Diet is king, but there are times when supplements may help
A healthful diet contains all the minerals and vitamins that the body needs to function, but at times a person needs more nutrients than what’s on their plate.
Dietary supplements are useful when diet isn’t enough, said Alicia Walls, FNP, with Studebaker Family Practice.
“Supplements are manufactured products intended to supplement a person’s diet,” said Walls, who practices with Premier Physician Network. “There are many different types of supplements that provide minerals, herbs, amino acids and enzymes, to name a few.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than half of all Americans take one or more dietary supplements daily or on occasion. Supplements come in all forms — tablets, gummies, powders, drinks and even energy bars. Perhaps the most well-known or widely used supplements are vitamins such as D and B12, minerals such as calcium and herbs such as echinacea.
Walls encourages her patients to focus on the balance of the food on their plate to ensure that they are getting the right nutrients at each meal. Resources such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and myplate.gov are great starting points for this.
Still, she acknowledges many reasons why a person might turn to diet supplements. This can be due to a person’s stage in life, current health condition or need to recover from an illness or surgery.
Supporting the growth of a baby — Pregnant women are encouraged to take a prenatal vitamin to ensure that their growing baby is getting the nutrients it needs. Folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects. This addition to a woman’s diet in her childbearing years may help to reduce that risk if she should become pregnant.
Building strong bones — The addition of calcium and vitamin D helps bone strength and reduce bone loss. This is essential, particularly for women who have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis as they age.
Anticipating temporary deficiencies — There are times when the body may not be able to absorb the nutrients it needs. One exam- ple is when a person undergoes weight loss surgery. It’s important for these individuals to supplement their diet with calcium, vitamin D and iron.
Combating chronic conditions — Individuals at risk for — or who are dealing with — heart disease may benefit from supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils. Meanwhile, a combination of vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein and zeaxanthin may slow down further loss in people with age-related macular degeneration, the NIH said.
Consult with a physician prior to adding supplements to a daily diet. A person’s primary care physician can tell if a supplement will do more harm than good, especially if a person is already taking maintenance medication or is addressing certain health conditions.
“For example, just because a person has high cholesterol doesn’t mean a specific supplement is needed,” Walls said. “A health care provider will know the breakdown of a person’s situation, such as their total cholesterol, triglyceride and good cholesterol levels. All these details need to be understood before a supplement is used.”