Currently, customers are not short of products on store shelves. On the one hand, this is good, but less and less you can find balanced in composition. Due to the use of food additives, our diet was enriched with various taste sensations, but the content of vitamins, minerals and essential trace elements decreased sharply.
Now in pharmacy chains you can find a huge number of dietary supplements that are recognized to solve the problem. In the article we will try to figure out dietary supplement - what is it.
What are dietary supplements
If you look from a medical point of view, then biologically active additives are not considered essential components of nutrition. They are not needed for a full life. If a person’s diet is balanced, then he gets everything he needs from the products he uses.
With a lack, it is quite possible to change the situation for the better by taking multivitamins, since there are a lot of them in pharmacies. Then the question arises: dietary supplement - what is it?
Such additives are obtained by drawing from various organic and inorganic complexes. This process is quite long and complicated, which requires manufacturers to comply with all production technologies. Since private companies often do this, it is sometimes not at all profitable for them to comply with all the rules.
Because of this, there are situations when poorly purified substances get into the tablet or they are not there at all. For full assimilation, it is necessary to observe a combination of components among themselves, and this is often not done. As a result, most doctors confidently claim that dietary supplements are practically useless for the body, it is quite possible to live without them.
It’s good if instead of a useful pill, the package will contain ordinary chalk or a neutral substance, but there are times when even combinations that are dangerous to health come across. So think after this, dietary supplement - what is it, benefit or harm to the body.
The composition of dietary supplements
In its composition, all additives have various food components, biologically active substances. Among them are the following:
- Squirrels.
- Fats and fat-like substances.
- Vegetable oils.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- Triglycerides.
- Carbohydrates.
- Alimentary fiber.
- Vitamins and minerals.
- Enzymes of plant origin.
- Probiotics
- Beekeeping products and many others.
Despite the fact that dietary supplements can be purchased at any pharmacy completely free of charge, without prescription, but you should consider using them. It is better to consult a doctor to weigh the pros and cons, calculate the dosage and the need for use.
Classification of dietary supplements
Since biologically active additives are most often prescribed for medicinal purposes, their classification is based on this use. There are two classes of dietary supplements:
- Nutraceuticals.
- Parapharmaceuticals.
The first group of drugs is designed to eliminate the lack of nutrients. All synthetic vitamin preparations, amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids can be attributed to it. Taking them, you can normalize the diet of both adults and children.
Parapharmaceuticals, or they are also called bioregulators, affect the body differently. They affect the functioning of organs, increase the body's resistance to various adverse factors of the external and internal environment.
Bioregulators act more powerfully and purposefully. They are usually prescribed for the prevention of various diseases. But very often it is difficult to separate these two classes among themselves, since the same drugs can belong to two groups at once.
Historical reference
Traditional medicine has always played a big role in the search for means and methods of treating various diseases. At the dawn of the existence of mankind, this was a common need, since official medicine did not have such a development.
Almost until the middle of the 19th century, medicine relied on the experience and knowledge of folk recipes that had been accumulating for centuries. Information was collected, recorded by famous scientists of antiquity, for example, Hippocrates, Avicenna, Galen and many others.
Despite the widespread use of plant objects for treatment, with the development of the chemical industry, they learned how to isolate the active substances and make medicines on their basis. Gradually, they began to supplant folk recipes. Currently, we continue to observe this process, when every year a huge amount of new drugs is synthesized.
It was assumed that gradually the plant material will practically cease to be used, but it turns out the opposite. Modern synthetic drugs as a result of use give a large number of side effects.
Again, more and more often we are trying to get rid of our sores with folk remedies in order to do less harm to our body. Medicine did not wait long and decided to use it. So a new generation of medicine appeared - dietary supplement. What is it, briefly, if it is the official successor of traditional medicine, only in a slightly different guise.
Many supporters of the fact that it is biologically active additives that can finally cure a person, and not traditional medicine.
In which cases it is recommended to use a dietary supplement
Despite the fact that they still have not figured it out completely, dietary supplements are good or bad, but in medicine they are usually recommended to use them in the following cases:
- To quickly make up for the deficiency of missing substances, for example, vitamins, trace elements.
- To reduce calorie intake in order to reduce body weight.
- To meet the needs of a sick body in certain substances.
- To increase resistance to adverse environmental factors.
- As a preventive measure to prevent metabolic disorders.
- In order to change metabolism, for example, to speed up the elimination of toxic substances.
- To restore immunity.
- To normalize the intestinal microflora.
- To regulate the functioning of the body.
