When it comes to dietary supplements, many people tend to believe that minerals are not harmful and therefore do not need to be controlled by diet and nutritionists. While it is true that most minerals are not toxic when ingested in large amounts, they can still be problematic when taken in combination with other substances. Unfortunately, a lot of the minerals we need are often depleted during the manufacturing process itself, leaving us little to no choice but to take supplements. However, it is still important for us to remember that minerals are not poisons and they are absolutely essential to our bodily functions.
What exactly are minerals and which dietary supplements contain them? Vitamins are substances that our bodies need to maintain health and to perform many necessary functions. For example, vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K are used to help maintain the overall health of our eyes, immune system, musculoskeletal system, and many other parts of our bodies. While the list of vitamins is long, they are comprised of the most important minerals that we need in great amounts.
Minerals supplements are often used as a means of enhancing the effects of other vitamins, particularly those that are not naturally found in foods. For example, folic acid is a vital part of many vitamin supplements because it helps prevent defects in neural development in newborns. Because it is not naturally found in foods, folic acid is added to mineral dietary supplements for this reason.
It should also be noted that just like with other substances, dietary supplements can interact with certain medications. Therefore, it is important to ensure that any medication you are taking is compatible with the minerals and vitamins you are planning to take as supplements. Many types of medications are especially hazardous to the combined use of vitamins and minerals. In fact, it has been discovered that even thalidomide, a commonly prescribed anti-seizure drug, can have some negative interactions with a few types of dietary supplements.
Another factor to keep in mind when considering the use of vitamins and minerals as a means of improving health is your potential conflict with conventional medicine. When using dietary supplements, the body absorbs the substances into the blood stream instead of the organs that are intended to receive them. This means that there is a chance that the minerals and vitamins may become reabsorbed into the body. This could result in either a diminished effect or no effect at all in some individuals. If you take medication that is known to react adversely with certain vitamins or minerals, you could wind up spending a lot of time in the doctor’s office or in the hospital. As a result of this, you could even wind up hurting yourself more than you will ever feel good about.
On the flip side, the minerals and vitamins in these dietary supplements have very few inherent harms. For this reason, the potential for harm is virtually nonexistent. In fact, most of these products are clinically tested and guaranteed to be safe.
There are also a couple of other dietary supplements that are particularly noteworthy. For example, colloidal vitamin B-12 and folic acid are two ingredients that are particularly important for pregnant women. Yet, you may not consider these vitamins essential for overall health. Fortunately, there are mineral supplements on the market today that contain these important substances. In fact, some of the better brands contain all three of these vitamins and minerals.
If you have any questions about which mineral supplements are best, you should speak to your healthcare provider. He or she will be able to determine which form of the vitamin is most appropriate for your particular circumstances. Also, he or she can provide additional information about the different forms of vitamins and minerals that are available. For example, a nutritional website offers a list of some of the most common nutritional supplements. You will then be able to weigh the benefits of these dietary supplements to find one that is best for you.
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