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Posts Tagged ‘Weight Loss Supplements’

For many years, people have been talking about and taking nutritional supplements. What started out as natural herbs, has now grown into a trend that people use on a daily basis. These days, you can find supplements more sophisticated than ever, available in many different forms such as liquid, capsules, pills, and teas. There are some that are still home grown, although they aren’t as popular as those that are commercially supplied.
In general, nutritional supplements are taken to help with diets that are missing vital nutrients and minerals. They come in many different forms as stated above, and provide one or more of vital sources such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids. Although they aren’t intended to replace meals, nutritional supplements can be taken to enhance your diet.
There are many reasons why you should take nutritional supplements. One reason, is the environment. With the environment rapidly changing, there is more toxin in the air, in the water we drink, and the foods we eat. With our bodies having to work twice as hard to eliminate these toxins, it is always wise to take supplements and help our bodies to get rid of the harmful toxins.
Stress is also a factor on your body. Stress can put your body at risk for many different things, such as a lower resistance for diseases. Therefore, if you take supplements, you can get your immune system built back up and help your body function a lot better. There are many different nutritional supplements you can take, such as glyconutrients, that will help you combat stress.
One of the main reasons to take nutritional supplements is due to poor eating habits. Those who have busy lifestyles, sometimes don’t eat as healthy as they should. Often times, it can be very hard to take the necessary time to eat a healthy meal. Whenever we can’t get a healthy meal, we can always look towards supplements. They will enhance our diets and give us the nutrients that our bodies need for energy, health, and many other purposes.
Those of us that are athletic or exercise, will need more nourishment for the body. As you work out or play sports your body will need more nutrition. Some good examples of supplements include protein, vitamins, and minerals. You can find them in many different foods, or use vitamins and nutritional supplements that contain them.
If you are looking to lose weight, nutritional supplements may come in handy. Anytime you decide to diet, you eat much less and may end up missing on foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals. If you take some nutritional supplements on the other hand, your body won’t miss any of the important vitamins and minerals it needs. To make things even better, you can also get supplements that will help you lose weight as well, along with giving your body everything it needs to function and carry out your normal everyday routine.
No matter how you look at it, nutritional supplements are great for many things. You find them in your local GNC or nutrition store, or online. There are many different supplements to choose from, giving you everything you need to get the right nutrients and vitamins. If you’ve been looking for a way to get the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs – look no further than nutritional supplements. They are available at a great price – with many excellent manufactures offering you plenty of innovative products.

Do you want to reduce the signs of aging? Have you tried every home remedy and anti aging supplement out there in hopes of reducing your wrinkles and firming your skin for a rejuvenated appearance of youth? Whether you have one wrinkle or twenty wrinkles, there is a good chance that you may be interested in products for antiaging.

No woman or man wants to feel the embarrassment that is known to be associated with aging. Before you spend hundreds of dollars on Botox injections and wrinkle creams, you may want to consider a really good anti aging supplement.

Because of course like anything there are good anti aging supplements, and those that are not so good.

A good anti aging supplement is designed to reduce the signs of aging. All that you need to do is take the antiaging product supplement as recommended and you will begin to see results. Many people find high quality antiaging supplements to be much more effective than a wrinkle cream or a whole suite of anti aging skin care products at reducing the signs of aging.

However, it is ultimately going to depend on the specific antiaging supplement that you choose to use. Some supplements for antiaging are known to be more effective than others.

When you are choosing an antiaging product supplement, it is important to pay close attention to what the active ingredients are. Always try to choose a product which is compromised mainly of organic, or natural, ingredients.

If the name of the active ingredients do not look familiar, do a little bit of research and find out if they are known to be effective. Although it is possible to find an anti aging supplement which is effective, you will want to make sure that you choose the right antiaging supplement for you.

Although you can try every eye and wrinkle cream on the market for antiaging, there is a good chance that you will have much better luck with an antiaging product supplement. You will gradually begin to see a reduction in your wrinkles, a firmer skin appearance and rejuvenation of your youth.

