These are called essential nutrients. For each of these essential nutrients, a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) has been calculated. If you consume as much as—or more than—the RDA of each nutrient, you can assume you are supporting your body sufficiently.
Almost everyone falls short somewhere
In practice, it is almost impossible to reach the RDA for every nutrient. If you don’t like fish, for example, you won’t get important omega-3s. And if you don’t eat meat, you likely have a vitamin B12 shortfall. Older adults and children also often lack vitamin D. For them, too, dietary supplements can be a solution.
The RDA as a guideline
Every person is unique, every body is unique, and at certain times in life you need more of a substance than at others. The RDA is therefore a guideline: you may need more. Pregnant women, for example, are advised to take folate (vitamin B11). Athletes also often take more than the RDA of certain vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids because their bodies recover faster. Taking more than the recommended daily amount can therefore be useful in some cases.
Maximum safe dose
Some essential nutrients also have a maximum safe dose. If you consistently exceed that dose, taking supplements can be harmful. This warning mainly applies to fat-soluble substances. Before you start taking a supplement, it’s wise to check how much you can safely take.
Additionally, for medical conditions it’s always sensible to seek advice from a doctor or therapist before purchasing a supplement.
Other (non-essential) nutrients
Besides essential nutrients, there are numerous other compounds that can contribute to an optimal life in special ways. Think of specific herbal extracts such as cannabis, turmeric, or resveratrol. Nutraceuticals such as R-alpha-lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine, and ubiquinol are also worth trying.
Seek advice
There are many different kinds of dietary supplements on the market—even for something as simple as vitamin C. Information you find online can sometimes be too technical, making it hard to fully grasp. Sometimes it’s simply too much and you don’t have time to research everything in detail. That’s why it’s best to get advice from a reputable store, a doctor, or a therapist.
