Importance Of Taking Vitamins And Supplements Regularly

Now that you are paying such close attention to your health and diet in order to control your diabetes, you may be wondering about vitamin and mineral supplements. Your friends and coworkers may talk about the many supplements that they themselves take – chromium, magnesium, antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, flaxseed, and more. A quick trip into a supplement store will expose you to thousands of health claims for thousands of different pills. It can be difficult to know what claims are true and which ones are just hype. Here are the basic things that you should know about vitamin, mineral, and other herbal supplements.

First of all, all of the vitamins and minerals that you need to stay healthy can be obtained from eating a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables in particular are very high in vitamins. Fruits and vegetables have several advantages over supplements as well. They have phytochemicals and antioxidants and other compounds that fight cancer that cannot be put into pill form. They also contain fiber, which is good for your cholesterol. Fruits and vegetables also naturally prevent you from accidentally ingesting too much of any one vitamin. It would be almost impossible to eat enough vegetables to make yourself sick, but if you take too many supplements, this is possible.

Secondly, vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements are not yet regulated in the United States. This means that, unlike medications, which have to pass very strict testing and safety standards, anyone can put anything into a pill and sell it as a supplement. None of the health claims on the label have been reviewed. There is no way to even know if they even have the amount of active ingredient in each pill that they claim to have. Supplements are only investigated if people start filing complaints about injury or death that has happened as a result of taking the particular product.

Finally, although supplements seem like the most “natural” option, that does not mean that they are harmless. Taking too much of some minerals can cause problems with absorption of other minerals and create deficiencies. Overdosing on something such as iron can be fatal, especially for kids. Excessive usage of vitamin C can reduce a woman’s fertility. Some vitamins might cause muscle cramps at higher doses. Many supplements interfere with prescription drugs, causing them to intensify or reduce their effects.

Ultimately, the decision about supplements is up to you. You certainly don’t need to take anything in order to be healthy and have good control of your diabetes. If you do choose to use supplements, the smartest option is a multivitamin and mineral that has been formulated for your gender and age group. Above all, make sure that your doctor knows about all of the supplements that you take. It is a good idea to bring a written list with you to appointments for your doctor to review. This will help you to avoid interactions with your medications.

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