If you really want to reduce the signs of aging, you should definitely consider a high quality anti aging supplement.

There are all sorts of chemicals that are put in mainstream skincare products, some of which are known to be harmful. A good natural supplement, however, should only be comprised of naturally occurring products which do not pose risks to your health. Yes you heard that right, regular mainstream skincare products do contain products which are known and which are suspected of causing nasty health effects, including cancer.

There is one company in particular that is making a fine range of anti aging supplements and skincare products comprised of naturally occurring ingredients that do not pose risks to your health.

And it’s not one of the mainstream companies, in fact I’ll bet you’ve never even heard of them.

Hello world,

We would like to have a few minutes of your time to let everyone know of our new alternative supplement website   “Healthy Alternative Supplements. com”.  The website is in its infant stages of growth and  over time it will blossom into a  very friendly , helpful place for our customers to find the best  quality healthy alternative supplements on the wide world web. Its simple to use and navigate and gets the job done but changes are coming. MicroNutra™ is our product of choice to promote. Our flagship line if you will.  Why?  Simple, a great product line by a very hard working U.S. company based in the great state of Michigan.  MicroNutra ™ has a very large loyal customer following and their products are superior.  They stand behind every thing they sell 100%.  The home of  “buy 2 get 1 free” offer.  Very friendly service, always have the time to answer all customers questions and concerns.   All product ingredients are made and developed in the U. S. under the eye of the FDA. Their supplements are safe and have proven results backed by customer testimonials.  Testimonials are powerful words by satisfied customers that must fall under FDA guidelines for all alternative supplements.  Plenty of good reading at MicroNutra web site.  I invite you to see.  Visit Health Alternative Supplements. com afterwards for your 5% savings coupon. Healthy alternative supplements. com is proud to promote such great alternative supplements such as:* Diamaxol™-  A healthy alternative support for healthy blood sugar balance.   Great product.  Customers swear by it.  Backed by happy  satisfied customer testimonials.  A ***** star product!*  Activive™-  Regain your energy naturally.  A great supplement to get you through the day.  Boost your energy levels the natural way.*  Nutratose™-  Essential nutrients for total support of all your body’s systems.  A great supplement for overall body feel good.*  Licenex™-   A safe , natural head lice solution.  This is a very popular lice treatment.  A***** star product.  Safe for children.*  Provigro™-  Acts as a natural viagra.  One of the top seller.  Has help many men.Alternative supplements can greatly promote health and quality of life.Why purchase through Healthy Alternative Supplements.com when you can go direct to MicroNutra’s web site?  Simple, We have a good relationship with MicroNutra and do lots of advertising for them.  We were able to negotiate an extra savings for my customers not found elsewhere. Customers that visit  our site will receive an extra 5% savings  on all orders with our coupon code.  Our coupon code is our way of saying thank you. Thank you!  For taking the extra step to order your products through Healthy Alternative Supplements. com.  Our coupon code can be used for online or phone in orders. Enjoy! Healthy Alternative Supplements .com will promote addition alternative supplements in the future.  We will only promote other alternative supplements if and only if we are able to negotiate extra savings for my  customers.  Our customers will always come first!Thank you for taking the time to read.  We would like you to visit our web site and if your interested to be placed on our mailing list.  Please e-mail us and you’ll be the first to hear about any new products and monthly sales.Thank you ,Have a great day! Healthy Alternative Supplements.

