When Do You Need to Take Supplements?

Supplements are generally taken when you want to have a balanced diet; when you want to ensure that your diet meets all the adequate nutrient requirements. But there are also instances that you would need supplements due to various medical conditions or in specific stage in your life. Keep reading to find out when you need to take nutritional supplements to help your health.

Menstruation

Menstruation is a time when women experience heavy blood loss. Due to this it is possible to experience an iron deficiency. If you are concerned about an iron deficiency during menstruation or have experienced fatigue during these periods, you can get a blood test done to confirm this and take iron supplements as recommended by a doctor.

Pregnancy

Another instance where women would need dietary supplements is when they are going through a pregnancy. Iron helps the mother’s body to develop the blood volume needed for both her and the baby’s need. Folate is an acid that helps to prevent birth defects and is advised to take until the h week of the pregnancy. There are also other vitamins and minerals such as iodine, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B 12 and omega 3 fatty acids that help pregnant mother to meet the necessary dietary needs.

Diet Requirements

Those who are on a specific diet might sometimes not meet the adequate nutrients due to the diet restrictions. For example, low kilojoule diets may be deficient in certain nutrients and this can be met with the use of a supplement.

The same practice can be adopted by those who have allergies. People with allergies have to give up certain food types and as a result will not meet all the nutrients required by their body. If this is the case for you, you can consult a dietician and get prescription or recommendations for the necessary supplements your body need.

Another group of people who may require a dietary supplement due to diet restrictions are vegans. Avoiding all animal products may be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. Some of the supplements that can help with this are vitamin B 12, iron, calcium and zinc.

Athletes

When you are an athlete and regularly exert your body, you will need to meet the right nutrition requirement in order to maintain your physical health. But, being an athlete also comes with certain diet restrictions such as low energy food intake. In these cases, consult your trainer and your health care provider about the necessary supplements you can take.

Elderly People

There are many reasons for the elderly people to be deficient in certain nutrients. Both mental and physical disabilities contribute to it. Therefore, thy would require nutrients such as proteins, vitamin B 12, fibre, vitamin D and calcium as well as antioxidants.

Those with Stress and Anxiety

There are also instances that the intake of certain supplements can help you with stress relief and anxiety. This include vitamins such as B vitamins or B complex vitamins, L-theanine and glycine which is an acid that has a calming effect on your brain are some of these.

Some of these nutrients such as L-theanine or B vitamins can be found in everyday food such as green tea or grains, meats and legumes respectively.  You can also get them from in other forms such as healthy drinks or tablets. For example, you can get supplements tablets like ginkgo biloba tablets from your local health store.

When it comes to most supplements it is necessary to consult a health care professional before purchasing them. Even if it is something that is in everyday use it is still better to know whether they are good or bad for your body, especially if you are going through conditions such as pregnancies.