Home ► Article Library ► Health & Fitness ► Nutritional Supplements

Picking the Right Vitamins and Supplements for You

No human body is perfect. All human bodies require a little bit of help when it comes to gaining muscle, getting the right minerals and nutrients, and even increasing their vitamin levels. Supplements can help people boost the nutrients inside their body and provide a wide range of benefits to help people achieve their best health. Below are some of the many ways you can choose the best vitamins and supplements to look and feel your best.

Consider Your Health Goals

Vitamins and supplements are great additions to your current diet and health regimen. Today, there are many popular vitamins that can help people achieve their health goals and even their fitness goals. For instance, dietary supplements can now help with:

Beauty goals, such as improved hair and skin
Weight loss goals, such as supplements to help regulate digestion and get rid of waste
Health goals, such as improving vitamin deficiencies and using supplements to help
Fitness goals, such as using supplements like those on sarmsaustralia.com for better muscle growth

Many supplements will cater to your health and wellness goals, so long as those goals are clear. For instance, if you're looking for a supplement to help you sleep, CBD and melatonin supplements can help improve and regulate your sleep cycle.

On the other hand, if your goal is for increased muscle mass and bone density, SARMs can help you gain more muscle without other harmful side effects caused by other testosterone products.

Consider what your health goals are, and how long you have to achieve them. Then, do you research to find out which supplements and vitamins can help you achieve your health goals. Be as specific as possible, and choose goals such as regulating your blood sugar, reducing your cholesterol, or similar topics.

Consider Your Diet

It's important to note that most people will get the right amount of nutrients and vitamins from diet alone. However, some people with dietary restrictions or dietary issues might not be able to get adequate nutrition from food alone.

Some dietary restrictions that can lead to nutritional deficiencies include:

Being vegan
Going gluten-free
Fasting for long periods of time
Crash dieting
Fad diets like all-meat diets

If you are currently using one of these diets, talk to your doctor about potential vitamin and supplement deficiencies. Your doctor can run a blood test to determine if there are any deficiencies that can be addressed with proper diet, vitamins, or supplements.

Your doctor might even prescribe you a dietary supplement. For instance, they might issue you a prescription for omega-3, which can help lower cholesterol levels and even fight depression.

A blood test is the best way to determine whether or not a certain vitamin or supplement is necessary due to nutritional deficiencies.

Consider your Medical History

In addition to considering your diet, it's also important to consider your current health and medical history when choosing your supplements. Many pregnant women, for instance, opt for folic acid and prenatal vitamins for the health of their baby.

Other people might want to use vitamins and supplements due to a medical issue that prevents them from properly absorbing vitamins and minerals. Some medical conditions that can lead to nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorption include:

Liver disease
Pancreatitis
Certain cancers
Celiac disease
Crohn's disease
Cystic fibrosis
Parasites

If you have any of these diseases, or if you believe you might have a disease causing malabsorption, it's important to visit a doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor can do a series of tests to determine if you have the above-listed conditions, or something else leading to nutritional deficiencies.

It's always a good idea to make sure any vitamin or supplement you take can be used alongside medication for your disease. Some dietary supplements affect your metabolism, absorption, and other bodily functions that could impact the effectiveness of your medication.

Other vitamins can lead to dangerous conditions when combined with medications. For instance, Vitamin E can thin blood and should not be taken with Warfarin, as this can lead to a severe drop in blood pressure.

Research Side Effects

In addition to their effects on the body and their impact on medications, dietary supplements can also cause side effects in healthy people. For instance, Vitamin B12 can cause headache, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting if taken in high doses.

It's best to stick within the recommended intake guidelines for all dietary supplements. Never take more than the recommended daily amount, or more than a doctor recommends.

Final Thoughts

Dietary supplements and vitamins can help improve health, reach your fitness goals, and provide you with additional nutrition. However, it's important to find the best dietary supplements and vitamins by considering your personal health and possible medical issues.