Being a personal trainer in Singapore, I know that supplements are something that almost everybody takes some of. However, it can be hard to differentiate the good ones from the money wasters. This article explains the top 5 supplements that will work and that will improve your health and well being immediately.
Supplement #1: Digestive Aids
Nothing works till you fix your digestion. You can take the best organic, nutritious food and the most healthy supplements. But without a healthy digestive system, you are not able to absorb the nutrients found in these great foods. That would waste your precious money and time.Some telltale signs that your digestion is not doing well are brittle fingernails with lots of vertical ridges, smelly farts, bloatedness after eating food and a distaste for meat. Other possible symptoms are acne, very smelly stool (poop), and farting soon after meals.
Because of the bad smells that come out of your body when your digestion is not in good shape, I always joke that a good digestive aid improves your marriage and interpersonal relationships!
The cause of this problem is low stomach acid. And the reason we usually have low stomach acid which usually due to high stress!
You see, our body is designed to handle high stress for short periods. For e.g. a tiger chasing you. Your body goes into fight and flight mode and “unimportant” tasks like digestion shut down so you have more energy and blood flow to your muscles to fight the tiger or to run away!
But nowadays, in our busy and stressful city lives, we have less deadly stresses like project deadlines, exams and nagging bosses! The body responds the same way, by shutting down digestion.
That means less stomach acid is produced and thus the above problems that come with it.
In fact this low stomach acid problem is so common that of all the 123 people I tested this year, only 1 person had normal levels. The rest would all do better with supplementation.
Oh yeah, good levels of stomach acid also kill bacteria and other bad stuff in your digestive track, yet another bonus!:)
When choosing a supplement for digestion, make sure that it should contain Betaine HCl (stomach acid) as well as digestive enzymes like Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Pepsin and Bile Extract.
Supplement #2: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Did you know that cavemen ate large amounts of animal brains, seafood and organic meats such
that they ate an average of 300-400g of omega-3 fatty acids per week?
In the diet of a person in a developed country, this might be as low as 3g per week.
Here is the problem? you need omega-3 fatty acids to be healthy. Listed here are some of the things it does!
* Helps you burn fat by turning on fat burning enzymes and turning off fat storage ones
* Help you to “prefer” to use fat as fuel for energy
* Improves mood, concentration and brain function
* Helps reduce pimples and improve skin quality
* Reduce blood pressure
* Reduce stress
* Reduce sugar absorption/fat storage
I can’t keep on going because the list would be too long? In fact if you go to online medical research sites like www.pubmed.com (its a collection of medical research) and you search for “fish oil” or “omega 3″ AND “human” so you don’t get animal studies? AND “XYZ” where XYZ is ANY DISEASE YOU CAN THINK OF? fish oil/omega 3s help prevent, cure or reduce the symptoms of it!
It’s hard to believe but I really mean any disease. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, acne, arthritis and the list goes on and on.
NOTE: For Pregnant women, it’s even more important because you deplete your omega-3 stores when you form a baby inside you. Supplement heavily with omega-3s before, during and after childbirth to have a smoother pregnancy and a healthier baby!
When looking for omega-3 supplements, try to take those that come from smaller fish such as sardines and anchovies. Smaller fish are lower in the food chain so they don’t have as much toxins in them as large fish.
Supplement #3: A Good Set Of Multivitamins
A good selection of vitamins from a high quality multivitamin helps the body detox, and boosts your immune system function and overall health. However there is such a wide variety of multivitamin supplements out there, and they vary wildly with prices and of course with quality.
The is especially true in Multi-vitamin forumlations.
It is possible to make a multi-vitamin appear very complete (look good on the label) yet very cheap – and of course POOR QUALITY.
Here is how:
* Choose less absorbable ingredients (that look the same on the label?) for example, a quality ingredient like Magnesium Aspartate has a high absorbability of 58%, but a low quality one like Magnesium Oxide ? 5%! more than 11x less? but hey? most consumers can’t tell the difference!
BTW a good multi vitamin blend does not cost 11x more than a lousy one, so its certainly a good idea to go with the best ones!
* Make low quality tablets/capsules by packing them with filler and compressing them so that they have low density of nutrients (yet you can sell huge capsule numbers on the bottle front “640 capsules” and so on!). This has the added advantage that your capsules will never break apart giving an even higher appearance of quality!
* Use Synthetic additives. Natural beta carotene or vitamin E is not the same as synthetic ones because the natural one will be complete in all its forms. The way vitamins are intended to be. The multiple forms help you absorb the vitamin. The synthetic ones only look good on the labels but do nothing for your health.
There we have it, 3 ways to make a lousy multivitamin supplement. So if you see these telltale signs, stay away!
NOTE: Men should choose the Copper and Iron Free versions of any Multi vitamin because excess of those nutrients are not good for men.
Supplement #4: Zinc
Take the following quiz…
* Do you fall sick often (weak immune system)
* Do you have lower than normal testosterone (check your tricep skin fold with a body fat
measuring caliper, it should be 5mm or lower for men)
* Do you have a low sperm count?
* Do you have trouble gaining muscle or recovering from training?
* Do you have low appetite?
* Do you have a “fatty chest” if you are a guy? I.e. Man boobs?
If you have some of these difficulties, chances are you are deficient in zinc. Zinc helps you absorb just about every nutrient and is involved in more than 300 (known) enzyme and hormone functions!
You can use a zinc test solution of zinc sulfate to find out your zinc levels (take 1/8th a cup of zinc sulfate and put it in your mouth for 3-5 seconds) If you can swallow it after that as if it’s water, you have low zinc, if it tastes like metal and you spit it out immediately, you have good zinc levels. Don’t worry this is a totally safe test, it’s just some zinc ions dissolved in water?
Supplement with a good zinc supplement that uses Zinc Orotate and Zinc Aspartate as its ingredients instead of lower quality stuff like zinc oxide.
Supplement #5: Magnesium Take the following quiz…
* Do you have trouble falling asleep?
*Do you have poor sleep quality and feel un-rested when you wake up?
* Do you have high stress or consume large amounts of carbohydrates (these lower magnesium
levels)
* Do you do alot of exercise?
* Do you store fat easily when you eat starchy foods (insulin resistance)?
* Do you have muscle cramps often?
These are signs of magnesium deficiency, it’s very common so don’t feel bad! It’s not your fault. Low stomach acid, high stress and heavy exercise can all contribute to this situation.
When you have good magnesium levels, the main benefit is great sleep quality. This is the first thing I look at and suggest when a client complains of poor sleep quality. Supplement with magnesium aspartate or magnesium citrate for best results.
There we have it, 5 top supplements that are basic yet necessary. Get these in order and watch your health and performance sky rocket!

