Are Vitamins and Supplements Worth the Hype? Exploring the Real Benefits and Risks

2023-08-20 16:30:00

Written by Amal Allam Sunday, August 20, 2023 07:30 PM

Many of us take supplements or vitamins with the aim of enjoying health, promoting healthy bones, strengthening the immune system, or for the purpose of building your muscles if you enjoy playing athletics and going to the gyms, but do these vitamins and supplements really support your health or are they a waste of money?

Types of foods are good for your health

For her part, Dr. Wafaa Mahilbeh, Professor of Clinical Nutrition and Obesity Medicine at Alexandria University, said that the nutritional supplements were manufactured in the United States of America, and obtained from eastern countries such as cinnamon, star anise and chamomile, as she was taking the active substance to treat constipation in star anise and working to focus it in order to be a complement. My food, and she also extracted from it a substance that helps sleep, but with great concentration.

She said that the difference between natural nutritional supplements and the herbs themselves is that they were manufactured with great concentration in the form of a supplement, noting that all supplement factories were under the supervision of the US Food and Drug Administration “FDA”, until 1986, when they went to the US Congress and demanded that their products not be subjected to Their companies were monitored by the US Food and Drug Administration, under the pretext that they are natural supplements because they are included in foods and not medicines, and Congress agreed to that, and this led to health problems, as the lack of control allowed them to add some unauthorized substances, and put them inside the food supplement bulletin.

Seafood containing vitamin D as an alternative to supplementation

She pointed out that there is a drug called a supplement to suppress appetite, and when we noticed the presence of complications and side effects from it, we analyzed it at the Higher Institute of Health and the laboratories of the College of Pharmacy in Alexandria, because it was causing headaches and imbalances in the thyroid gland, and people were taking these drugs such as “bonbon”.

She indicated that we found an abnormal substance in these nutritional supplements that acts on the satiety centers in the brain, and causes symptoms such as headache, high pressure, and thyroid dysfunction. “.

She said that nutritional supplements should not be taken except when a full examination is performed and the necessary tests and analyzes are performed, to find out the cause and the lack of vitamins in the body.

And she warned once morest taking vitamin D unnecessarily, explaining that consuming large amounts of vitamin D without reason and for a long time can cause vitamin D poisoning because it accumulates in the body, and this applies to vitamin A, so analyzes must be done before Take any supplements, because some may take nutritional supplements throughout their lives and buy a box containing 1000 tablets from abroad, because they are sold at special prices, and they can be taken for 3 years and this has nothing to do with medicine and supplements should not be taken for long years without a medical reason or a decrease in an element specific.

She said that natural sources must be followed to get the maximum benefit, and not to resort for supplements Except when necessary, explaining that to prevent a deficiency in vitamin D, one must be exposed to the sun daily for 15 minutes and eat egg yolks and fatty fish, adding that it is necessary to eat natural foods, change our lifestyle, choose the best food, quit smoking, and change not only lifestyle. Healthy foods, but by quitting passive and active smoking, explaining that smoking is the cause of 30% of immune diseases in children and adults.

She indicated that the melatonin hormone responsible for sleep is only secreted at night, and when the room is completely dark, and this hormone is only secreted in the availability of these conditions, and if these conditions are met and this does not help sleep, it is possible to resort to melatonin supplements, provided that the supplements are purchased from Reliable sources, and the ingredients must be accurately written on them.

She pointed out that creatine is taken only when the patient is exposed to muscle breakdown, or people who exercise take creatine, which is a mistake because it causes many complications, and the average person does not need to build these muscles, but if he wants to build muscles, he frequents gyms and enters competitions. It can be eaten, explaining that creatine is found in our food, such as fish, milk, meat, eggs and birds.

And according to the “Daily Mail” website, nutritionists warn that in many cases, there is little evidence that a supplement will have the described health benefits that it claims.

The Daily Mail lists 5 of the most popular supplements:

creatine

Recently recognized as the second most popular supplement in America, this powder is commonly used by gym-goers, for its ability to boost energy – allowing muscles to work harder – improve recovery – and promote growth Science suggests this supplement may help people improve their strength and muscle growth Faster, a separate 2022 meta-analysis analyzing 12 studies found that the supplement was an effective form of supplement for muscle growth in healthy young men.

magnesium

This “super grain” is said to help with a wide range of ailments from muscle aches to migraines and low energy. It is found naturally in foods such as spinach, nuts, salmon and beef.

Experts say those who eat a well-balanced diet should get enough of these sources and won’t need to take an additional supplement, but many still take it both to avoid deficiency and reap the benefits of their purported health benefits.

“Sometimes marketed as a ‘super pill’, magnesium supplements can fix a long list of ailments such as muscle tension, low energy and trouble sleeping,” said Dr. Bruce Bistrian of Harvard Medical School.

Some nutrition experts suggest that taking magnesium can help athletes fight muscle cramps because muscles use the nutrient to help them contract, and when not enough is available, it may cause cramps. It appears that magnesium can help the group avoid leg cramps — especially at night. Scientists have generally concluded that taking magnesium supplements is safe.

melatonin

In today’s busy world, it can be difficult to fall asleep. To remedy this problem, one in four American adults — or a quarter of the population — take melatonin tablets occasionally or regularly. Melatonin is produced naturally in the brain when sunlight fades to promote feelings of sleepiness.

Melatonin supplements claim to enhance this process, and can help shorten the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, as well as extend the time a person remains asleep. Once the supplement is taken, it is absorbed into the bloodstream within 30 minutes and travels to the brain.

Vitamin D

This vitamin, which is usually obtained from sunlight, has gained popularity during the coronavirus pandemic amid claims that it can protect a person from infection.

Vitamin D is formed naturally when the body is exposed to sunlight, as an adult needs only 10 to 15 minutes a day to get the recommended daily dose.

Experts say everyone should get enough of this vitamin every day naturally, even through cloudy skies in winter.

It is suggested that the vitamin can help strengthen bones by increasing the amount of calcium the body absorbs. However, major studies do not indicate that taking vitamin D strengthens bones in healthy middle-aged and older adults. There is also limited evidence to support claims that The vitamin helped protect once morest corona.

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