Dietary supplements are nutritional products meant to augment the nutritional needs of the body by providing a pill, capsules, powder or liquids to the consumer. Dietary supplements were initially used by body builders to augment their meal times. They were later used by sportsmen and women who wanted to maintain or increase their muscle mass. Nowadays, a wide variety of dietary supplements are available on Amazon supplement subscription for people of all ages and even for children too.
A dietary supplement is a chemical product meant to supplement one's meal with a tablet, capsule, powder or fluid to boost metabolism. A vitamin B12 supplement helps in the absorption of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin B12. A deficiency in these vital substances can result in serious diseases like osteoporosis and rickets. For example, a deficiency of vitamin B12 can lead to osteomalacia, a disease resulting from the bones wearing out and becoming soft.
With the increase in health-related awareness over the past few years, it was surprising to note that the number of dietary supplements is on the rise. However, the question we must ask ourselves is: Are they safe? Can we really rely on these products to remain healthy? The answer is yes and no. Let us discuss the safety of dietary supplements further.
The FDA has banned some herbal products like echinacea and Epsom salts as 'known' to cause death. However, the US states include vitamins A, C & E as ingredients in their dietary supplements. Are US states protecting their citizens' health by including these vitamins in their food? The FDA has stated that it is not aware of any case where such a thing had taken place. However, this hasn't stopped some companies from selling such products in the US.
Dietary supplements are not considered medicines and are not subject to the same stringent requirements as medicines. For example, a person can take a vitamin A supplement without fearing that his health will be adversely affected. The problem with this statement is that these dietary supplements can cause a lot of harm. For example, most dietary supplements contain large amounts of metals, herbicides and pesticides, which can prove very harmful for long-term consumption. Moreover, some of these substances have the ability to change the normal functions of the human body. For example, some of these substances can affect the blood pressure and cause a heart attack.
On the other hand, many people still think that dietary supplements come in only in one form - powder or pill. This is actually false. There are many forms of these products available in the market today. In fact, some of them come in the form of energy bars and drinks. Energy bars are similar to those energy drinks but they contain different substances and are not only low in calories but also rich in nutrients. There are many forms of dietary supplements available in the market today and people should choose wisely and according to their needs.
Check out this post that has expounded on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin.