This goes for minerals, as well as vitamins. Remember the game ‘20 Questions’? Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral? Well, all minerals are in rock form. But, if you eat a rock, even if it’s pounded very, very small, you will not assimilate it the way a plant can. Plants live on minerals! Plants can provide the minerals we need if they are eaten in great enough quantities. This is very difficult without supplementing.

2. Are they standardized? Every spinach plant is unique. It may have a different nutrient content from its neighbor. It may have received less light, water, and nutrients from the plant next to it. Even different leaves may have different nutrient content from one another.

It’s very important to understand that if you grind up a plant and put it into a pill, it will not deliver a consistent amount of nutrients to your body.

That’s why you need to make sure your supplements are Standardized. Standardization is a rather expensive process that ensures that each pill made has the exact same nutrient fingerprint and quantity. Become a label reader! Only trust a plant based dietary supplement that is standardized.

3. Are they made to GMP Standards? GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices. We are transitioning from the ‘Wild West’ days of supplement manufacturing. Regulations for the manufacture and content of supplements are becoming more stringent every day. This does a lot to ensure that we are not wasting our money on supplements that simply ‘end up in the toilet as expensive urine’. You are going to have to pay more to get quality supplements. But, sustaining a high quality of life is our goal, so the key is to find the best supplements for the best price.

4. Are they Guaranteed? Most consumer goods have some kind of guarantee. The exception is pharmaceuticals and almost all dietary supplements. The doctors don’t guarantee that the medication they prescribe will fix your ailment. But, you buy it anyway, don’t you. You are running a greater risk when buying supplements. Be careful to ask your health food store if they carry a guarantee on their products if you find that they don’t provide the well-being you are looking for.

When it comes to supplements, it’s typical that you go to a health food store, listen to the clerk’s recommendations [they are all highly educated in nutrition and can easily show you which are the best supplements---NOT] and then buy a product that may or may not work. Your hard-earned money and potential health goes down the drain. As of this writing, there is only one direct sales company and no health food store that provides a six-month money back satisfaction guarantee on their supplements.

