So, what IS the truth?
The truth is that nutritional supplements can help support your whole health on a daily basis.
But, this depends on the kind of supplements you’re taking, and why you’re taking them in the first place.
To explain, here’s one reason why you shouldn’t take nutritional supplements, and two reasons why you should.
Why you shouldn’t take nutritional supplements
Unfortunately, many people who start taking supplements think they are a modern “quick fix” for common health or lifestyle problems.
You only need to walk into your local drug store to understand that.
Take, for example, the overwhelming amount of “fat-burning” and “metabolism-increasing” pills available.
Many people, unfortunately, believe they can take these supplements and reap their benefits, without setting a foot inside a gym.
That’s because they have been lulled into thinking that as long as they take swallow a certain supplement, they’ll automatically be “healthier”—even if they continue to eat junk and sit in front of the TV all day.
And that’s where they’re wrong.
Being healthy is about achieving balance in every aspect of your lifestyle.
And while supplements can help if your diet is lacking in some nutrients, they can’t fix everything—and certainly not overnight.
Why you should take nutritional supplements
With that noted, there are many good reasons illustrating why, how, and when you should consider taking a nutritional supplement.
But they all boil down to these two, core reasons:
- To support your overall health, and
- To ensure you get enough trace minerals and vitamins
They’re a wonderful tool that helps support your health
We all have “up” days and “down” days.
Whether that’s to do with your mood, your energy levels, or your diet. And often, it’s during those “down” days that your body is calling out for better nutrition so that you can function at your best despite not feeling “with it.”
And with the right kind of nutritional supplement, you can help support your body with vitamins and minerals even on those “down” days. Which will help you bounce back to your normal, stable self even faster.
They ensure your body is getting enough vitamins and minerals
If for whatever reason you have a restricted diet, supplements can help make sure you’re not missing out on any important minerals or vitamins.
Vegan, Kosher, Halal, dairy allergies, nut allergies, and so on—all are situations where it may be wise for someone to take nutritional supplements.
For example: vegans and vegetarians are often recommended iron and calcium tablets. As they don’t eat red meat or drink milk, their iron and calcium levels can be naturally lower than those of the average person, so a supplement would solve that for them.
In addition, supplements give those with nut or fish allergies the opportunity to get enough Omega-3 fatty acids (which are primarily found in in walnuts and oily fish). With plant-based Omega-3 supplements available, they can still reap the benefits of Omega-3s, without compromising their allergies.
The bottom line? Supplements can be very helpful...as long as you do use them wisely.
Is Omega-3 Good to Take Daily?
If you choose to take omega-3s, it’s generally recommended that you take them daily. As with any supplement, it’s up to you to decide whether you believe the potential benefits are worth the risks. It’s best to consult with your doctor as you make this decision, particularly if you have any chronic medical conditions or are taking any medications.
Traditionally, the advice has been to be careful about combining omega-3s with any type of blood thinners – even over-the-counter medications that cause blood thinning, like ibuprofen. The worry was that omega-3s reduce the risk of blood clots, so combining them with other medications that also do this might increase the risk of excessive bleeding.
While this is a reasonable concern, there’s now an abundance of scientific evidence demonstrating that omega-3s do not actually increase[2] bleeding risk. Although it’s always best to talk with your doctor before starting any new supplement, there’s also no evidence that taking omega-3s will increase your risk of bleeding.
Does vegan omega-3 have as many benefits as fish oil?
If you’re looking to get the full benefits of an omega-3 supplement, then you’ll want to make sure that you’re choosing one with balanced levels of EPA, DHA, and DPA. Because each of these compounds has been shown to have its own benefits, you need all of them to ensure that you’re not missing out on any of the benefits of omega-3s. In most cases, the levels of all of these long-chain omega-3s are very low in plant-based supplements. Fish oil usually contains EPA and DHA, although the levels are variable, and the levels of DPA in fish oil are generally low.
There are also plant-based sources of all three of these fatty acids. The advantage of using plant sources is that it avoids the potential mercury toxicity of fatty fish, and is also suitable for people following a plant-based diet.