To Supplement, Or Not To Supplement, Is The Question

With so many products on the market and a drive to be healthier how does one know what to take? Who regulates these supplements and who ensures that what you purchase is really what you’re getting in the supplement. A healthy diet will ensure that you get everything you need however; there are some supplements that are proven to have benefits and may be ok under certain conditions but caution still applies.

The Federal Drug Administration is involved in regulating a variety of products, labeling and supplements. Supplements are one of their responsibilities, however manufactures are responsible for making sure you get what the label reads. In other words, if the product says you’re getting 600mg of Red Rice Yeast, that’s what you should be getting. If the product becomes unsafe after it’s on the market, the FDA is responsible for taking action. With that said, there is plenty of room for errors to occur.

Lets take a look at some supplements that have some research to back their claims.
Calcium is something that men, women and children need and can safely get it through diet. On the other hand, if your not getting enough through diet, it can be supplemented. Women in particular are at a greater risk of loosing bone density. The risk increases at age 30 when building bone density stops and maintaining or loosing occurs. Depending on your genetic risk and age, women should be getting around 1000-1500mg of calcium a day. If your not getting enough calcium through dairy, soy products or other foods that are high in calcium, you might need to consider supplementation.

There has been a lot of talk about natural alternatives to lowering your cholesterol and there have been some supplements that have legitimate research to back their claims. Niacin is vitamin B-3 and has been under the spotlight these days for its potential benefits of lowering cholesterol and more. The research that has been done shows that Nicotonic acid (form of B-3) has been showed to increase HDL by 30%. In addition, it has been proven to lower triglycerides and LDL. It improves LDL and HDL levels by changing its chemistry. In order to get the benefits of niacin, the research shows it has to be taken in high doses, which can be very dangerous and should not be done unless the doctor advises. Red Rice Yeast is another supplement that can potentially lower cholesterol. It’s a part of the fungus family and has been used in China for centuries for a variety of ailments and many other uses. When taken in therapeutic doses it can lower cholesterol by several points. In fact, Red Rice Yeast is used in many statin drugs.

People who are avid exerciser often wonder if they should consider supplementing by using amino acids. There are around 20 amino acids and the human body can produce 12. The rest have to be acquired through diet and are considered essential. The body uses amino acids as building blocks for protein, fuel and biosynthesis. When you consume protein, it is then broken down into amino acids and is utilized by the body. Supplementing amino acids are not balanced enough to meet the body’s demands for use. When amino acids are consumed via food, they are broken down and modified for use. Consuming more of a certain amino acid can interfere with synthesis and degradation. A diet of 15-20% protein (lean meats, fish, soy dairy) can insure you get the combination of amino acids your body needs.

There are more than 1,145,324,000 over weight people in the world and more than $63,615,000 is spent on weigh loss products in the USA. Some people suffer from medical problems that may make it more difficult to loose weight while most people can loose weight by adjusting calories and activity level. While all that money is being spent on weight loss products, just think of all the healthy groceries that you could buy that would better suit your weight loss and health. Weight loss can seem like a science when you’re trying to figure out how eating right and exercise is all going to fit into your life. Your goal should not be to not loose 10lbs by next week nor should it be to eat brown rice and carrots for a month or get the latest and greatest weight loss supplement. Your goal should be to have a healthier lifestyle by adjusting poor eating habits, start exercising and reduce stress. By eating a balanced diet that includes variety you will have a good chance at getting the weight off for good and reducing many ailments that can be caused by poor diet. As you know, exercise can lower your blood pressure, lower the chance of type II diabetes, high cholesterol, and reduce the risk of some cancers and more. Eating a healthy diet will double the benefits. For example, adding olive oil, fish, nuts and seeds can help reduce cholesterol, heart disease, colon cancer and more. Eating more fruits and veggies can help slow the affects of aging, reduce the risk of cancer, build your immune system etc…Having sufficient fiber in your diet will not only help fight against colon cancer but it aids in weigh loss and stabilizing blood glucose levels that can affect your mood.

There are a variety of supplements on market that do have potential benefits with real research to back their claims and I've only touched the surface of all the products on the market. Keep in mind that some companies have private agencies that do research on their product and as a result they claim to “have proven benefits” based on “their” research. These types of claims must be researched thoroughly before consideration and supplements should be taken with caution.
When it comes down to it, your money is best spent on you eating healthier, joining a gym or hiring a trainer and making lifestyle changes for the better.