Supplemental support for longevity is no longer considered a strange fad by people who eat only vegetables and granola. Supplements taken for health and wellness have long been accepted by the mainstream population as a great idea to ensure that you are meeting your daily requirements for optimum nutrient intake. Doctors and health practitioners everywhere suggest that people increase their consumption of vitamins and minerals, and it is not always possible to do this with food alone.  The best source of natural nutrients still comes from whole grains, vegetables in their raw form, other greens, and whole fruits.

What if you cannot consume enough of these fruits and vegetables?  How is a person to obtain optimal health?  Supplementing the diet with vital nutrients in easy-to-swallow tablet or capsule form is a great solution.  Which supplements are the best for overall, long-term wellness?  There are a few that a person just should not do without.

Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs, are just that, essential, for optimum brain functioning, heart health, and glowing skin.  These contain the necessary omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids.  Some great sources of essential fatty acids are salmon, almonds and flax.  Many people do not eat fish because they find the taste unpleasant, or they have no idea how to incorporate flax seed into the diet.  With an EFA supplement, taken one to three times a day, you can easily get the levels of essential fatty acids necessary to protect your heart, your brain functions, and to help the look of your skin, hair and nails.  EFA supplements can contain fish oil, flax seed oil, borage oil, or evening primrose oil, and taking a mix of these various oils will provide you with all of the various 3, 6 and 9 EFAs needed.

A good multivitamin is another great way to ensure that you are meeting all of the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for long-term wellness.  You can find a good multivitamin in a vegetarian-friendly and natural tablet or capsule form, and it will usually provide over 100% of each daily vitamin and mineral requirement.  These supplements are usually reasonably priced, and plentiful in supermarkets, health food stores, or online vitamin retailers.

It may sound strange, but prenatal vitamins that have historically been taken by pregnant women only are now often being taken by men and women alike.  These special vitamins often have higher concentrations of certain important nutrients, and are available without a prescription.  If you know you are deficient in certain nutrients available in these vitamins, you may want to supplement with a prenatal vitamin instead of a regular multivitamin.

Extra vitamin C is always a good supplement and an important addition to a healthy diet and exercise program.  Vitamin C is very easily depleted from the body, and cannot readily be made without supplementation.  Although it is found in a number of citrus fruits like grapefruits and oranges and vegetables such as broccoli and tomato, many toxins in our environment and chemicals, pollutants and bad habits such as smoking cigarettes depletes the stores of vitamin C in our bodies.  Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that protects against the ever-growing level of free radicals in our environment, which free radicals increase our chances of cancer and other illnesses.  Because vitamin C is so easily robbed from our systems, it is a very good idea to increase your intake by supplementing.  Some vitamin C supplements are available in powder form that tastes delicious and can be mixed with water for an effervescent drink, or in lozenge form that dissolves under the tongue and tastes fruity.  If you prefer swallowing capsules or tablets, you can easily meet your supplementation requirements in this form too.  More good news about vitamin C is that it is almost impossible to take too much of it.

Another supplement that is helpful to most people’s diet is calcium and magnesium.  Most people know that calcium is important for strong bones and teeth, but the delicate balance of calcium and magnesium is critical.  While calcium is found in fortified milk products, other dairy, and some fortified cereals and grains, it is often not consumed in high enough quantity to be truly beneficial to the body.  Moreover, when calcium is consumed in at levels high enough to be beneficial, it sometimes upsets the stores of magnesium in our body.  A calcium/magnesium supplement will keep this balance intact, which is important because magnesium helps to keep our nervous systems calm and helps regulate other important bodily functions.

Even if you are a healthy person who enjoys good foods from the earth and exercises regularly, you can only benefit from proper supplementation.  A good regimen of EFAs, multivitamins, vitamin C and extra calcium and magnesium is a good start for the most effective supplement of nutrients for long-term wellness and vital health.

A large percentage of the population in America take more than one prescription medication and over 30% also take dietary supplements regularly. Many people are not aware that drug interactions may occur between their medicine and nutraceuticals, and these could have a negative impact on their health.

