Currently, customers do not lack products on store shelves. On the one hand, this is good, but less and less can be found balanced in composition. Due to the use of nutritional supplements, our diet has been enriched with various taste sensations, but the content of vitamins, minerals and essential trace elements has dropped sharply.
Now in pharmacy chains you can find a huge number of dietary supplements that are recognized to solve the problem. In the article we will try to figure out, dietary supplements - what it is.
What are dietary supplements
From a medical point of view, biologically active supplements do not belong to the mandatory components of nutrition. They are not needed for a full life. If a person's diet is balanced, then he receives everything he needs from the products that he consumes.
With a lack, it is quite possible to change the situation for the better by taking multivitamins, since there are a huge number of them in pharmacies. Then the question arises: dietary supplement - what is it?
Such additives are obtained by extracting from various organic and inorganic complexes. This process is quite lengthy and complex, which requires manufacturers to comply withall production technologies. Since private companies are more often involved in this, it is sometimes not at all profitable for them to comply with all the rules.
Because of this, there are situations when poorly purified substances get into the pill or they are not there at all. For full assimilation, it is necessary to observe the combination of components among themselves, and this is often not done. As a result, most doctors confidently assert that dietary supplements are practically useless for the body, it is quite possible to live without them.
It's good if instead of a useful pill in the package there is ordinary chalk or a neutral substance, but there are cases when even combinations that are dangerous to he alth come across. So think after that, dietary supplement – what is it, benefit or harm to the body.
Composition of dietary supplements
In their composition, all supplements have various food components, biologically active substances. Among them are the following:
- Proteins.
- Fats and fat-like substances.
- Vegetable oils.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- Triglycerides.
- Carbohydrates.
- Dietary fiber.
- Vitamins and trace elements.
- Enzymes of plant origin.
- Probiotics.
- Bee products and many others.
Despite the fact that dietary supplements can be purchased at any pharmacy completely freely, without a doctor's prescription, but you should think before using them. It is better to consult a doctor to weigh the pros and cons, calculate the dosage and needapplications.
Classification of dietary supplements
Since dietary supplements are most often prescribed for medicinal purposes, their classification is based on this use. There are two classes of dietary supplements:
- Nutraceuticals.
- Parapharmaceuticals.
The first group of drugs is designed to eliminate the lack of nutrients. It includes all synthetic vitamin preparations, amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids. Taking them, you can normalize the diet of both adults and children.
Parapharmaceuticals, or they are also called bioregulators, affect the body differently. They affect the functioning of organs, increase the body's resistance to various adverse factors of the external and internal environment.
Bioregulators act more powerfully and purposefully. They are usually prescribed for the prevention of various diseases. But very often it is quite difficult to separate these two classes among themselves, since the same drugs can belong to two groups at once.
Historical background
Traditional medicine has always played a big role in the search for remedies and methods of treating various diseases. At the dawn of the existence of mankind, this was a common need, since official medicine did not have such a development.
Almost until the middle of the 19th century, medicine relied on the experience and knowledge of folk recipes that had accumulated over the centuries. Information was collected, recorded by famous scientists of antiquity, for example, Hippocrates, Avicenna, Galen and many others.others.
Despite the widespread use of plant objects for treatment, with the development of the chemical industry, they learned how to isolate active substances and produce medicines based on them. Gradually, they began to supplant folk recipes. Currently, we continue to observe this process, with a huge number of new drugs being synthesized every year.
It was assumed that gradually vegetable raw materials will practically cease to be used, but it turns out the opposite. Modern synthetic medicines result in a large number of side effects as a result of use.
Again, more and more often we try to get rid of our sores with folk remedies in order to do less harm to our body. Medicine did not wait long and decided to use it. So a new generation of medicine appeared - dietary supplements. What is it, briefly if, then this is the official successor of traditional medicine, only in a slightly different guise.
There are many supporters of the fact that it is dietary supplements that can finally cure a person, and not traditional medicine.
When is it recommended to use dietary supplements
Despite the fact that they have not yet figured out, dietary supplements are good or bad, but in medicine they are usually recommended to be used in the following cases:
- To quickly fill the deficiency of missing substances, such as vitamins, trace elements.
- To reduce the caloric content of the diet in order to reduce body weight.
- To meet the needsick organism in some substances.
- To increase resistance to adverse environmental factors.
- For preventive purposes to prevent metabolic disorders.
- In order to change metabolism, for example, to speed up the elimination of toxic substances.
- To restore immunity.
- To normalize the intestinal microflora.
