If you’re thinking of taking supplements, but are unsure of which ones, here’s what you need to know.
Supplements help enhance your health, especially if you are lacking something else in your diet. Often some foods, no matter how healthy they are, don’t provide the right type of vitamins and minerals needed to obtain optimum health. But what are the best ones to take?
To keep your body functioning at 100 percent, and to keep the immune system healthy, the amount of veggies and fruit we need to eat daily, may be too much to handle. This is where supplements come in, as they provide many essential vitamins and minerals which may be missed from you daily diet. Especially on the days where you don’t eat enough.
For most, this is the primary reason why most adults don’t get their body’s everyday nutrient needs from food alone. Fortunately, nutrient shortfalls can be addressed with supplements.
Level of physical activity, genetics, medical history, age, and gender are other factors that influence the need for supplements. For example, people living in areas with cooler climates may benefit more from vitamin D, vegans or vegetarians may need more vitamin B12.
Speaking to a health expert is essential before trying or taking any supplements, the ones you’ll find below are most likely to impact your performance, immune system, and overall health for the better. Check them out, especially if you’re planning to buy health supplements online or in a physical store:
- Vitamin C
This vitamin is a proven superstar. It’s one of the most well-researched for supporting the body, especially the immune system.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that supports the maintenance of healthy tissues by playing a role in collagen formation. It also helps protect your cells from getting damaged because of free radicals. Furthermore, vitamin C is involved in other body functions, including wound healing and iron absorption.
The good news is that most vitamin C supplements can give you the benefits of up to six grapefruits, 16 lemons, and seven oranges per serving.
- B Vitamins
This group of vitamins is essential for the metabolism. B vitamins, including folate and vitamin B12, support boosting cognitive functions, preventing fatigue, energy expenditure, growth, and many cellular processes.
B vitamins supplementation is recommended among plant-based eaters because they’re likely to be lacking these nutrients due to the absence of meat in their diet. It’s especially true for vitamin B12, which is only present in animal foods.
Note that health conditions and medication use that impair gut health will still require you to take B vitamins supplements even if you’re eating beef, poultry, and eggs daily. That’s because gut health trouble may cause problems with nutrient absorption, affecting the amounts of B vitamins you receive daily.
- Beta-Alanine
Although beta-alanine is an acid that occurs in the human body naturally, supplementation is still essential. The reason is the molecule carnosine. It has been found that taking beta-alanine supplements increases by up to 80% the carnosine concentration in muscle tissue.
The dipeptide molecule is responsible for acid buffering during the breakdown of oxygen in the muscles, in case you’re wondering about its importance.
A significant decrease in muscle soreness and fatigue results from the nearly doubled muscle carnosine. It allows you to feel less exhaustion even when performing more work.
- Vitamin D
Exposure to the sun helps the human body produce vitamin D. The problem is that life has moved indoors now due to the pandemic. That’s why supplementation is necessary.
Note that vitamin D shortage will have a significant impact on your overall health because it supports the immune system and heart health. It also affects your teeth and influences your mood.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
This supplement is what you should be taking if you want a healthy heart, sharp brain, well-conditioned joints, and robust immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids also help in fighting Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease-related inflammation.
The best way to get enough omega-3s and beat inflammation is to take a thousand milligrams of the omega-3 supplement every day or eat wild-caught fish several times a week.
- Magnesium
Many people fail to meet the daily magnesium requirement of their body (400 for men, while 300 for women). This could lead to significant issues because magnesium is a crucial nutrient of the human body. Around 300 chemical reactions that keep the body functioning well require magnesium to be successful.
Osteoporosis, cholesterol imbalance, and heart disease can be alleviated with the help of magnesium. It may even play a role in the treatment of hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit, and insomnia.
Final Thoughts
These are the top six supplements for your everyday life. However, it’s essential to note that even the best supplements won’t be able to take the place of nutrient-dense foods.
While supplementation of the nutrients mentioned in this article may help support specific body functions, their true purpose is only to enhance your diet. That means you still have to eat as many healthy foods as possible.