Despite frequent reports in the newspaper on the latest health scares, we have benefited hugely from advances in both pharmaceutical and nutritional sciences. There is now a huge selection of medication and health supplements for our therapy and massive research is being undertaken into new cures and treatments.Using Drugs and Supplements Together

Almost eight percent of Americans aged 18 to 44 take three or more prescription drugs daily. In seniors of retirement age this figure rises to nearly fifty percent. Other statistics show that over a third of adults in the USA use health supplements on a daily basis and almost a fifth have used a natural product over the past year.

It does not take a genius to work out that a large amount of people are taking drugs and dietary supplements at the same time and they may not be aware of drug interactions. This statistic is made more worrying by the fact that, according to one study, 70% of patients do not tell their physician that they are self medicating with an alternative treatment for their health concern. Conditions such as like allergies, obesity, arthritis, colds and flu and high blood pressure are now so common place that physicians may feel less inclined to investigate the persons own strategy for treatment. This is compounded by the fact that many people think that doctors will not understand their decision to use alternative treatment. For some of these people drug interactions can pose problems.Lack of Knowledge about Drug Interactions with Supplement

Some famous cases in the media highlighting the side effects of drugs as well as the strict regulations concerning the marketing of drugs mean that most people are aware that drugs can have complications. To a lesser extent drug interactions are reasonably well known and your doctor as well as your pharmacist will generally make sure that you have not been prescribed a detrimental combination of medications. There are also regulatory and an ethical incentives for pharmaceutical companies to discover any possible drug-drug interactions. The situation is different when it comes to nutraceuticals and herbal supplements. Little research has been conducted into drug interactions with nutraceuticals. Physicians will usually play it safe if asked by telling patients not to take supplements to avoid drug interactions. This is partly due to the scant formal training for herbal products or nutraceuticals in medical school and the general distrust of the nutrition industry by the medical profession.How do drugs and supplements interact?

After taking a drug and this then reaching the bloodstream, there are a number of ways that it can be cleared from the system. A major clearance pathway is through the liver. Certain enzymes in the liver will be responsible for the breakdown of certain drugs. These specific enzymes may also have the task of breaking down other substances that have been ingested including alcohol, nutrients and elements of herbal products. If the enzymes responsible for breaking down say paracetamol, are also responsible for breaking down a supplement you have taken previously, the enzymes will be busy with the supplement and the paracetamol will be left to float in the bloodstream. Pharmacokinetics of Consumption

Problems with drug interactions can arise when the therapeutic window (the difference in concentration of a drug in your bloodstream between no effect, desired effect and harm) is short. A dose is a highly calculated amount so if this is thrown off because your enzymes are tied up dealing with supplements or something else then your drugs may not be working properly. Additionally, if you are taking multiple doses of the drug in a day and it has a long half life (the time it takes to decrease to half of the original concentration in your blood stream) then you will effectively be topping up the concentration of the drug which can lead to dangerously high levels and possible overdose.For example, calcium channel blockers such as felodipine (Plendil?) for high blood pressure or congestive heart failure are broken down by the same enzymes as quercetin, a flavonoid found in grapefruit juice but also available as a supplement. Regular use could easily increase the levels of the drug in the body and cause accidental overdose levels – despite taking the recommended dosage at the right times. Supplements Can Enhance the Effects of Drugs

Drugs and dietary supplements can also have a synergistic interaction effect when taken at the same time. They can produce similar pharmacological effects in the body or enhance the effect of one another through some drug interaction. This can of course be dangerous to your health. The dietary supplement garlic is now very popular for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular problems. Garlic thins the blood and patients who are undergoing surgery or who are taking anti platelet agents (drugs used to stop the blood forming clots in the heart) can then have problems with blot clotting appropriately upon trauma to a blood vessel.Useless Drugs

Some dietary supplements can also induce the enzymes in the body to be more “active” than usual – they can have what is called an “inductive effect”. The enzymes are then much more efficient at clearing any prescribed drugs from the body. The drug dose is calculated so that enough of the drug is in the bloodstream for long enough for the active ingredient to be effective. If such drug interactions occur then the drug passes through the system too fast and may have a reduced effect or no effect at all.

