What dietary supplements should you put on and which ones should be avoided? [WE EXPLAIN]

The global fashion for supporting oneself with dietary supplements was started by Americans as early as in the 40s. Preparations that are supposed to help in achieving general well-being are also loved by Poles. We buy the most of them in Europe, and our supplement market, according to PMR’s July forecast, is to grow by 2,6% this year. and reach a value of almost PLN 6 billion. Is it worth spending money on these types of products? According to specialists – only some of them.

1. The pandemic made Poles more aware of the need for a healthier diet. The interest in supplements that could protect us against viruses has also increased significantly
2. Dr. Katarzyna Ślezak-Barglik: there is no miracle pill for immunity
3. In the case of vitamins, Poles are advised to supplement only with vitamin D
4. “By overdoing with supplements, we will achieve the opposite effect” – says Magdalena Konowrocka, a nutritional advisor and dietitian
5. More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.

We most willingly choose preparations for immunity

The supplement boom kicked off this year with the coronavirus pandemic. Poles went to pharmacies to look for preparations supporting the immune system. The demand for preparations used in infections – vitamins and minerals – has also increased. Meanwhile, last year we chose probiotics, magnesium and preparations for bones and joints.

Interestingly, supplements are most often used by seniors. This is a big change, because last year they were bought mainly by young women (42%). Ladies aged 18-34 accounted for as much as 45 percent. buyers, while those over 55 only 32 percent. The popularity of supplements also grew with the level of education. People with higher education accounted for 46 percent. customers, and with the basic one – 19.

It was the coronavirus pandemic that made Poles realize the benefits of a healthier diet and combine it with resistance to viruses.

So what do we support immunity? Pharmacists mention olive leaf extract, zinc, black garlic and little known yet, from South America, camu-camu berries, containing several times more vitamin C than citrus or sea buckthorn.

Turmeric extract in capsules is also popular. This plant has anti-inflammatory and digestive properties in the gut. It is also a powerful antioxidant. The journal “Phytotherapy Research” has published research that shows the potential of curcumin in turmeric to affect coronavirus protease (an enzyme that blocks our body’s defenses).

– We will not develop immunity by taking tablets for a week – reminds Dr. Katarzyna Śleziak-Barglik, head of the POZ clinic in Ruda Śląska. – Resilience must be earned. We cannot talk about improving it in someone who smokes 20 cigarettes a day or spends all days behind the wheel and does not spend time improving their own condition. There is no miracle pill for immunity.

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It’s best to love vitamin D.

We divide vitamins into fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble vitamins. From the first of these groups, we should supplement vitamin D3, in the recommended amount of 2. units. For elderly people, specialists recommend combining it with calcium, similarly to patients with osteoporosis who should take preparations containing calcium with vitamin D3.

– Poles have a vitamin D deficiency at the level of approx. 80 – 90 percent. – says Magdalena Konowrocka, a nutritional and dietary advisor from the Optimum Zdrowie clinic. – I always ask you to check its level, but it is an expensive test and not everyone can afford it. However, I believe that it should be introduced to the list of tests reimbursed once a year, so that it covers not only patients suffering from osteoporosis. Vitamin D is responsible for the work of many organs, such as the thyroid gland, nervous and immune systems, it also helps in problems with depression and in the fight against viruses. I, depending on the level of deficiency, obese people generally have a low level of vitamin D, I introduce it with the diet and supplementation. However, I always recommend a drug, not a supplement.

Of the water-soluble vitamins, we most willingly take vitamin C, especially during the infection season.

– It is not true that vitamin C does not accumulate in the body and there are no side effects – says Dr. Katarzyna Śleziak-Barglik. – You can of course take more of it when we have an infection, but the best digestible is the one we get naturally, e.g. from citrus.

Doctors point out that we only supplement B vitamins in the case of deficiencies, e.g. vitamin B12 in hematological disorders. We do not use it on our own.

– It is said that it influences the possible growth of neoplasms – warns Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – Therefore, in cancer patients, it is not recommended when there are no indications for it.

– On the other hand, vegetarians and vegans should check the level of vitamin B12 every three months and if it is too low, absolutely supplement it – explains Magdalena Konowrocka. People eliminating meat from their diet may have a B12 deficiency as it is found mainly in animal products such as meat and cold cuts. On the other hand, people after bariatric surgeries should monitor the level of vitamins B12, B1, folates and minerals on an ongoing basis, under the supervision of a specialist, to introduce appropriate supplementation.