- To regulate the functioning of the body.
- Many dietary supplements are excellent antioxidants.
Based on this, we can conclude that biological supplements can be prescribed to almost every person, the reason and justification for taking can always be found.
Principles of using dietary supplements
There are some principles behind the use of supplements:
- Principle of functionality and consistency. That is, the impact should be complex, since the work of organs in the body is directly related to nutrition.
- The principle of stages. At different stages of the disease, it is desirable to select various supplements. For example, at the first stages, it is necessary to urgently eliminate the symptoms of the disease, and at the end of the treatment, eliminate the toxic effect of taking medications.
- The principle of adequacy. It is necessary to prescribe dietary supplements, taking into account the nature of the disease, the features of its course.
- Syndromic principle. Prescription of biological supplements should be made taking into account those symptoms that are pronounced.
- Principle of optimality. In the treatment or prevention of diseases, the dosagemust be selected individually.
- The principle of combination. Dietary supplements can be combined with food and other medications.
Analyzing all the principles, we can say about dietary supplements that this is a substance that must be used in combination with other therapy during illness. Supplements alone cannot cure you.
Recommendations for the use of dietary supplements
Despite the fact that supplements are not a drug, there are some rules for taking them.
- Reception should be started with a small dosage to see the reaction of the body, and then you can bring it to the recommended by the doctor.
- For better absorption, dietary supplements are best taken with food.
- If dietary supplements contain calcium, then it is better to use it half an hour before meals or after, so as not to affect the acidity of gastric juice.
- If a dietary supplement is prescribed as a tonic, then it is advisable to take it in the morning so as not to disturb the night's sleep.
- Dietary supplements containing live microorganisms should be refrigerated and used between meals.
- Don't take more than what your doctor has prescribed or what is recommended on the package.
- You can not take several types of dietary supplements at the same time.
- Biological additives are stored in a dark and dry place. Not refrigerated unless otherwise stated in the storage instructions.
Considered the question: "BAA - whatwhat is it and how to apply?". Now you need to study the pitfalls of taking such drugs.
Danger and harm of dietary supplements
It is already known that dietary supplements are obtained in a complex technological way, a whole orange can be contained in one tablet, but its cost will be many times more expensive than fresh fruit. Trying to help their body, some use supplements in large dosages, but all the excess is still excreted, which means that our money flows down the toilet.
Here are just some of the dangers that await when using dietary supplements:
- Price. When we take supplements, we overpay for what we can get from fruits and vegetables. Only in them you can be sure, but dietary supplements, what it is, is not always clear. Maybe there are poorly processed substances or with chemical additives.
- Given that the shelves of pharmacies are simply bursting with all kinds of dietary supplements, it can be said with almost 100% certainty that there are a huge number of fakes in this world.
- Poor quality. Since supplements are not medicines and do not require testing, it often happens that many manufacturers make them without meeting all the requirements.
- Low or no efficiency. Many, mistaken, begin to treat serious diseases with dietary supplements, respectively, they do not get any effect, and the disease progresses.
- Psychological addiction. If a person is suggestible or his self-hypnosis is well developed, then after watching the advertisement of dietary supplements, he begins to take them in unlimited quantities, and this is already harmful to he alth and dependence.
BAA - is it harmful or not, it is decided in each case. Do not rely on the fact that a biological supplement will miraculously cure you of serious diseases.
Benefits of dietary supplements
You can't take dietary supplements as a medicine, this is a common food supplement. Although the use with natural ingredients that our body needs can be beneficial. Given this, it can be noted that dietary supplements can prevent the development of many diseases or assist in their complex treatment.
Supplements recommended:
- For the prevention of certain diseases.
- Replenishment of the level of vitamins, minerals.
- Strengthening immunity.
- In the complex treatment of chronic diseases.
Differences between dietary supplements and medicines
If you ask a pharmacist: "Dietary supplement, what does it mean?", then, most likely, he will answer you that these are substances of plant and animal origin, that is, completely natural. There are some features of supplements that distinguish them from drugs:
- The active substance is contained in small doses.
- Softer effect on the body.
- Non-toxic.
- The body tolerates them more easily.
- Very rarely causes complications or side effects.
- May relieve the toxic effects of drugs.
- Do not accumulate in the body.
After studying this information, you already doubtthat dietary supplements are harmful.
You should not believe everything that is shown and advertised on television, each body is different, the reaction to taking dietary supplements can be unpredictable. Take care of your he alth, lead a he althy lifestyle, and then you will definitely not need biological supplements.