Further Information on Supplement Drug Interactions

The first rule it to tell your doctor or pharmacist what nutritional supplements you are taking and why. They may be able to advise you of possible drug interactions with your supplements. Unfortunately, there is not a great amount of understanding in the medical profession about herbs and nutraceuticals, especially the interactions between supplements and drugs.

However, some research has been conducted into the popular herbs such as St. John’s Wort, Ginseng, Gingko, Ginger and Garlic.A dietician may have better knowledge than your doctor but there are many websites on the internet that you can get more information about drug interaction. See our Health Directory for these sites.

To supplement or not to supplement – that is the question on more bodybuilder’s lips than ever before. Are they safe? Have you ever wondered what works and what doesn’t?

Lets have a look at the basics.

There are various reasons why athletes may be interested in supplementation.

* Concern about getting adequate nutrients from our food

supply.

* Suspicion of pharmaceuticals.

* Belief that diet alone will not achieve optimal nutrition

Supplements include the following:

* Vitamins

* Minerals

* Amino Acids

* Herbs

The concerning thing about supplements is that anything classified as a dietary supplement is not required to meet any FDA or other standards! Think about that! there are no regulations in place that guarantee the safety or purity of something sold as a supplement.

They are also not made to meet the similar safety requirements as prescription drugs or any other manufacturing standards. They are not required to meet product potency or purity ratings and are not required to prove the effectiveness of any health claim that is made.

Studies suggest that a number of supplements may deliver on advertising claims. However, trainees are spending large sums of money on products that have little or no proven usefulness.

Personally I find the use of supplements over rated and as with strength training, supplementation asks the same question

“If a little is good then maybe more has to be better”

Supplementation and steroids started to proliferate when volume strength training became the training system of the day. Young strength trainees slaving in the gym for five to six days a week was seen as normal. All this without making any progress or putting on any size whatsoever.

They then turned to the latest supplement or steroid thinking that this is the magic bullet to put on that added muscle when all the time they were just plain

“Overtraining”

The cold hard facts are that the majority of the regular trainees in your gym are overtraining. The sad reality is that the type of training that you find in bodybuilding books and magazines (and used by the stars) are irrelevant to the majority of

the population and has a high failure rate.

If more bodybuilders started using more infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger…

“Most of the Muscle building supplements and steroids available today would not be needed”

. The bottom line on weight gain supplements

* Before taking a supplement try to make modifications to your

diet that might achieve the same goals.

* Only choose products that show the amount of active

ingredients on the label that are required.

* Be aware that “natural” does not mean ’safe’

* Some herbal supplements may have unpleasant side effects.

Listed below are some popular bodybuilding supplements available on the market today:

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine was first introduced to the market place some eight years ago and has since become the most popular bodybuilding supplement of all time.

Creatine is said to significantly increase lean muscle mass, improve performance, increase energy levels and speed up recovery rates.

Creatine also stimulates the uptake of amino acids in the proteins, which means that the more that it’s used the more muscle that may be grown.

Dosage: A loading phase of 20grams a day for the first five days then a maintenance phase of 5grams a day from then on.

Whey Protein isolate

The highest yield of protein currently available and is extracted from milk. This is another popular supplement for athletes and bodybuilders because of its high proportion of amino acids.

It is supposed to be high in potassium, which is essential

for muscle growth and is an antioxidant and a good immune system builder.

Dosage: 20gms – 100gms a day.

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is a plant that grows in many tropical and moderate areas of the world and is very rich in chemical compounds such as saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids.

Tribulus terrestris is supposedly a testosterone enhancer and increases sex drives in both men and women.

Dosage as per bottle.

Glutamine

Is a non-essential amino acid, which makes up to 60% of the amino acids in the bodies muscles. Glutamine containing products are protein shakes and good quality protein powders; it can also be added to protein shakes for added potency.

