Your diet is important, and you have to make sure you’re getting your healthy balance of vegetables, meats, and more, to optimize your performance and your overall state of being. In many cases, though, the foods you eat can’t cover everything, and you may want to look at doing some supplementation to ensure you’re not missing out on some vital forms of nutrition.
It’s important to note that the term “dietary supplement” covers an array of products, which includes vitamins, minerals, herbals, amino acids & proteins, fatty acids, and various bodybuilding supplements. We’ll be breaking down some of the most popular products available, and go into some detail about what categories they fit into individually. So, with that in mind, just what are some of the heavy hitters when it comes to giving your diet a boost?
Calcium – An essential mineral for life, calcium serves many purposes within the body. It’s needed to maintain strong, dense, healthy bones (of particular importance for the elderly and those at risk for osteoporosis). You can find 99% of the calcium in the human body in the bones and teeth. It is also vital to our ability to clot blood, send signals through our nervous system, and allow our muscles to contract. The body does not naturally replace calcium, and each day we lose a bit through our skin, nails, hair and sweat. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to get plenty of calcium through our diets, and in the cases where we can’t, to bolster our intake with the use of supplements.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D goes hand in hand with calcium with improving the strength of our bones. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, so without it the calcium you get through your diet is all for nothing. You absorb Vitamin D through the skin from UVB rays, and that amount is influenced by the time of day, season, your position on the earth, your skin color, etc. To ensure that they are getting the proper amounts of vitamin D, many turn to supplements, with significant effect.
Citrus Aurantium – Also known as bitter orange, Citrus Aurantium contains alkaloids like synephrine. The benefit? Synephrine can stimulate beta-3 receptors in the body, which in turn boost metabolism, fat burning, and general energy levels. Also, the increased levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine within the body can improve focus and mental clarity.
Green Tea – Contained within this popular supplement are many compounds that help to raise metabolism and increase weight loss. Green tea is a source of antioxidants known as polyphenols and epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) along with tannins (that aid in fat metabolism) and minerals such as zinc, manganese, potassium, and niacin.
Fish Oil – Fish oil has generous quantities of omega-3 fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which increase your ability to burn fat and put on muscle. Fish oil can also be used to help with conditions of the heart, lower blood pressure, and control cholesterol levels, among other things.
Caffeine – You know it as the substance in coffee that boosts your alertness, but caffeine also helps stimulate your metabolism and burn fat for energy. In conjunction with the previously mentioned green tea and Citrus Aurantium, its abilities are increased even further. Caffeine is also commonly used before workouts to improve energy levels and get you in the mood for strenuous activity.
Glucosamine – For joint pain, this supplement may be the thing you need to ease your troubles. It occurs naturally in the body and helps with the upkeep of cartilage (which cushions your joints). As you age, levels of glucosamine drop, but supplementation can slow cartilage breakdown, and in turn improve the feeling of your joints.
Vitamin E – Though vitamin E deficiency is rare, supplementing with vitamin E is done by many to treat and prevent various diseases. Heart problems and related issues, such as high blood pressure, can be eased by vitamin E. Diabetes, some cancers, and some nervous system disorders can also be helped through regular use.
Folic Acid – In addition to improving blood flow to the brain, and increasing the risk of blood clots, folic acid keeps levels of an amino acid known as homocysteine low. There is also a link between Folic Acid and the prevention of Alzheimer’s, so supplementing with folic acid could potentially reduce the risk for many.
Multivitamins/minerals – No listing of supplements would be complete without multivitamins and minerals. They contain a combination of many compounds that could be skipped over by a healthy diet alone, and can be useful for improving general wellness.
Many other supplements provide a whole host of benefits to nutrition, but this is a great jumping off point for those that want to start exploring these compounds and the ways that they can help lead to a higher quality of life.
References:
Vitamin E; http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-954-vitamin%20e.aspx?activeingredientid=954&
Fish Oil; http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-993-fish%20oil.aspx?activeingredientid=993&
Dietary Supplements; http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/
Pre Or Post Workout: When Should You Take Whey Protein; https://www.onnit.com/academy/pre-or-post-workout-when-should-you-take-whey-protein/
Whey Protein: Health Benefits And Side Effects; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263371.php
What Is Nitric Oxide And How Does It Work; http://www.nutritionexpress.com/showarticle.aspx?articleid=286
Dietary Supplements: What You Need To Know; http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements/ucm109760.htm
What Is A Dietary Supplement; http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm195635.htm
What Is Bone Loss; http://www.emedicinehealth.com/what_is_bone_loss/article_em.htm
What Causes Bone Loss; https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000506.htm