HERE ARE A FEW TIPS…

It is well established that taking supplements—when done correctly and tailored tospecific needs—is a significant benefit to our bodies. However, it is by no means easy to figure out how to choose the right supplement.

From certain perspectives, it is important to develop agood critical eye, to understand what the positive features of one product might be compared to another, or what its flaws might be.

If a dietary supplement is essential for addressingnutritional deficienciesthat we cannot fully meet through food alone, it stands to reason that it should beas natural as possible. Our bodies must be able to absorb it as effectively as possible, and to do so, it must not contain any foreign substances.

People often mistakenly associate supplements with medications, and assume that, like medications, they should be taken only for short periods of time. Contrary to what most people think,supplements are not medications. Supplements are simply“concentrated food”—what does that mean? The purpose of these products is to provide the body with the nutrients we usually get from our diet. And as with everything else,good quality isessential when choosing them!

There are three aspects to consider:

1) Price –Always refer to the monthly dose, not the cost of the package. The quantity can be expressed as the number of units (for example, 30 capsules that last 30 days if the dosage is one capsule per day) or as the active ingredient (if I need to take 500 mg of vitamin C per day, I should take 5 capsules of a supplement containing 100 mg of vitamin C per capsule).

2) Quantity—the active ingredient, that is, the amount of the substance with the indicated physiological effect contained in the product. The term “active ingredient” refers to a substance that possesses a certain biological activity, including all substances with therapeutic (drugs), beneficial (vitamins, probiotics), or toxic (poisons) effects. Active ingredients can be synthetic—as is the case with most drugs—semisynthetic, such as aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), or natural, such as alkaloids and plant extracts used in traditional medicine or herbal medicine. Active ingredients constitute the pharmacologically active part of medications, which also consist of excipients.

In fact, active ingredients are not present in the same amount in all products on the market. The potency is simply the amount, expressed as a percentage, of the most significant active ingredient in that product; standardization ensures that each capsule, tablet, or pill contains the same amount of active ingredient. It is important not to be misled by product prices and to check the amount of active ingredient contained. Often, prices that are too low are an indication of low potency.
The amount must always be carefully evaluated. In fact, taking less than the amount needed to meet your requirements (for example, as indicated by the RDA) could reduce the beneficial effects of the supplement.

3) Ease of absorption— depending on the product, the active ingredient may be absorbed at a higher or lower rate. A good dietary supplement contains the most bioavailable form of the nutrient, ensuring it is absorbed in the correct concentrations. Often, the synergy of multiple components facilitates absorption and enhances therapeutic effects.  Our metabolism functions like a machine, and as with any well-designed machine, itsperformance depends on the proper functioning of each of its parts. For this reason, it is essential that the supplement be well-balanced and proportioned among its various components, so that its effect is optimal.