- Many dietary supplements are excellent antioxidants.
Based on this, we can conclude that biological supplements can be prescribed to almost every person, the reason and justification for admission can always be found.
The principles of the use of dietary supplements
The use of additives is based on some principles:
- The principle of functionality and system. That is, the effect should be complex, since in the body the work of organs is directly related to nutrition.
- The principle of phasing. At various stages of the disease, it is desirable to select various additives. For example, at the first stages it is urgent to eliminate the symptoms of the disease, and at the end of treatment to eliminate the toxic effect of taking medications.
- The principle of adequacy. It is necessary to prescribe dietary supplements, given the nature of the disease, especially its course.
- Syndrome principle. The purpose of biological additives should be made taking into account those symptoms that are pronounced.
- The principle of optimality. In the treatment or prevention of diseases, the dosage must be selected individually.
- The principle of combination. Supplements can be combined with food and other drugs.
Analyzing all the principles, it can be said about dietary supplements that this is a substance that must be used in combination with other therapy during an illness. It is impossible to cure with additives alone.
Recommendations for the use of dietary supplements
Despite the fact that supplements are not a medicine, there are some rules for their administration.
- Reception must begin with a small dosage to see the reaction of the body, and then it can be brought to the recommended by the doctor.
- For a more efficient assimilation, biological supplements are best taken simultaneously with food.
- If the dietary supplement contains calcium, then it is better to use it half an hour before meals or after, so as not to affect the acidity of the gastric juice.
- If a dietary supplement is prescribed as a tonic, it is advisable to take it in the first half of the day so as not to disturb the night's sleep.
- Supplements containing live microorganisms must be stored in the refrigerator and used between meals.
- Do not use the dose more than prescribed by the doctor, or the one recommended on the package.
- You can not take several types of dietary supplements at the same time.
- Biological supplements are stored in a dark and dry place. Not in the refrigerator unless otherwise specified by the storage instructions.
We examined the question: "Supplements - what is it and how to apply it?". Now you need to study the pitfalls of taking such drugs.
Danger and harm of dietary supplements
It is already known that dietary supplements are obtained in a complex technological way, a whole orange can be contained in one tablet, but its cost will be several times more expensive than fresh fruit. Trying to help their body, some use supplements in large dosages, but all that is superfluous is still withdrawn, which means that our money is leaking into the toilet.
Here are just some of the dangers that await when using dietary supplements:
- Price. Using supplements, we overpay for what we can get from fruits and vegetables. Only you can be sure of them, but dietary supplement, what it is, is not always clear. Maybe there are poorly processed substances or with chemical additives.
- Given that drugstore shelves are simply bursting with all kinds of dietary supplements, we can say with almost 100% certainty that there are a huge number of fakes in this world.
- Poor quality. Since additives are not a medicine and do not require testing, it often happens that many manufacturers make them without observing all the requirements.
- Low efficiency or its complete absence. Many, mistaken, begin to treat serious diseases of dietary supplements, respectively, do not get any effect, and the disease progresses.
- Psychological addiction. If a person is suggesting or self-hypnosis is well developed, then after watching the advertising of dietary supplements, he begins to take them in unlimited quantities, and this is already harmful to health and dependence.Supplements - it is harmful or not, it is decided in each case. Do not rely on the fact that the biological supplement will miraculously cure you of serious diseases.
The benefits of biological additives
It is impossible to take dietary supplements as a medicine, this is a usual food supplement. Although using with natural ingredients that our body needs can be beneficial. Given this, it can be noted that dietary supplements can prevent the development of many diseases or provide assistance in their comprehensive treatment.
Reception of dietary supplements is recommended:
- For the prevention of certain diseases.
- Replenishment of the level of vitamins, minerals.
- Strengthening immunity.
- In the complex treatment of chronic diseases.
Differences of dietary supplements from drugs
If you ask the pharmacist: “Supplements, what does this mean?”, Then, most likely, he will answer you that these are substances of plant and animal origin, that is, completely natural. You can name some features of the supplements that distinguish them from drugs:
- The active substance is contained in small doses.
- A milder effect on the body.
- Not toxic.
- The body tolerates them easier.
- Very rarely cause complications or give side effects.
- May relieve toxic effects of drugs.
- Do not accumulate in the body.
After studying this information, you already doubt that dietary supplement is harmful.
You should not believe everything that is shown and advertised on television, everyone has a different organism, the reaction to the intake of dietary supplements can be unpredictable. Take care of your health, lead a healthy lifestyle, and then you definitely will not need biological supplements.