Nutritional supplements have been around for decades and are often found in our foods and beverages. There’s a supplement available for almost every nutrient, mineral, vitamin, etc. If you’ve ever stepped into a GNC or other supplement store, your head can spin from countless bottles of supplements all claiming to improve your health. There is little regulation in the supplement world, and this has led to many false claims. Yet people are still buying and using them on a daily basis. Are supplements something that you could benefit from in your daily routine?

Are supplements useful for your health?

Many supplements claim that they’ll improve your health to some degree. Supporting heart health, decreasing joint pain, growing muscle, losing weight, the list just goes on and on. If you have an ailment, you can bet there’s a supplement for it. 

Just because there is a supplement available, is it beneficial to use it? That may depend on the reason you plan on taking the supplement. For instance, improving heart health by taking an omega-3 fatty acid in addition to following a heart healthy diet and regular exercise may be smart. On the other hand, it’ll do little good if your diet is high in fatty meats and low in vegetables and fruit.

Supplements are intended to supplement the diet and fill in the gaps as needed. The first step is to check your diet and see if it needs any improvement. Writing down what you ate over the last 24 hours or food journaling for a few days can show problem areas in your diet. You may find you're eating too many sweets, too many fatty foods, not enough vegetables or skipping meals and snacking too much. Dietitians are experts in finding these problem areas in your diet and helping you improve on them.

Taking a supplement before fixing your diet first will do little to improve your overall health. On the other hand, if you have already checked and improved your diet and lifestyle a supplement may be worth it. 

Do supplements live up to their claims?

There is a lot of misleading information on supplements and what they can offer to your health. Many supplements claim to be able to fix medical problems or improve performance with very little to no proof behind their claims. Many people will swear by a specific supplement because they felt better after taking it themselves. Despite this being purely anecdotal, there’s most likely many other factors why they felt better they’re forgetting to tell you. 

However, there are many supplements that simply offer to increase certain nutrient levels in your body. If you need to increase your iron, vitamin D, protein, fiber etc., supplements can offer help. Ideally you should focus on improving certain levels through your diet first, this may not always be possible. For instance, increasing vitamin D levels in the winter through your diet will be a losing battle. Although it can be done, your diet will become very limited and may even cause another deficiency. Taking a vitamin D supplement allows you to maintain or increase your blood levels while maintaining a broad and healthy diet.

Keep in mind that the greater and broader the health claim a supplement makes, the less likely it will actually work. 

Are they safe to take?

Most supplements are safe if taken as directed. Unfortunately, there are also many supplements that can be harmful to some. Given how broad the supplement industry is, it is difficult to specify which supplements are safe and which are not. Choosing a supplement from a reputable company is a good first step but caution should be taken with every supplement.

The supplement industry is poorly regulated and has little oversight. Many supplements risk being contaminated or having impurities. These can pose a great risk to your health and may not be obvious for years after taking a supplement. 

Many supplements can also interact with certain medications or make other health conditions worse. Before you take any supplement, it is smart to check with a dietitian and your physician to ensure that it is safe for you. 

The final say

Supplements can be useful to supplement our diet and keep us healthy. However, they can not fix health problems or a poor diet and lifestyle. Before taking any supplement ask yourself why you plan on taking it and could it be improved by changing your diet and lifestyle. If you do decide to use a supplement, consult with a dietitian and your physician to ensure it’s right and safe for you.