Healthy supplements are all the rage, and you’ve probably taken some in your life. They’ve grown in popularity over the years, mainly down to increases in scientific studies relating to the human body and all the nutrients we need. However, you’ve definitely got lots of questions surrounding this topic. I know I was baffled about health supplements when I first heard about them. Are they good? What do they do? Do I need them? So, I did some research and found the answers to these questions. As luck would have it, you’ve landed on this article, and now you will also have the answers!

That’s right, today’s post is all about health supplements. From supplements for fitness performance to natural ones like kratom from places like konakratom.com, there are many questions to be answered. I’ll try to answer the biggest questions on this topic, so read on if you want to learn more…

What are health supplements & what do they do?

Firstly, what the heck are health supplements?! While they may seem confusing, you can actually define them pretty easily. In essence, a health supplement is a substance that aids your health in a specific way. The key is that it doesn’t come directly from your diet or the foods you eat – it’s something you take in addition to that. The best way to think about it is that you’re merely supplementing your diet. 

One of the reasons I was confused about health supplements is that they come in loads of different forms. Honestly, it’s crazy how many different supplements are available, along with the different formats. For instance, you have vitamin supplements, protein supplements, digestive supplements, and so on. Then, within these categories, you have powders, pills, gummies, sprays, etc. 

So, what do health supplements do? Well, I can’t answer that question without talking about each individual supplement. Why? Because each one does something different. A protein supplement is used to help you build muscle. A vitamin supplement is used to boost the immune system or improve hair growth. It all depends on the specific supplement you take! Still, the basic explanation is that health supplements look to improve your body and overall health in one way or another. 

Are supplements legal?

Another reason this world confused me was that health supplements can sometimes seem similar to other things. I’m thinking more about steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. If you’re working out in the gym, you’re often told to take protein shakes, creatine supplements, or other health supplements to boost your gains. It’s not frowned upon, yet how is it different from taking steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs?

For starters, health supplements are legal and tested by the FDA. They don’t provide any unnatural side effects or ridiculous boosts in performance. Drinking a protein shake won’t make you turn into the Incredible Hulk! By comparison, PEDs are considered illegal, and they aren’t sold over-the-counter or on legal websites. This is largely because they provide harmful side effects that can lead to long-term health problems. 

Don’t worry about this as the key thing to know is that health supplements are good for you and legal. You’re unlikely to stumble upon a site that sells PEDs, so you’ll never encounter them. 

Do I need to take health supplements?

Now, this is where things get a little bit confusing and murky. Do you actually need to take any health supplements? It’s really hard to say! Some people can go through life without needing any supplements at all. This is because you get all the nutrients and vitamins from your diet, so there’s no need to supplement it with anything. Of course, this isn’t the reality for most people in modern times. Some of us will be deficient in one nutrient or need a boost of a certain vitamin, etc. 

So, I think it makes more sense to disregard this question and think of a better one. How do I know if I need health supplements? Obviously, I’m no expert, but here are a few things you can do to know if a supplement or two is necessary for your life:

Speak to a trained professional

Yep, the best course of action is to speak to someone that knows what they’re talking about. You could visit your doctor and get some tests done, which should tell you a lot about your diet and the nutrients you lack. If you don’t want to do this, some websites let you set up consultations with professionals. I believe a site called Blue Sky Vitamin provides consultations with nutritionist Dr. Ron Ledoux. The good thing about online consultations is that it can be done at home. Basically, a nutritionist will ask various questions to understand your diet and health. From here, they make suggestions based on what is right for you. This could mean taking a specific supplement, or it might mean adjusting your diet. 

Keep a food diary

Another smart idea is to keep track of all the food and drink you consume. Use an app like MyFitnessPal to log all of your meals for a week. You don’t technically need an app, but it helps with the next steps for sure. Once you have your diary, add up the totals for all the different nutrients you consumed throughout the week. This includes protein, carbs, fats, sugar, vitamins, etc. By using an app, all of this is instantly done for you. 

You can then look online for the nutritional guidelines that state how much of a certain thing a person should be eating. Compare your consumption to the charts, and you’ll soon notice if you lack in one or two areas. For example, you may see that you aren’t getting much protein in your diet. As such, you could take a supplement to give yourself a little boost. 

Do you get much sunlight?

Do you live somewhere that doesn’t get much sunlight throughout the year? If so, you’re likely to be deficient in vitamin D. This is a vital vitamin that helps with lots of bodily functions, including the immune system. In fact, there’s been a link between vitamin D and coronavirus in recent months. Without going into too much depth, it’s considered that people lacking in vitamin D find it harder to avoid and shake off the virus. 

Anyway, you can’t get vitamin D from your diet, and the main way is through the sun. If it’s cloudy or you spend a lot of time indoors, you’re likely to be deficient. Here, it makes sense to take a vitamin D supplement every day. 

Are you vegetarian/vegan?

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you may need certain health supplements. The nature of your diet means you tend to lack iron and vitamin B12. This isn’t always the case, but you have to seriously adapt your dietary preferences to eat enough foods that bump these things up. Instead, most vegans/vegetarians will take a B12 supplement, and possibly an iron one. 

A good sign that you’re deficient in these things is if you’re constantly tired and lightheaded. If you sleep well and still feel lethargic, this could be why. 

Conclusion

To conclude, health supplements can be beneficial if you need them. The big question is whether or not you actually need to take any. Generally, most people won’t need a whole stack of supplements in their cupboard. Think about the suggestions listed above to figure out if you need supplements or not. I think speaking to a professional is still the best way to go about it. Anyway, I hope this article has answered your questions and left you less confused about health supplements.