Food supplements: how to best use them?

 What are supplements for?

To feel more dynamic and in better shape, to support the metabolism of athletes and those who are dedicated to fitness, to perform better in their studies, to lose weight or promote the increase in muscle mass, to counteract physical tiredness or relieve mental tiredness, to strengthen the immune system, to protect cardiovascular health and intellectual function, to improve the appearance of the skin and hair or counteract aging, to compensate for a specific nutritional deficiency.

The reasons that can lead to the use of a food supplement in recent years have multiplied in parallel with the number of preparations available, and the diversification of their composition, and formulations on the market.

But is it really so? Are food supplements really useful even in the case of chronic fatigue or just in case it's temporary? When? To who? And what can we realistically expect from their hiring? Here is some useful information to make the most of these health and well-being allies, without letting yourself be influenced by fashions or deluding yourself that you can become beautiful and very efficient with a magic pill.

When to use supplements and for what purpose?

There are many more or less essential micronutrients that can be included in a food supplement and countless possible useful combinations. Depending on the deficiency to be compensated for and/or the physiological objective to be achieved, the manufacturing companies have studied mixtures of compounds capable of supporting specific metabolic reactions and complex organic functions in a synergistic way. Here are the main ones.

• Multivitamin supplements

They are used in case of deficiency, resulting from a poor dietary intake or increased need, of one or more vitamins essential to the health and well-being of the body, such as vitamin D, whose benefits are not limited to bone health. They are useful in the presence of difficulty in eating properly, malabsorption syndromes, eating disorders, restrictive diets aimed at weight loss, or motivated by health reasons, after an infectious disease, surgery or antibiotic therapy. There are also supplements for the summer, which contain important vitamins and minerals this season.

The supplement can be multivitamin or only with vitamin C (or other vitamins as needed).

• Mineral supplements

They are indicated in all cases in which there is a high loss of mineral salts, for example with sweating or an increase in diuresis due to diuretic drugs. Their intake, combined with adequate hydration, is recommended above all during intense physical activity, especially if practiced in hot environments (for example, there are supplements for running or for the gym). The need for mineral salts (especially potassium and magnesium supplements ) is signaled by the appearance of muscle cramps during or after training. Furthermore, mineral salts can support normal intellectual performance in moments of intense study or work stress and can counteract the feeling of exhaustion due to the heat.

• Protein or amino acid supplements

They are indicated above all in those who are unable to take sufficient quantities of protein through food, in sportsmen who undergo intense training aimed at increasing muscle mass, and in those who go through periods of fatigue and psychophysical stress. They provide the substrate for cell and tissue renewal and help replenish the energy expended during physical activity.

For athletes, multivitamin supplements can also be useful. Among the vitamins, for athletes, we mention for example those of group B, such as riboflavin ( vitamin B2 ), which is important for energy metabolism.

• Energy supplements

These are mostly ready-to-use preparations with high sugar content, often associated with vitamin E or with water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and group B vitamins (for example niacin, thiamin or pantothenic acid, often also present in supplements for the over the 50s ) and, in some cases, to amino acids. They are used as food supplements by sportsmen before or during a long-lasting workout, as an immediately available source of energy, and in case the diet cannot include bread, jam, biscuits, sweets, cereals, and potatoes due to specific diseases. They also rarely contain polyphenols, which are instead used to protect against damage from oxidative stress.

• Supplements for the musculoskeletal system

In the presence of bone metabolism alterations, such as osteopenia and osteoporosis, supplements based on vitamin D and vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium can be recommended, while vitamin C is indicated, as well as for the prevention of colds and flu, also to support cartilage and bone health. If you have joint problems, especially those related to osteoarthritis, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate supplements may be helpful.

Supplements for the cardiovascular system

The main allies of cardiovascular health are omega-3 fatty acids , prescribed as a real preventive therapy to reduce the risk of new acute events in people who have already experienced a heart attack. Instead, the integration of vitamin B12 should be carefully evaluated.

• Thyroid supplements

For proper functioning of the thyroid, it is essential to take at least 150-200 µg of iodine every day: a modest amount which, however, many people are unable to take through their usual diet. Iodine can be integrated using iodized salt instead of common table salt, or through supplements that contain it in a calibrated dose. This second option, to be used as an alternative and not in addition to the first, is particularly useful for those who have to follow diets low in salt due, for example, to hypertension, and cardiovascular or renal problems.

• Supplements for the nervous system

There are several micronutrients that contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system: among the mineral salts we mention, for example, potassium, while among the vitamins, biotin and vitamin B6.

• Supplements for Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the gynecologist can prescribe various important supplements for the fetus's health, such as those based on folic acid (to be taken even before conception). Iron levels in pregnancy should also be kept under control, as during the nine months the need increases, and anemia may occur.

• Supplements for Sleep

Insomnia can negatively affect most daytime activities. To counteract this or other sleep disorders, various supplements are available, such as those based on melatonin.

If, on the other hand, episodes of daytime sleepiness occur, for example during the change of season, how can you get rid of sleep? In this case, supplements based on magnesium and potassium or containing caffeine may be useful, the benefits of which can help maintain concentration during periods of intense study.