As a woman, if you trust what you see in the media or on social media, it’s easy to feel like you need to swallow a handful of supplements every day to be healthy.
But if you’re healthy and you’re not pregnant, do you really need all these vitamins and supplements? Maybe not.
Find below the truth about dietary supplements, if they are necessary and how to be safe if you’re going to use them.
Talk to Your Doctor First
For some people, taking vitamins can help if you have dietary restrictions or can’t always get the right amount of nutrients. If you generally eat a wide variety of foods, you probably get all the essential vitamins and minerals you need.
Before taking any supplements, you should talk to your doctor first. Your doctor will know your personal medical history and can let you know if supplements are safe for you and give recommendations on which ones to take.
Before starting a supplement regimen, ask your healthcare providers the following questions:
- What are the potential benefits for me?
- Are there any safety risks?
- What is the right dose?
- Will this interfere with any of my prescription medications?
- How and when should I take it?
- For how long should I take it?
It’s important to get these questions answered and understand the risks and benefits before you add a supplement to your diet.
Supplements Aren’t Always Safe
The statement that dietary supplements aren’t always safe is unpopular – but it’s true. You might view a supplement as natural, but that doesn’t mean it’s always safe. And it doesn’t mean it’s safe for you. Even natural herbs and minerals can have negative side effects. Here are some reasons why supplements aren’t always safe.
Bad reactions
Some people have a bad reaction to supplements – especially herbal ones. In some cases, they can increase the risk of bleeding, or if taken before surgery, they can change your response to anesthesia.
Interaction with prescribed medication
Many medical conditions require a prescribed medication regimen, and some supplements can reduce the effectiveness of prescriptions.
An example of this is vitamin K interfering with warfarin. Warfarin is a blood thinner that prevents your blood from clotting, and it can prevent strokes and heart attacks for people who need it. Too much vitamin K can reduce the effectiveness of it, putting you at risk for blood clots.
It may not be safe for pregnant and nursing mothers
If you’re pregnant or nursing, you’ll want to be cautious about taking anything beyond the recommended prenatal vitamins. If you want to take anything else, talk to your doctor to make sure it’s safe.
Tell Your Doctors If You’re Taking Supplements
Many people forget to tell their doctors that they’re taking supplements or just don’t think it’s important. Because of the potential for interactions, it’s important to let your doctors know if you are using them.
A simple way to communicate with your healthcare team is to have a written list of all of your medications – including vitamins and supplements. You can make copies and share the list with your healthcare providers.
Dietary Supplements Can’t Replace Food
If you’re on a special diet or have food restrictions for medical, religious, or cultural reasons, some vitamins and supplements can help you replace some of the nutrients you’re missing. Overall, vitamins and supplements can’t replace a healthy diet.
To make sure you’re getting the proper amount of nutrients, you should eat a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods.
Here’s a list so that you can get started:
- Avocados
- Nuts: Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts
- Seeds: Flax, Almonds, Sesame, Sunflower
- Beans: Garbanzo, Kidney, Navy, Pinto
- Lentils and peas
- Lean meat: chicken and turkey
- Fish: Salmon, Halibut, Cod, Shrimp and Tuna
- Lean beef
- Sweet Potatoes
- Low-fat yogurt
- Eggs
- Collard Greens, Kale, Spinach, Chard
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms
Know How to Read a Supplement Label
If you do choose to take supplements, it’s important to read the labels thoroughly. You want to pay close attention to the active ingredients and other ingredients such as fillers and binders. Regulations on supplements are very different than over-the-counter medicines.
FDA regulations
You should consider supplements as an addition or an enhancement to your diet. Supplements are not meant to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any disease or illness. Because of this, the Food and Drug Administration oversees supplements, but the regulations are very different from those of other medications.
Supplements aren’t reviewed or “approved” by the FDA before being sold. The FDA will follow up on unsafe products or complaints, but this is usually after the product has been on the market.
Making health claims
Supplements can make health-related claims on their labels as long as they follow up with a statement that the FDA hasn’t evaluated the claim. Most labels should say they “promote” general wellness or a certain body function and should never make claims they can treat or cure any condition.
Quality of the supplement
The FDA has created a set of standards called Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) which create a set of standards to make sure that the purity, strength and composition of the supplements are within a set standard.
If these standards are followed, it increases the chances the supplement is made with integrity and can help reduce improper labeling or packaging of a product. If a consumer has a complaint about the quality of the supplement, the FDA will look into it.
Supplements Doctors Recommend for Women
Most doctors only recommend prenatal vitamins and folic acid for women of childbearing age.
Other doctors may recommend some women take calcium and vitamin D. There are many reasons a woman may need these vitamins, but it’s important to talk to your doctor to see if it’s right for you.
A Healthy Diet May Be All You Need
Most doctors recommend eating a wide variety of foods to get all the essential nutrients you need. Everyone’s diet and lifestyle are different, so you must make informed decisions with your doctor before you start taking a dietary supplement.
Sources
Dietary Supplements: What You Need To Know
Is There Really Any Benefit To Multivitamins?
