Advice on supplements is popping up like mushrooms, so we rush en masse to the local drugstore and stock up on all kinds of jars. Because if it doesn't help, it doesn't hurt. Right? In this blog we explain why it is so important that you use supplements in the right way and why nutritional supplements can be dangerous when taken without guidance.
Dietary supplements dangerous, supplement poisoning lurks
More and more often we are warned in the media about taking supplements, and for good reason. If you don't know what you're taking and, as a result, regularly take overdoses or the wrong combinations, supplements can do more harm than good for your health.
For example, too high a dose of vitamin B6 can cause damage to your nervous system, one of the reasons we choose an active form of B6 at Charlotte Labee Supplements. With adaptogenic herbs, the advice is to take a stop month after 3 months. And some supplements do not go well with medication. These are just three reasons why we advise against experimenting with supplements yourself.
That is not to say, by the way, that nutrients are not essential. In fact, they are, for everyone. There is just no one-size-fits-all.
The importance of nutritional supplements
For millions of years, nature has given us everything we need to survive and thrive. Therefore, in those days, supplements were not necessary to achieve optimal health. But unfortunately, we no longer live in the world of yesteryear; so much has changed! From the way we produce food to how we manage stress.
This is why we see in practice that very many people benefit from supplementation. Due to our current lifestyle, a nutrient deficiency can develop unnoticed, the effects of which you only notice later or attribute to other causes.
7 reasons why supplements are important
1. Processed foods provide fewer nutrients
Of all the food we buy in the supermarket, 90 percent is factory processed to make it as cheap, fast and mass-produced as possible. This processing is harmful to the natural nutrients in products AND chemicals are added that in turn are harmful to us. Those chemical nutrients are harder to digest, which costs more energy. And we get less nutrients! This is rapidly leading to a nutrient deficiency.
2. Agricultural practices impoverish the soil
Even in agriculture, the goal is to make as much money as possible, and thus produce as cheaply, quickly and as much as possible. Farming methods are optimized to achieve this goal, but this also brings unwanted consequences. For example, much agricultural land is being depleted, which causes crops to contain fewer nutrients.
A Swiss study compared the difference in nutrients between certain fruits and vegetables from 1985 to 2002. What turned out: in less than twenty years, broccoli contained 55 percent less magnesium, spinach 76 percent less calcium and apple 60 percent less vitamin C! Therefore, even a healthy diet does not say everything.
3. Food is produced less locally
Mass production means our food comes from further and further away, which also means it is much less fresh once it is on your plate. Every day that passes after harvest, fruits and vegetables lose a little of their nutritional value. Local food that comes fresh from the land therefore contains a lot more nutrients.
4. We spend less time in the sun
Primal man was always outside and therefore received an optimal amount of daylight. Today, many of us work indoors and in the winter we leave home in the dark, and also come home in the dark. When we do go outside, we wrap up thickly or apply sunscreen. All this causes us to barely absorb vitamin D, whereas sunlight is the main source of it. It is therefore wise to eat plenty of food rich in vitamin D, or to supplement this nutrient.
5. Free radicals in our environment are increasing
Free radicals are harmful substances in our environment. You can find them everywhere. For example, in processed food, (cigarette) smoke, cosmetics, air pollution and heavy metals. If the amount of free radicals in your body cells becomes too high, it can be harmful. So your body needs to get rid of these radicals and uses many nutrients to do this, which you also need for other important brain and body processes. So you need extra of these nutrients to avoid building up deficiencies.
6. Low-grade inflammation consumes many nutrients
Many people today suffer from chronic or low-grade inflammation. These are not dangerous inflammation, but your immune system sees it that way and is constantly at work because of it. This can cause you to be constantly tired. This is because your immune system uses extra energy as well as nutrients to fight off the inflammation in vain. This can also cause a nutrient deficiency in the body, which can be supplemented with supplements.
Do you suspect that you suffer from low-grade inflammation? Then it is advisable to find out the cause and tackle it. Could you use some help? The therapists of Charlotte Labee Supplements will be happy to help you.
7. Poor digestion due to stress causes decreased absorption
Eating healthy does not guarantee that your body will absorb all nutrients properly. Our digestion is responsible for this, and it does not function optimally in everyone. In the normal situation, the enteric nervous system in your intestines releases enzymes that help digest food. Stress disrupts this function, making your body less able to absorb nutrients. In that case, you need additional nutrients to get enough, but it is also advisable to address the cause of your digestive problems!
Conclusion
Are dietary supplements dangerous? Only when you don't use them properly. So it is essential to get proper information and advice, so that you always know that you are using the right supplements, dosages and combinations. So be sure to ask for a consultation, so that one of our therapists can take a targeted look with you and you can take full advantage of the benefits of supplements!