What are the benefits of Food Supplements?

In theory, our diet – if it is varied and balanced – should be sufficient to meet our nutrient needs. But it is not so easy to meet the famous “5 fruits and vegetables a day” with which everything would be satisfied.

In fact, almost 1/3 of women and 1/5 of men have at least one nutritional deficiency. The most common are iron and magnesium deficiencies. As for slimming diets or particular dietary patterns (vegetarianism, veganism, orthorexia syndrome, etc.), they can also lead to deficiencies that need to be regulated.

Generally based on plants or natural extracts, food supplements allow you to make up for certain deficiencies, and thus solve many problems linked to your body.

What are food supplements and what do they contain?

Food supplements or dietary supplements are defined as “foodstuffs which are intended to supplement a normal diet and which constitute a concentrated source of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect”. They are governed by European regulations concerning their manufacture and marketing.

But Food supplements are not medicines. Even if they are presented in the form of capsules, pastilles, tablets, ampoules and other forms of liquid or powder preparations intended to be taken in small measured units, they are in no way an alternative to medicines prescribed by a doctor and/or dispensed by a pharmacist. The substances contained in food supplements do not have a therapeutic effect and are not intended to prevent or cure any disease.

Food supplements may contain nutrients (vitamins and minerals), plants, substances with a nutritional or physiological purpose, traditional ingredients (e.g. royal jelly), additives, flavourings and processing aids (additive carriers) authorised for use in human food.

These products are sold without a prescription and are widely distributed in pharmacies, supermarkets, health food shops and on the Internet.

What are the benefits of Food Supplements ?

If food supplements are effective, it is above all because they contain active ingredients. In natural products, these active substances are contained in plants, vegetables, fruit, etc.

Vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, omegas 3, 6 and 9, minerals, iron, antioxidants, flavonoids, polyphenols, gingerol, guaranine, caffeine, curcumin… You have often heard of these different active ingredients without really knowing what they are used for. The active ingredients are in fact the first quality criterion to be taken into account. This is essential for choosing a food supplement. Their nature and concentration will condition the effectiveness of the latter. The active ingredient content of a product determines its degree of effectiveness, but also the recommended dosage for the product. In terms of the effectiveness of a product, everything depends on the active ingredients and their concentration.

The active ingredients act on the brain, on hormone secretion and on all the functions of the body. In most cases, they stimulate and improve them. But here again, it all depends on the active ingredient and its concentration in the product. Each supplement has its own active ingredients. Organic Korean red ginseng, for example, is effective if it has a high ginsenoside content. The same applies to turmeric and its curcuminoids (of which curcumin is one).

It is these active ingredients that are mainly responsible for the health benefits of food supplements. Their benefits are numerous:

• They strengthen the immune system: this is the case with vitamins C and D, zinc, propolis, etc.
• They make up for deficiencies: in iron, calcium, vitamin C, magnesium… and can therefore be prescribed in the case of anaemia for example.
• They can be energetic, particularly those made from ginseng, goji berries, etc. and are therefore recommended in the event of fatigue or when practising a sporting activity.
• They promote nail and hair growth and the beauty of the skin: in particular beta-carotene, brewer’s yeast, evening primrose oil capsules.
• Herbs such as lavender, passion flower, valerian and hawthorn relieve nervous tension and insomnia and can also be consumed in the form of herbal teas.

When to take food supplements?

As we have seen, they are used on an ad hoc basis to meet a specific need. However, some – as recommended by traditional Chinese medicine – can be taken in the form of a course of treatment at the time of the change of season to boost body tone, strengthen the immune system, limit autumnal hair loss, etc.

With regard to the frequency of intake, rely on the instructions on the leaflet of your food supplements. However, remember that it is advisable to take vitamins during or just after a meal. As they are fat-soluble, they are better absorbed if they are in contact with a fatty element in the stomach. The absorption of minerals and trace elements is sometimes more delicate. For example, tea tends to cancel out the action of iron, whereas vitamin C boosts it.

What precautions should be taken?

Although they are freely available, food supplements should not be taken lightly. As you would for a medicine, it is advisable to respect the dosage and duration of treatment prescribed by your specialist or advised by the brand that markets them. Similarly, it is best to avoid mixtures in order to eliminate any risk of overdosing or interaction (with other food supplements or even with medicines).

As mentioned above, a food supplement acts in parallel with a good diet. Although the benefits of food supplements are numerous, they are not simple miracles. To ensure their good effects, you must couple them with a healthy diet and varied nutrition. This is especially true if you want to boost your weight loss or prevent cardiovascular disease.