Over half of American adults take at least one supplement once in a while. Many others take one or more supplements on a daily basis in order to get the best results. Why are supplements so widely used?
Supplements offer an accessible and affordable way to achieve positive health outcomes. There are a wide variety of supplements to choose from, allowing you to cater to your own specific health goals.
What are the benefits of supplements? How can they contribute to a holistic and healthy lifestyle?
Read on for five major benefits of supplements so that you can decide if taking one or more daily supplements is right for you.
- Supplements Can Provide Key Nutrients
One of the biggest health problems we face across the globe is not getting the nutrients we need to reach our full potential for a healthy life. The best way to get all of the nutrients for your body is to eat a well-rounded diet of mostly whole foods. However, there are a number of reasons why this may prove difficult or impossible.
From dietary restrictions to food sourcing issues or a low income, achieving a well-rounded diet can face many obstacles. Many supplements are designed to help your body absorb some of the nutrients you may not get from food.
For example, many daily supplements will include high levels of Vitamin C, calcium, iron, and B-12. These are all vitamins and nutrients that we need but often don’t get enough of. By adding a daily supplement to your health regimen, you can increase your intake of key nutrients, which can have a ripple effect of health benefits.
- Supplements May Improve Athletic Performance
If you live an active lifestyle, you may need even more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients than you realize. Athletic individuals may deplete their natural sources of nutrients at a faster rate. They may also experience more strain on the body, which requires increased protection.
Taking supplements that contain calcium, for example, may help to fortify an athlete’s bones. When you do things like jog or lift weights, your bones experience quite a bit of stress. Ensuring that they’re strong by increasing your calcium intake may help to prevent bone-related injuries.
Plus, there are other types of supplements that may increase an athlete’s endurance. Protein powders and pre-workout drinks are considered dietary supplements that can increase your energy levels and lower your risk of experiencing a “crash” in the middle of your workout.
- Supplements May Provide Relief
Many supplements are designed to target key areas of the body. Some, like melatonin, mimic or reproduce natural functions in our body that may be disrupted. In the case of melatonin, which is a hormone that the body does produce naturally, your brain is signaled to start winding down for sleep.
Other supplements may help to reduce inflammation, like Comfort Guard Natural Pain Relief. Many pain relief pills provide relief simply by dulling your brain’s response to your body’s pain receptors. Anti-inflammation supplements may work by helping to signal to your immune system that inflammation, which can cause pain, is not needed.
Many people like to try supplements to see if a natural approach to a symptom will work. This is not to say that supplements should replace your prescription pills without a doctor’s approval.
- Supplements Can Be Safe to Take With Other Medications
Many supplements do not have serious side effects. Typically, you’ll find that taking too much of a supplement is merely a waste, rather than a hazard. Anything your body can’t absorb will pass through your system quickly.
Because supplements consist of natural ingredients and don’t often come with serious side effects, you may be able to take them with other medications. Your doctor may suggest taking a certain supplement in tandem with your medication in order to see better results or experience more relief.
As always, never start taking anything–even a natural supplement–without asking your doctor, first. This is particularly important if you are taking any other medications. On occasion, certain supplements may interfere or interact with prescription drugs in an undesirable way.
- Supplements are Accessible and Affordable
Oftentimes, we want to improve our health but don’t know where or how to start. We may even discover a few possible options only to discover that we cannot access or afford them.
Supplements are not prescribed by medical professionals. While that does mean that you can’t use insurance to cover their cost, it does mean that you can buy them from a store without a prescription. You’ll find a wide variety of supplements in most grocery stores, drug stores, health stores, and online.
Before you make a purchase, do a bit of research. Is the company a reputable one? Do they test their products for quality and are they charging a reasonable price?
At the end of the day, almost anyone can find a good supplement that works for their body and their wallet.
Add the Benefits of Supplements to Your Own Health Regimen
Supplements are growing in popularity, from daily supplements to children for relief-specific supplements for adults. While supplements, alone, can’t overhaul your health, there are many benefits of supplements that may make a difference. Talk to your doctor and do some research to find out which supplements are right for you.
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