Supplements should never be taken in lieu of a healthy and balanced diet, nor a general health regimen where you exercise and get good sleep. On top of that, natural supplementation can sometimes be enough unless otherwise instructed. If you’re in the summer sun all day as part of your daily job, odds are you don’t need to take Vitamin D supplements unless your physician outright recommends it, or your levels are low.
That being said, supplements can be an excellent part of a healthy lifestyle if taken correctly. But with max-strength variants, different vitamin and hormonal profiles and variants, and frankly a lot of bad science and recommendations out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. Walk into any health store and you would think that taking tablets morning to night and spending a thousand dollars a day was necessary for good health.
Luckily, if you’re careful and attentive, you really can improve your life with precise supplementation. Here’s how to get that balance right:
First, Address Medical Needs & Consider Dosages
Start by discussing any diagnosed deficiencies or conditions with your doctor. Not many people check for medical advice, but they can help tell if you have any hormone imbalances or insufficiencies up to a point, especially if they are causing your medical difficulties. They can recommend specific options like Thyroid supplements, and proper therapeutic dosages to bring you into a healthy range. Don’t just grab whatever is on the shelf, because sometimes max strength or certain blends are meant for particular people. A pregnancy multivitamin, for example, might not be the best if you’re a twenty-year-old guy.
Second, Consider Optional Utility For Lifestyle Factors
If you have no more medical needs, you can explore supplements that provide a general boost based on your lifestyle. Maybe you want more energy from a vitamin B complex, or vitamin C for antioxidants if you work outdoors.
For those who weightlift or work out, omega-3 can be great for heart, skin, joint and hair health. If you’ve had anxiety as of late, valerian root or Ashwagandha might work. Do your research on quality brands and proper doses.
Third, Consider Supplement Overlaps & Your Schedule
Once you have your regimen, double-check that nothing overlaps or interacts poorly. For example, calcium citrate and zinc should be taken apart. Also, ensure the schedule works – some are best taken with food, and others might be best before bed, such as magnesium glycinate which is known to help with good sleep. A little planning can help you avoid wasting money and effort, but it also means you won’t double-dose or go way over your comfortable allowance.
Of course, the final advice is to see how the supplementation balance works for you. If you start to feel unwell, or you notice side effects, stop use and refer to your doctor. Don’t do anything without medical approval, even taking advice in this post. That way, you can stay safe.
With this advice, we hope you can get that supplementation approach just right.
