What Are Nutritional Supplements?

By Clifford H Woods 

Sometimes referred to as dietary supplements or even food supplements, nutritional supplements are substances or products that you can consume to add nutrition in your diet. These substances include nutrients beneficial to the human body and they include: vitamins, Amino acids, minerals and herbs among others. 



You can also find products, such as fish oils, glucosamine and Probiotics in these supplements. 

 There are many reasons why people use nutritional supplements and these include:

• To boost the immune system
• To improve mental and physical performance
• To support healing
• To enhance the overall health
• To reduce risks of age-related illnesses and other conditions
• To supplement inadequate nutrition

While supplements are mainly to improve one’s health, they are not treated as medicinal drugs or regulated, and this is why they are labeled as dietary supplements. They come packaged in form of pills, tablets, capsules and also come in liquid form. Taking supplements does not substitute for an unbalanced diet, however, they do come in handy when you have shortfalls and could provide your body with the nutritional support you lack from time to time. 

With that said, it is important to reiterate that they do not substitute your nutrients and you cannot compare the value you get from fresh fruits or vegetables with vitamin supplements. 

Who Should Be Taking Nutritional Supplements? 
We could all benefit from nutritional supplements. However, there are certain groups of people who definitely need these supplements more than the rest of us and these are:

• Infants
• Seniors
• Adolescents
• Expectant and breastfeeding mothers
• Strict vegetarians
• The chronically ill
• People with dire food allergies
• Alcohol and drug dependent people

The reason why these groups of people could benefit more from nutritional supplements than the rest of us is because they are more prone to nutritional deficiencies. A good example is infants and adolescents. These supplements could come in handy to support their greater need for nutrients because of their rapid growth. Women who are expectant or breastfeeding also require supplements to provide for adequate development of the child and provide health maintenance for themselves as well. 

People with dire food allergies and vegans compromise on certain nutrients due to dietary restrictions and these nutritional supplements could help them nourish their bodies from the low intakes of various nutrients. 

People who are on drugs, including those on medication, such as the chronically ill and elderly; tend to have lower absorption rates of nutrients. This could be due to changes in dietary regime or interference from drugs. 

 As you can see, nutritional supplements can help encourage a healthier body. Remember that the word supplement simply means ‘in addition to’ and this means that nutritional supplements should be taken in addition to a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. 

 It is always recommended that you follow the intake prescription and most importantly, you talk to your doctor or a nutritionist, so as to identify which supplements will be most beneficial for you. 

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.
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