Dietary supplements are used to add additional nutritional value to the diet. Some common forms of supplements include: vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, and enzymes, and can be found in a multitude of forms such as capsules, liquids, gel caps, powders, and tablets. Dietary supplements are becoming increasingly popular among Americans today. According to the Centers for Disease and Control, “Over half of the adults in the U.S. use at least one type of dietary supplement, the most common being multivitamins.”1 Many use these vitamins because they are believed to present a number of benefits, such as helping or treating diseases, etc. While dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health; Americans should also be cognizant of the health …show more content…
Whole food sources such as fish, vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods are the best sources when trying to consume a variety of nutrients. For example, phytochemicals, which are derived from plant compounds, contain multiple phytochemicals when consumed from a whole food, whereas supplements usually only contain one type. Another important substance not available in supplements is fiber. Katie Baker, a naturopathic doctor, states, “In the end, we all benefit more from improving our diets naturally than from adding pills and powders to a standard American diet of too many processed simple carbohydrates and fats and not enough lean proteins and complex carbohydrates (like whole …show more content…
Some supplements increase or decrease the effects of a medication, while others inactivate medications all together. For instance, medicinal herb, St John’s wort, is said to make drugs for heart disease, depression, HIV/AIDS, birth control pills, etc. less potent. Another example is vitamin k, which can lessen the effectiveness of blood thinners. Robert Mozersky, a medical officer at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), says, “Certain dietary supplements can change absorption, metabolism, or excretion of a medication and therefore affect its potency. “You may be getting either too much or too little of a medication you
The more the merrier right? Overtime people have continuously believed that vitamin supplements help the human body sustain a healthier body and well-being, however, have failed to realize the harm that vitamin supplements can do to the body; this is indicated by Paul Offit, the author of “The Vitamin Myth.” He states that over time researches and various studies have proved that Linus Pauling, the soul of the vitamin myth, statements of what vitamin supplements could do for the human body and or life. For example, the National Cancer Institute in 1994, researched smokers who were given various supplements over a period of time however those who were given supplements eventually showed signs of a more dangerous health state than those who did
UV exposure to skin can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause direct chemical alteration in collagen and increase matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production leading to collagen break down. In addition, ROS produce mediators that cause skin inflammation. Vitamin C neutralizes ROS and is equally effective against UVA (320-400nm) and UVB (290-320 nm) that are produced due to UV exposure and causes skin-aging and sunburns respectively. Vitamin C is most effective as it exerts its action interacellularly and extracellularly (7).
Food not only represents a culture, but can also show one 's personality, lifestyle, and financial status. While nourishment is an essential need for our survival, it 's value and effect on our everyday lives far surpasses its purpose. Food provides the human body with nutrients: which are the required chemicals and compounds needed by the body to grow strong and stay health. However, what if one could directly provide the body with the required chemicals without having to experience the bother of devouring the sustenance itself? That is where Rhinehart, an electrical engineer from Georgia Tech, introduces his Soylent Formula. Soylent replaces the intake of the required chemicals and compounds needed by the body, normally obtained by consuming food, with a faster and
Each of the three major macronutrients — proteins, fats and carb — has important and distinct roles in the body when it comes to weight management, hormonal balance, immunity, development and so on. Here are some of the most important reasons why we need each macronutrient:
When a patient finds out they are pregnant, prenatal vitamins are one of the first recommendations given by the doctor. Multivitamins are recommended to take daily before pregnancy to get the proper nutrients for you. So what is the big difference between prenatal vitamins and multi – vitamins? The main difference is the intake of folic acid that is provided in the two. Folic acid is a form of vitamin B9 and is required for DNA replication, which carries genetic information. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that leads to cancer. Folic acid is a water- soluble vitamin, which means it cannot be stored and is the synthetic form of folate (Greenburg, Bell, Guan, & Yan-hong Yu, 2011). Folic acid works with vitamin B12 and vitamin C to aid the body in the break down, use, and makings of new proteins (Gersten, 2013).
