Whether you heard about a multivitamin on a podcast or learned about turmeric reducing inflammation from a friend, taking supplements is a common practice. People get annual checkups and their doctors may say that they are low in certain vitamins or minerals. As a result, they start taking supplements to make up for their deficiencies.
The modern Western diet, especially the Standard American Diet, is not as nutritionally dense as people think. In fact, it lacks the sufficient vitamins and minerals that keep the body functioning like a well-oiled machine. This is because pasteurization, pesticides, antibiotics, and other chemicals strip food of the inherent vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin cabinets have most-likely doubled in sized within the last couple years. People pop random supplements mindlessly without giving thought to whether they need the vitamins or not. Below, we’ll discuss common mistake you should avoid in regards to supplements. Please heed this advice so that your health can benefit.
People Don’t Do The Research
Some people are easily influenced and they start taking a certain vitamin or mineral because an influencer takes it on social media. Perhaps the host of podcast raved about something and now you have 600 tablets of magnesium. Some people need to talk about supplements with their doctor in order to avoid negative interactions, especially if they take medication. Negative interactions can decrease the efficacy of medications, which can be harmful to your body. If you think you are deficient in a nutrient or want to add supplements to your diet, consult your doctor and do your research.
People Pop Multivitamins And Eat Poorly
Multivitamins don’t cancel out poor dietary decisions. Sorry, folks, but that’s just not the way the world works. Taking a multivitamin doesn’t balance the scales if you eat a lot of fried foods or refined sugars and carbohydrates. You still need to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. And don’t forget about colorful foods, specifically fruits and vegetables, because they contain beneficial phytonutrients and flavonoids. Some people do benefit from taking a multivitamin, but every person is different.
Doses Are Too High
You don’t want the highest dosage when it comes to supplements. Again, this will come down to a discussion between you and your doctor or nutritionist. It’s all about supplementing to meet your nutritional needs. For example, it’s very easy to take too much vitamin D. A person may buy a 50,000 iu vitamin D supplement that only requires one capsule per week. Taking one of those everyday is unnecessary and may affect other nutritional levels, or result in unwanted side effects.
The Focus Is Only On Probiotics
Gut health is a popular topic in the health world and probiotics are trending. Unfortunately, probiotics do not cure everything, nor can they. There are studies that prove probiotics to be beneficial for numerous conditions. They can help establish a healthier microbiome, but much like taking a multivitamin, you are not exempt from eating healthy. Some people do benefit from taking probiotics, but some people take varieties that are weak. A beneficial probiotic will contain various bacterial strains because diversity is key when it comes to the gut. If you do take probiotics, you also have to consume or take prebiotics. A probiotic supplement that contains prebiotics is beneficial because prebiotics feed probiotics. You can also eat oats, wheat bran, chickpeas, apples, garlic, asparagus, green peas, and cashews to consume natural prebiotics.
Not Taking Fat-Soluble Vitamins With Fat
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Failure to take these fat-soluble vitamins with a source of fat can affect the body’s absorption of the nutrients. Fat-soluble means that it dissolves in fat, which is why taking vitamins A, D, E, or K on an empty stomach negatively impacts absorption. Some manufacturers recently included coconut oil in supplements to maximize absorption. You can take fat-soluble vitamins after eating a handful of nuts, an avocado, or even almond butter on toast.
