Contents
Is it worth taking dietary supplements, recommendations for taking dietary supplements
Pay attention to these recommendations.
October 5 2019
In the fall, immunity decreases. Is it worth taking dietary supplements to strengthen it, and can the same remedies be used to treat diseases? We have consulted an expert.
Head of the laboratory of vitamins and minerals, candidate of biological sciences
Special features
The composition of biologically active additives (BAA) may include the same substances that are present in medicines. But their dosage is several times lower. Therefore, one should not count on the pharmacological effect of dietary supplements.
Biologically active additives, natural or identical to natural substances, as well as probiotic microorganisms belong to the category of specialized food products and are subject to the mandatory state registration procedure. It involves assessing the safety of a product. If we are talking about drugs, then they take into account the data on the conducted clinical trials.
Help label
You can make sure that you are dealing with dietary supplements by labeling. The label should contain the words “biologically active food supplement”, as well as “is not a drug.” In addition, the number of the certificate of state registration must be indicated, it can be checked against the unified register of specialized food products. The full name of the product, data on the manufacturer and country of manufacture and the legal address of the recipient, composition and storage conditions, information on contraindications, data on consumer properties are applied to the label.
Not only flowers
Manufacturers of dietary supplements often attract the attention of buyers with messages that the product contains only natural ingredients. In fact, on the Russian market there are also additives made using ingredients obtained by chemical or biotechnological synthesis. To assess naturalness, it is necessary to study the composition in detail, pay attention to the sources of active substances.
Do not ask for supplements
Like medicines, dietary supplements have contraindications. This is an individual intolerance to the components, which is why it is important to read the composition of the drug. Dietary supplements should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If the composition includes ingredients that have a laxative effect, then a tendency to diarrhea is a contraindication.
Are there any tonic components? You should refuse to take such a drug with increased nervous excitability, insomnia, hypertension, cardiac disorders. Before taking dietary supplements containing vitamins and minerals in quantities exceeding the consumption rate, it is important to pass additional tests and consult a doctor. It is necessary to discuss with a specialist the possibility of using herbal preparations, they can also cause an undesirable reaction.