Looking to boost your health? Thousands of people pass away because of unhealthy diets each year. Even so, it’s one of the easiest things you can change. Without access to healthy food, choosing supplements may be the next best thing. However, what is the difference between vitamins vs supplements? Read on and let’s find out together.
What are Vitamins?
Vitamins are natural nutrients. It means our bodies can’t synthesize them without outside assistance. You’ll find them in the food you consume every day.
In most cases, you can buy these over the counter in several forms. Whether it’s a pill, tablet, liquid, powder, or capsule, you can take these during mealtime. Ask your nutritionist to help decide the right ones for your diet supplement.
Vitamins play a vital role in our bodily functions. Without them, you’ll find yourself more likely to get diseases and other illnesses. Here are some important vitamins and their functions.
Vitamin A
This vitamin is important for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and other body parts. It also helps keep your eyesight clear and sharp. If you have acne, wrinkles, and other skin conditions, get vitamin A derivatives. However, you’ll need a proper prescription first. You’ll run the risk of osteoporosis if your vitamin A dosage is above 5000 International Units(IU). It’s also detrimental for pregnant women because of birth defect risks.
Vitamin B Complex
It’s a set of vitamins that work together to support your body functions. They impact your metabolism, red blood cell production, and important brain functions. For example, vitamin B12 makes your pancreas, stomach, and intestines work better. Most people with vegetarian diets often lack this vitamin. It’s also prevalent in people over 50 years of age. It’s best to take vitamin B12 sublingually.
Vitamin C
This vitamin serves as an antioxidant. It helps your body absorb iron better. As a result, your teeth and gums look and feel healthy. Vitamin C is popular for boosting immunity. If you feel stressed, your body will lack this nutrient. It also applies if you’re taking various drugs like aspirin and birth control pills.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D’s original specialty is to promote bone health. However, using this vitamin for other health conditions is becoming more prevalent. It helps prevent cancer, improve immunity, and control blood pressure. This vitamin can also play a part in preventing autoimmune disorders. It’s easy to get since it mostly comes from sun exposure.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E isn’t a single form of a nutrient. It has eight different forms, with four tocotrienols and four tocopherols. It’s also an antioxidant that helps slow the aging process. At the same time, it helps your body produce red blood cells better. It also promotes your heart health and better circulation. For people who suffered from a stroke, vitamin E can prevent more neurological damage. It comes from its tocotrienol content.
Read Also: Vitamins that keep skin healthy
Take note, you must never take any of these in excess. Vitamins A, D, and E are fat-soluble. It means you can’t eliminate them by urinating. When choosing vitamins and the right dosage, ask your doctor. Never take the plunge without educating yourself first. Otherwise, you’ll end up doing more harm than good to your body.
What are Supplements?
You can take organic vitamins as supplements. However, not all supplements function like vitamins. It has various ingredients designed as a diet complement.
Supplements will typically include various herbs and multiple vitamins. It’s why some people also know it as “multivitamins.” They complement your diet, even with or without vitamins from your food.
Take note, supplements are additives. They aren’t meant to replace the benefits of consuming real food. As with vitamins, your supplement use should depend on your physician’s decision. Discuss with them before taking any supplement. Some supplements can hinder the effectiveness of some prescription medicine.
Your choice must never involve guesswork, even if they’re over-the-counter. Consulting your physician can go a long way. Get blood tests as part of your yearly physical exams.
Examples of Supplements
There are thousands of supplements that come in various forms and names. It often depends on the manufacturer. Some of the more popular ones include:
- Fish oil
- Berberine
- Echinacea
- Chromium
- Ginkgo
- Zinc
- Cayenne
- Magnesium
A supplement offers a myriad of benefits. It boosts your metabolism and energy levels. It can kill off pain and ward off various infections, viruses, and other deficiencies. Supplements can also aid in blood-sugar level regulation. If you want more gains, you can use supplements to build your lean muscle mass.
How to Choose Supplements
Whether it’s vitamins or supplements, you must know the best one for your situation. It feels overwhelming since thousands of brands and dosages exist. Worry not, here are some tips to help ease your choices:
- Cost
It’s one of the biggest factors for your supplement choice. It must be affordable without compromising quality. Some cheap supplement brands won’t use well-studied ingredients.
Without lots of research, some ingredients might not be effective. Do your research and think about the supplement’s cost-effectiveness.
- Non-GMOs
Avoid genetically modified supplements. They’re bad for the environment and community. It’s also detrimental to your health.
GMOs require heavy toxic pesticide and herbicide use. Some use glyphosate, a substance linked to lots of health conditions. It includes digestive issues and cancer.
- No Additives
Clean supplements free from sugars, coloring, additives, and artificial flavors are the best. Avoid potential allergens like gluten, soy, or dairy in your supplements.
- No Animal Testing
The majority of people aren’t aware of animal testing in supplements. Look for products tested on humans instead.
Vitamins vs Supplements: Know the Difference
These are some comparisons between vitamins vs supplements. The next time you visit a doctor, ask them about the right vitamins and supplements for your health. Are you looking for more health and wellness tips? Read our other posts and learn valuable, life-changing information.