Dietary supplements are very beneficial to one’s body if they are taken correctly. There are many pros and cons to taking dietary supplements. In this paper I will discuss the pros and cons and how supplements affect the human body. We will also consider the government’s guidelines regarding dietary supplements.
Dr. Mercola, an osteopathic physician exclaims that the only reason the government wants regulations on supplements is to have power over consumers (par. 3). Mercola explains that if dietary supplements are bad for public health then why the government is not taking action for other substances that are considered dangerous, “You don't see Durbin beating down the door of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, even though coffee is the primary source where most people get their caffeine fix” (Mercola, par. 5). Furthermore the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) is doing enough to regulate the dietary supplements. As stated on the DSHEA mission, “DSHEA grants the FDA the authority to regulate dietary supplements in to important respects” (“Dietary Supplements…par. 3). DSHEA does give the FDA the right to regulate many different types of dietary supplements, so there are some regulations to keep Americans healthy and happy without taking away the freedom to purchase these products at a
The term “whole foods” refers to ingredients that are organic and closest to their natural state, which means they have either sprouted from the ground or have been sourced from animals. These foods contain healthy doses of vitamins and nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, natural sugars, and sodium. Fruits, vegetables, lean protein, grains, eggs, dairy, oils, seeds and nuts are the main components of a whole
Same may believe that all the supplements are effective however not all of them are ineffective Taking too much supplements can possibly cause side effects. It is true that Supplements that have more than one herbal ingredient which can be dangerous, Supplements that sold to treat illness and Avoid supplements that claim to improve sexual ability .It is not a must to take these supplements, people who take these supplements save time and instantly they damage their health It is said by Pieter Cohen, Cambridge health alliance gave some steps to use safe supplements .The perfect way to use supplements safely is to be aware of supplements you don't need. Use supplements only if you have trusted information that the ingredient(s) will useful to you. Accurate information can be found at the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Select supplements with onl...
The Journal of Dietary Supplements discusses the increased use of “Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)” and how it is becoming a need among physicians to educate and train themselves so that the idea of Integrative Medicine is a realization to the public (Litchy, 2011). This holistic approach allows the ability for conventional medicine to be incorporated with alternative interventions which, further enables the patient to decide which route of care best suits their specific preferences.
There may be a store near you where fresh ingredients can be easily found and purchased, that are rich in the vitamins and devoid of the items that are detrimental to good health.
A well-balanced diet contains all the necessary vitamins, and most individuals who follow such a diet can correct any previous vitamin deficiencies. However, persons who are on special diets, who are suffering from intestinal disorders that prevent normal absorption of nutrients, or who are pregnant or lactating may need particular vitamin supplements to bolster their metabolism. Beyond such real needs, vitamin supplements are also often popularly believed to offer "cures" for many diseases, from colds to cancer; but in fact the body quickly eliminates most of these preparations without absorbing them. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins can block the effect of other vitamins and even cause severe poisoning when taken in excess.
A supplement that is progressively becoming more popular in the United States are diet Pills. The purpose of consuming these pills is to help individuals lose weight in a easy manner. Diet pills come in many different variations that contributes to certain tasks in the body. Diet pills alone can have a dangerous effect on the body let alone being knowledgeable in knowing what diet pills are best for your body is very important. People who are consuming or looking into consuming diet pills often forget to look further into the product due to desperation. Everyone already knows that the best way to lose weight is by exercising and eating healthy; but since people are not taking that into consideration, it’s best to believe they are to the point
Investigation into the effect of storage or cooking on the vitamin C content of a food substance:
Herbal products are medicinal agents obtained from the plants. It’s all started 100 years ago by ancient people. Since synthetic medicine are not yet invented by that time, ancient people had invented medicine out of the plants. Through generations the original herbal medicine had been modified due to the new knowledge discovered and technologies invented.