Stay Healthy With Supplements?

Posted by Deborah Read on Monday 6 February 2012 in Health and Beauty

Are you a supplement taker? Ask anyone in your office who takes supplements and you’ll be inundated with what people take and why. Some in our office take Vitamin C to stay healthy, others take pollen supplements for their Hayfever. Whatever the reason, a third of people in the UK take supplements, with the industry worth £13.5 billion.

What is the appeal of supplements? Most people like the fact that they can buy a product, which can be taken during the day and which has some impact upon their health. They don’t have to make big changes in their lives such as changing their diet or routines, they just take a tablet. But do supplements have a big impact on your health?

Firstly, it depends where you buy your supplements from. If you buy a product in a reputable store then the chances are that the supplement is regulated. Depending which category the product lies in, the supplement could be regulated under the Food Safety Laws as they are registered as a food stuff. Other supplements are regulated as medicines and therefore regulated by the MHRA.

However, if you buy your supplements online, there’s a chance that they won’t be regulated and therefore you cannot be sure what the actual ingredients are. Some supplements may have ingredients which are not safe for human consumption, so always make sure you’re buying your supplements from a trusted source.

Finally, Herbal Supplements must be registered with a Traditional Herbal Registration. However, this regulation was introduced in 2011 and therefore there’s a seven year transitional period. This means that some consumers may be able to get hold of unregulated herbal supplements, which again could include some ingredients which may cause more harm than good.

The supplement most people in the UK buy is Vitamin C. Vitamin C is known to be good for the immune system, so many people take the vitamin in order to help with coughs or colds. However, research has found that taking Vitamin C does not stop you from catching a cold or getting ill, but it may cut the length of time you have your cold. A similar product to Vitamin C is Echinacea, which is also known to be good for the immune system. However, when tests were carried out regarding it’s health benefits in relation to colds, the results were inconclusive.

It’s also worth doing your research whilst taking supplements, as some will cancel each other out or have negative side effects. Always seek advice from your doctor if you’re taking a number of supplements and see if they have better advice or a better course of action.

Certain demographics of the population are advised to take some supplements. For example, pregnant women are advised to take Vitamin D and Folic acid to prevent certain illnesses occurring during pregnancy and infancy. The over 65s and people with darker skin are recommended to take Vitamin D supplements whilst children aged between six months and 5 years are recommended to take Vitamin A, C and D. However, if you do not fit into those demographics, the chances are that there’s no need to take anything extra, unless you have been advised by your doctor to do so.

The fact is, if people eat a variety of foods, exercise often, get enough sleep and drink plenty of fluids, there is no need to supplement your diet with anything else.  However, it’s easier to take a supplement than to change our lifestyles.

This is true for weight loss supplements. £900 million is spent on over the counter weight loss supplements in Western Europe. However, there is little evidence that these work well, or offer a long term solution to weight loss. As well as this, many of the side effects of taking these supplements can be worse.

Supplements may be a great way to increase your health, if you’re in an ‘at risk’ group such as pregnant women, children and over 65s. However, by eating a varied diet, looking after yourself and exercising regularly, the truth is that you may be buying supplements and wasting your money on something that won’t give your body anything extra