Safety of nutritional supplements

About safety of nutritional supplements, people should be aware of what are the most important features to take in account, from toxicity, ingredients, potency, and others.

I've told you why I decided to take them in my article: Reasons for supplementation. From a need to cover my intakes and from the need to push away degenerative diseases and pain to soon in my life. So, why this commitment to sharing with you what I now know?

In a short poll I made, this are features that people consider for consuming these products, and we're about to see if these are good ways for choosing one.

Out of 34 responses:If you were to take any product for supplementationg what would you evaluate before trying it?

24%.- If I need it.

21%.- If my physician is recommending it.

3%.- If a person I know is recommending it.

6%.- Who is the manufacturer and if I can trust in it.

12%.- If the product approved and certified.

3%.- If the product appears on the pharmacist's book.

6%.- If the label explains what the product contains.

9%.- If I agree with the price.

9%.- Other.

9%.- Unable to Answer.

From this short poll we see that people would consider trying a product that completes their nutrition is if they think they need it and if there's a professional recommending it, but, it was also important that the product would have been approved and is perfectly tested and certified.

In the article that follows this one, I'll be telling you about how scientists have rated these type of products, but first keep reading! You don't want to miss the next.

Some important features about vitamins and minerals in this video

As I said, many people that surrounds me is already having problems living shortly, for me, this commitment started when I saw my best friend at 26 not being able to live a quality life. I wanted to help her overcome her illness and researched all the information I could find.

Eureka!!! After searching and searching I knew cellular nutrition through a balanced low carbs diet and a specific formulation of supplements could give her some interesting results, though I didn't know what the scope of what I found was going to have!

She was already giving a try to a low glycemic diet with some results, and was taking the brand supplements from this dietetic scheme, but she was still experiencing ups and downs of her healthy status. So... Was it the diet? Was it the products she was taking? Was it something more?

I started thinking of the effectiveness and security of the molecules she was introducing to her body through the formulations she was taking. I was thinking if this wasn't just another placebo product with no effect at all. I found:

More than 50% of the American population and many more people worldwide are consuming supplements, but safety is something to look at. Though, it is good to point that if you level risk from one to ten, meaning one, risk free and 10 the highest risk, supplements generally fall between 1 and 3.

Two nutrients commonly found in multivitamin formulations, must warrant a note of caution due to their potential cumulative toxicity: Vitamin A (as Retinol) and Iron.

Vitamin A (as retinol) in high doses (more than 10,000 UI) can be toxic particularly if there are defects in liver function. For pregnant women dose must not overpass 5,000 UI and it is preferred for every person to consume vitamin A as Beta-carotene rather than the Retinol form.

Iron at high doses (more than 5 mg/day) becomes a potent oxidant and free radical generator that can accelerate oxidative damage of cholesterol, with the consequent onset of atherosclerosis. Iron overload might also cause increased risk of infection, cancer and myocardial infarction.

Despite those few nutrients that demonstrate potential cumulative toxicity, nutritional supplements are safe ad effective way to optimize your daily health. So, my friend had decided to take supplements, and it seemed safe to have them. But, are they all safe???

The real issue of safety resides not in the toxicity of any particular nutrient within a formulation, but rather in the manner in which the final product has been manufactured. Products that don't fullfill the Good Manufacturing Practices may contain more (or less) in the bottle that what is on the label.

Purity, potency and safety are foremost things that you must take care of on a daily basis. Consume products that follow good manufacturing practices and preferably that can guarantee all of the three subjects. Consider aditionally that if a product doesn't even disintegrate, something must be wrong. Don't take it.

I knew of a person that was a loyal consumer of a very known brand and after his death his family knew he had a "rock" of vitamins on his liver, stuck there for years.

So how would you know which product is really the best one rated? Not because of a commercial statement but because of real trial between products? Go through the following link to the next article in which we'll talk about it. Aren't you curious who are the best quality and product winners?!!!!

Best rated supplements according to trials, not only commercial statements

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