Vitamin supplements are products that concentrate a large number of nutrients and serve to complement food intake in special situations, but they should not replace a healthy diet. Undoubtedly, a balanced can help you get the required nutrients for your body to keep it healthy.
It should be clarified that, despite the fact that different names are used to refer to these products, the correct legal name is a food supplement in Pakistan. Food supplements should be taken at the doses that the specialist has recommended and should not be exceeded.
When to take vitamin supplements?
Food supplements are only indicated when the diet cannot fully meet the nutritional requirements.
To have a good diet, there are instruments such as the healthy eating pyramid or the healthy eating plate, which translate scientific knowledge into food and clearly teach us how to eat to cover our demand for nutrients and maintain health.
Is it advisable to take them?
Its use may be justified in some population groups or stages of life, for example, in the case of pregnant women, people with little access to sunlight and low consumption of whole milk products, vegetarians, people with metabolic disorders, or patients taking chronic medication that causes vitamin deficiency. Although these products are over-the-counter, health professionals are professionals who have the appropriate knowledge and tools to evaluate and guide the patient.
Are there natural vitamin supplements?
Food supplements are regulated by legislation. This means that its composition is determined.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, food supplements may contain amino acids, essential fatty acids, fibre, and various plant and herbal extracts. The labelling of vitamin supplements must include the name of the categories of nutrients or substances that characterize the product, or an indication regarding the nature of said nutrients or substances.
There are vitamins and minerals obtained from animal or vegetable sources, and synthetic vitamins and minerals. The purity and chemical structure of the product will determine its effectiveness. However, being natural does not mean that it is without risk. An excessive and continuous intake of vitamins and minerals can be harmful to health on some occasions, and this is what the EFSA warns, establishing maximum levels of admissible intake, taking into account all sources of the diet.
Does the doctor have to prescribe them?
To take nutritional supplements, a prescription is not necessary. . However, although food supplements are not medicines, they require appropriate and responsible use.
How do supplements work in the body?
The gastrointestinal system is responsible for incorporating nutrients into the internal environment. The chemical structure of vitamins and minerals determines their biological activity, and may condition their absorption, transport, storage or degradation and, therefore, condition their effects. Some studies show that the effectiveness of vitamins and minerals of natural origin is greater.
How should a multivitamin be taken?
Patients should always inform their doctor of the food supplements they are taking.
It is very important not to exceed the daily dose indicated by the manufacturer and to use it in periods of limited duration. It is important to note that food supplements cannot substitute medications prescribed by a doctor. If two food supplements are taken at the same time, you should check that they do not contain the same active substances. Finally, do not forget that they should not be used as a substitute for a balanced diet, they should be used only when necessary, to complete the usual diet in the event of a specific deficit.
What is the best vitamin for teenagers?
The best vitamin is the one in the food.
When for any reason, in adolescence, or in other stages of life, the diet is insufficient, food supplements can serve as support. But we cannot attribute symptoms such as fatigue or apathy, subjective manifestations that may be due to various causes, to a lack of vitamins; nor deduce, without an evaluation that justifies it, that the periods of examinations or of a lot of physical work, need multivitamins. A medical examination, an evaluation of dietary intake, or nutritional biochemistry, are tools that help health professionals to make a diagnosis and a personalized recommendation; It is also accompanied by a follow-up, to observe if the nutritional deficiency is resolved and determine when to suspend treatment.
What is a multivitamin and what is it for?
The legal definition of a food supplement is a food product in Pakistan whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet. These are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances that have a nutritional or physiological effect.
They are usually presented in simple or combined form. They are marketed in different formats, such as capsules, pills, tablets, pills and other similar forms, powder bags, liquid ampoules, etc. It is important to emphasize that it is useful when, for various reasons, the diet cannot be varied and balanced, let us think of a state that prevents a complete dietary intake; or also, at a stage of life with especially high nutritional needs, and that despite eating well, we cannot fully satisfy.
What are the vitamins I should take?
When necessary, it would be advisable to check that the company that sells the product is registered, being able to consult its registration in the health registry. And of course, we must be clear that these products do not have the property of preventing, treating or curing a disease, they are not medicines. They simply supplement the diet, what’s more, the labelling, presentation and advertising of food supplements cannot include any statement that declares or suggests that a balanced and varied diet does not provide adequate amounts of nutrients in general.
What are food supplements?
The term “dietary supplement” describes a diverse class of products that have a high nutrient content, and these are consumed to promote good health. Dietary supplements contain ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes and are often sold in the form of tablets, capsules, gelatin capsules, and powders, among others. Some examples of these nutrients are folic acid for pregnant women and vitamin D for adults and children with limited sun exposure.
According to the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” if people are not getting the recommended amounts of nutrients from food, it may be beneficial for them to take one or more dietary supplements. However, there is no concrete data that shows that such consumption will maintain good brain health or that it will reduce the chances of suffering from a chronic disease. In fact, taking too many supplements can be harmful to your health, but some groups, such as the elderly, vegetarians, vegans, people with metabolic deficiencies, and pregnant women, may benefit more than others.
Are vitamins and supplements safe?
Manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure that their products are safe before they are placed on the market. If a product contains a new ingredient, manufacturers must notify the FDA about the ingredient before the product can be offered for sale. The FDA will only do a safety evaluation (it will not give authorization) and will also not do an effectiveness evaluation.
In addition, manufacturers must make dietary supplements using a quality process and must ensure that they are free from contaminants and impurities. They must also meet current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and labelling regulations.