Dr. Tomasz Gruziel, a family medicine specialist from the Prophylaxis Foundation, recalls the study published on April 9, 2019 in the “Annals of Internal Medicine”, a prestigious journal published in the USA. It lasted 10 years and covered over 30 thousand. participants. The so-called The endpoints of the study are the assessment of the effect of consumed vitamins and micronutrients on all-cause mortality, the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

– It turned out that consuming the right amount of vitamin K and magnesium reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases – says Dr. Gruziel. – Proper amounts of vitamin A, K, magnesium, zinc and copper reduce overall mortality. But on one condition: the ingredients must come from natural food. The same amount of micronutrients consumed from dietary supplements had no effect on the study endpoints. What’s more, it has been found that additional intake of calcium from dietary supplements is associated with a higher risk of cancer, while the same amount of calcium from natural sources is not.

Dietary supplements – read the leaflet

Dietary supplements are not only tablets. They come in the form of powders, grains, dried fruits or extracts hidden in colorful capsules. Producers of this type of products confirm that there is also a growing awareness among consumers, who are increasingly familiar with supplements and their composition.

Guarana or Peruvian maca root perfectly fit into the boom for energy-supporting supplements. The sale of adaptogens is also growing. These are plant substances whose main role is to reduce stress and its effects.

– Before we reach for the supplements that a friend uses, it’s best to go to a dietitian and talk about your problems – advises Magdalena Konowrocka. – Very often it turns out that a well-balanced diet, designed for a specific patient, can work wonders.

However, when we choose a product, it is worth consulting a doctor and reading the manufacturer’s leaflet. There are a number of supplements that have adverse reactions with certain drugs, and in too high doses they become harmful. For example:

1. Vitamin K – may reduce the effectiveness of blood thinners
2. Ginkgo – may increase blood thinning
3. St. John’s wort – may reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraception and enter into interactions with antidepressants that are dangerous to your health
4. Herbal supplements of comfrey and kava kava – can damage the liver
5. Beta-carotene and vitamin A. – increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers

– A classic example of undesirable interactions is grapefruit and cholesterol medications, i.e. statins – explains Dr. Ślezak-Bargik. – Most drugs are metabolized in the cytochrome P450, which is in the liver. The unfavorable interaction is that the two substances push each other out. It is possible that the grapefruit will push the medicine on its way to the cytochrome and cause its concentration to be higher than expected. The number of interactions with a large amount of supplements swallowed is unimaginable.

– Most supplements do not have strict standards or production rules – reminds Dr. Ślezak-Barglik. – Particular harm can be done by buying them on the Internet from an unknown source. I will not even mention the amount of calories from sucrose or lactose contained in supplements, or the alcohol in wonderful tonics, e.g. in ginkgo extract. No wonder that when an old lady shoots herself a glass of such a supplement, she will feel better. There is also the placebo effect, which is an attitude that certainly enhances the perceptible effect.

1. How much vitamin C should I take to improve immunity and protect against COVID-19?

Nobody has come up with a miracle pill for health yet

Many of us dream about falling asleep on demand, waking up in a wonderful mood and getting up with vigor, not having an appetite when overweight and eating when underweight. Unfortunately, there are no pills for this. Experts keep repeating that health and happiness must be earned. For example, by denying yourself certain pleasures and forcing yourself to do other things. And certainly you have to force yourself to move. It guarantees a great mood, energy gain and good sleep.

– What we know under the name of “dietary supplements” gives no benefits and may even be harmful – sums up Dr. Tomasz Gruziel.

– By exaggerating with supplements, we will achieve a completely opposite effect – adds Magdalena Konowrocka. – By taking the wrong supplements, in the wrong doses, we can lead to general weakness. Meanwhile, a dietitian can arrange a diet to help strengthen the body.

What else is left for us? Dr. Gruziel answers with a quote from Hippocrates: “Natural products should be your only medicine.”

– It seems that it will be important to distinguish chemically produced dietary supplements from the so-called superfoods, i.e. natural foods with scientifically proven beneficial effects on improving health and reducing the risk of disease, he says. – Regular consumption of buckwheat, beans, chickpeas, peas and nuts has a proven place in healthy eating. Increasingly, attention is drawn to the fact that including chia seeds, acai and goji berries, kale, quinoa, chlorella, spirulina, and raw cocoa in the diet is associated with health benefits. It should be emphasized, however, that it is the overall nutrition and lifestyle that ultimately determines our good condition.

The editorial board recommends:

1. Don’t (and) play with drugs, your health is at stake!
2. Moringa – lovers of healthy eating know it perfectly well
3. How to increase immunity? The five most important rules
4. Most of us have a vitamin D deficiency. How do I supplement it? Doctor: This is not a simple matter

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