- Vitamins are essential nutrients that the body needs to function properly and stay healthy. Many help regulate vital metabolic functions, such as growth, nerve function, and digestion. Fat-soluble vitamins - these vitamins dissolve in fat and can be stored in the body. They include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Water-soluble vitamins - these vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored by the body. They include vitamin C and B vitamins.
- Minerals are inorganic elements essential for certain bodily functions, such as growth, bone health, and fluid balance.
Most healthy people can take all kinds of supplements. You must always remember that supplements are not to replace, but to complement a balanced diet.
It is also recommended to do basic analysis once a year, to see the state of our health and make decisions about possible supplementation.
There are numerous supplements on the market that claim to provide specific health benefits. But due to limited regulation, it's not always clear which supplements are of high quality, and which can be dangerous.
Eating a variety of foods is the best way to ensure that you meet your vitamin and mineral needs. However, here we will present you with more information so as not to get lost in the world of supplements.
All foods contain different combinations and amounts of nutrients necessary for our health, such as proteins, healthy fats, fibers.
Fruits and vegetables, for example, are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, essential in protecting against chronic and autoimmune diseases and all types of inflammation.
Who then needs supplements?
If you are an adult, healthy person, with a balanced and varied diet, you do not need to take any food supplement. But as long as you are sure that you do not have any deficiencies. Today, the quality of food that we find in supermarkets is quite low, and it does not contain the amount of nutrients necessary for our body.
So it is best to get tested with your GP, and see if it is necessary to supplement for a while.
However, there is a group of people who should supplement if or if:
- children and adults with diagnosed nutritional deficiencies and diseases that cause nutrient malabsorption
- pregnant and while breastfeeding
- people after bariatric surgery
- people with restricted access to food
- vegetarians and vegans.
Children's supplements
Most children do not need additional supplementation, apart from a healthy diet.
But, in many cases, it is recommended that children or adolescents, especially nowadays, when the children's diet is of very low quality, and poor in meat or fish, that they supplement with vitamin D3, B12, calcium, iron, zinc and omega fats.
We recommend you discuss it with your pediatrician and make the decision about possible supplementation.
How do we know if the food supplement is of good quality?
There are many manufacturers that do not have any certification or good production practices. However, more and more third-party companies, governments and the European Union at the European level, control and verify the ingredients, the origin and the amounts in food supplements sold in Europe.
Most products that have been certified by one of these third-party companies have been tested for one or more of the following:
- the list of ingredients and the amounts that are on the label
- whether the product is free of heavy metals, harmful contaminants or other toxins
- product standardization in each batch sold .
Side effects of supplements.
The first problem may be the dosage. You cannot take more if you have not consulted with your doctor.
Also, supplements that contain herbs and botanicals can interact with various medications.
Be careful with fat-soluble vitamins, they are especially worrisome with regard to the risk of toxicity, since excessive amounts can accumulate and be stored in the body.
So, whenever you want to take a food supplement, before checking the origin of the manufacturer, the ingredients and it would be the right thing to do, consult your doctor.
At Tribu Naturals , we present verified brands, those that have certificates and give us the assurance of the high quality of the product.
We have chosen the best brands on the market that produce food supplements in Europe, using natural, organic, clean and verified ingredients.
All the best!
Naturals Tribe
