Advice When Choosing Dietary Supplements
1. Not all supplements are safe – unlike medicines, there are no standard manufacturing guidelines – a supplement from one company may be very different from one from another company despite bearing the same name. Always choose your supplements from reputable companies – even if that means paying a little bit more.
2. Never exceed the guideline daily amounts – if you take multiple supplements, chances are that there will be an overlap in ingredients. The RDA (or DRV) of vitamins and minerals should be printed on the label – don’t go over 100% unless advised by a medical practitioner. More is not always better.
3. Try not to take all your supplements at the same time – ingredients may interact with each other e.g. zinc blocks the absorption of copper and iron.
4. If you are on prescribed medication, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before taking any supplements – this will prevent any interactions from occurring. For example, if you take statins, you shouldn’t take any grapefruit juice or extract as it prevents your body from breaking down the drug and can cause long-term liver, muscle and kidney damage.
5. Take supplements as directed – some are better on an empty stomach, others before or after food. Always follow the guidelines to get the most for your money and health.
6. Take your supplements with water at room temperature. Convenient as though it may be, swallowing your vitamins with a mouthful of hot coffee can render the supplement useless or reduce the quality of it’s active ingredients.
Finally, whilst supplements may be useful as part of a healthy lifestyle, they are no substitute for a healthy balanced diet. Only take them if you need them in addition to your five a day, fibre, water and exercise!
