CATEGORIES

Featured Videos

In today’s day and age, you must be familiar with the term “dietary supplements.” But how do you know if a dietary supplement is safe to take? In this article we will shed light on the following questions:

          1.) What are dietary supplements

          2.) What are the most commonly used FDA / GMP approved dietary supplements, respective benefits, and harms of not using them?

          3.) What are the 10 features of high-quality dietary supplements?

Let’s try to answer these questions one by one:

What are Dietary Supplements?

Dietary supplements come in the form of capsules, gels, or tablets containing a concentrated vital substance that can be any amino-acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, etc.

What are the Most Commonly Used FDA Regulated / GMP Certified Dietary Supplements, Respective Benefits, and Harms of Not Using Them?

Since October 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) is responsible for the regulation of dietary supplements, FDA just registers any new ingredient to be introduced in supplements as well as register the company making it before the supplement is prepared or sold in the market.

          1.) Calcium Supplements:

They can include calcium acetate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, or any other calcium compound as the main ingredient. They are proposed to be taken with food because of acid production during the process of digestion, which causes the breakdown of calcium supplement and decreases calcium’s movement time through the intestine, hence increasing its bioavailability. Its recommended dose is 500mg at a time.

Calcium supplements are beneficial for any bone-related ailment. It’s safe to take for osteoporosis, as well as for use during lactation, pregnancy, and menopause.

If body calcium is deficient, that could exhibit as neurological, cardiac manifestation along with hyperphosphatemia, and renal alkalosis.

          2.) Vitamin D3 Supplements:

They are responsible for increasing calcium absorption from your intestines. Normal human skin makes Vitamin D3 in sunlight, yet not everybody works under the direct sunlight so there is a genuine probability for its deficiency.

Vitamin D3’s normal amount in the blood is 30 nano-gram. Its recommended dose is up-to 1000IU/day.

It is necessary for healthy bones, helpful in reducing the risk of prostate cancer, and helpful with some autoimmune diseases. Its deficiency can lead to mood alterations, pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness.

          3.) Niacin (Vitamin B12) Supplement:

Niacin is present in food sources like poultry, legumes, and bananas. It’s also available in supplement form with a recommended dose is 14mg for women, and 16mg for men above 19-years age.

Its deficiency causes pellagra; dark pigmentation of sun-exposed skin, headaches, and memory loss. Deficiency is reported in consumers of corn or maize because of the minimum absorption of Vitamin B12 in them.

Vitamin B12 supplementation is highly recommended for chronic alcoholics, anti TB drug users, and carcinoid syndrome due to potential deficiency in them.

          4.) Fibers Supplements:

Its main sources are fruits and vegetables, yet supplements are needed to meet the daily goal for some individuals.

Fiber supplements help in the prevention of heart diseases, varicose veins, and hernias. The recommended dose varies from 30-38 grams for men and 20-25 grams for women, according to their age.

It helps treat constipation, obesity, and it’s important for the prevention of hemorrhoids.

What are the Top 10 Features of High-Quality Dietary Supplements?

          1.) They are easily palatable.
          2.) Maximum bioavailability in minimum dose.
          3.) Causes minimum allergic reactions.
          4.) Safer for senior citizen’s use.
          5.) Safer to use by pregnant as well as lactating women.
          6.) Short term overdose of them is not dangerous for the health.
          7.) Are made in combination with other supplements
          8.) Minimum reported side effects.
          9.) They are capable of preventing diseases along with treating deficiency.
          10.) Fulfill the nutritional requirements of vegetarians.

Conclusion:

Dietary supplements have become a product of daily use. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new supplement, so you can effectively treat your underlying deficiencies.

—

References:

1.) https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1980/index.htm

2.) https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/supplements-a-scorecard

3.) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/niacin-vitamin-b3/

4.) https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-dietary-supplements

CATEGORIES

Featured Videos

Why 100% Standardized?

Natural dietary supplements, including vitamins and minerals, offer extracts that are tailored to augment your recommended daily intake of essential nutrients. Unfortunately, manufactures are not required to test their products for effectiveness and safety in the United States [1] [2]. No legal or regulatory recognition for standardization exists in the United States.

Standardization is a process that dietary supplement manufactures use to ensure batch-to-batch consistency of their product. It provides a measure of quality control for the manufactured products [2].

The safety of natural dietary supplements is jeopardized when a someone chooses a product with all-natural extracts that have not been standardized. This is because the you can’t be sure of the make-up of the product, its manufacturing process, and its safety unless it is standardized. Since the FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplements, manufacturing companies don’t have to show their products are safe before selling them. Because of this, only taking natural dietary supplements that are 100% standardized is extremely important.

Black cohosh is a natural supplement that many women take for treating the symptoms of menopause. But due to lapses in quality control measures, there were a few incidents in the US and Canada where the customers suffered from severe liver damage. It was caused because the non-standardized herbal product contained a different plant species with a familiar name. This is why standardization is crucial for ensuring that the product benefits you and ensures that it doesn’t cause any unwanted catastrophe.

So, taking the time to read the product label carefully before purchasing natural dietary supplements is always a smart idea. Check the supplement facts column and see if it mentions “standardized” and to what percentage, 100% is what you should be looking for!

Top 10 Reasons to Only Take 100% Standardized Supplements:

          1.) Ensure that the product contain all the ingredients advertised by the company.

          2.) Makes sure that the product doesn’t contain toxic chemicals.

          3.) Helps the consumers to choose a premium quality product.

          4.) There will be no irregulars among the products from different batches.

          5.) Will not trigger any allergic reactions.

          6.) Will ensure best possible outcomes that are expected upon its usage.

          7.) Such products contain tightly regulated quantities of the useful compounds that are beneficial for your health.

          8.) Help to avoid unregulated intake of higher doses and prevent cases of toxicity or ill effects.

          9.) Ensures the customer gets a completely natural supplement product.

          10.) As supplements are not FDA regulated, 100% standardization offers a peace of mind to the buyer by offering a parallel form or regulation.

—

References:

1.) FAQs About Dietary Supplements. WebMD. Assessed on 11-08-20, retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/supplement-faq#1-5

2.) Strengthening Knowledge and Understanding of Dietary Supplements. (2020). National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Assessed on 11-08-20, retrieved from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DietarySupplements-HealthProfessional/