Dosage: 5grams to 15 grams per day.

So there you have it, a supplement is something added to the diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency or imbalance, they are not intended to substitute for eating a balanced diet. If they are to be taken at all they should only be used to supplement the diet and not replace it.

Weight loss supplements are those pills, diets, drugs and products that aid in fighting obesity and helping men and women to lose weight. These supplements help users to manage their weight efficiently and effectively. That is, they help overweight people to lose weight and return to their desired weights and they also help people contented with their weights to maintain them.
Taking supplements help men and women fight obesity and maintain good health. Just imagine the type of confidence you can exude because you are slim and looking sexy. Visualize yourself wearing those trendy and chic clothes you have always dreamed about wearing or used to wear [when you were still shapely and had no spare tire around your midsection].
Just imagine how you will feel to be able to sleep again without snoring, walk without getting tired, run or sprint without panting, wear bikini on the beach without a care in the world. Supplements will help you achieve all these in addition to being healthy and youthful looking.
There are many supplements in the market today. They all claim to help people maintain their weight and even lose weight. Their claims may be right or wrong. You are advised to study reviews of supplements before choosing the one that will help you lose weight and look good and be healthy.
There are many ways of losing weight and some of the ways are surgery, liposuction, exercises, diet programs and supplements. Out of these having the best supplements coupled with a weight loss program is the most popular method of losing weight.
Weight loss supplements can claim to raise your metabolism, increase your fat burning, suppress your appetite, and increase your energy. Along with diet and exercise, they can compliment your total weight loss program if you don’t abuse their use. Becoming dependent on these supplements or relying on them completely for weight loss can increase your risk of dangerous health side effects.
A good, all natural, healthy supplement that has been proven to decrease your appetite is hoodia. Hoodia is a South African plant from the Kalahari Desert that tricks the brain into thinking your full. If you’re feeling full, you’ll be less likely to overeat.
Hoodia has shown up in many over-the-counter weight loss supplements. You’ll see the most benefit from a pill that is 100% pure hoodia. Many knock-off brands will only have a certain percentage of this powerful supplement in their formula.
These supplements actually balance the required nutrients in the body. They do not have any great effect in reducing the weight. If these supplements are taken along with weight loss diet pills, exercises and a proper and balanced diet, you can be sure that you will significantly lose weight.
Make sure that you research for the best supplements for weight loss before taking them. You would need to find those supplements that suit your needs and requirements. This choice can be confusing as there are many supplements like these in the weight loss market. These supplements should only be taken after speaking with your physician

In recent years, there has been lots of research into nutritional supplements and their effectiveness, and most studies have shown that liquid supplements are actually the most effective when compared to pills. The pill version of supplements takes time to break down once inside the body, and in some cases, the pill simply passes right through, with no benefit being gained at all. Liquid supplements are quickly absorbed into the body, and little benefit is lost during the digestive process.

In theory, we can get all of the nutrients we need from eating fresh fruits and veggies everyday, but very few people are actually able to eat enough to meet their daily nutritional requirements. This is why nutritional supplements are so important. Many of us lead very busy, hectic lives, and quite often, it is impossible to make the best food choices, so we have to rely on supplements to feed our body’s, and keep up healthy.

To make certain that your body gets all of the nutrients it needs each day; you pretty much have to take a supplement. There are very few nutritional supplements that can’t be found in liquid form. Thanks to the research that has shown the increased effectiveness of liquid supplements, just about every manufacturer offers their products in liquid form, so they aren’t hard to find.

Liquid supplements can boost your health, leading to a higher quality of life, and increased longevity. While we do have to make sacrifices and shortcuts in our lives, our health should not be something that we take for granted, or downgrade to a low priority status. Between trying to make enough money to pay the bills, keeping the household chores down, and taking care of your family, it is easy to lose track and forget about your own health and needs. You should make an effort each day to think about your own needs, even if that just means a ten minute walk, at least you are doing something to boost your health, along with taking supplements! Liquid supplements are more convenient and more economical, since you get the full benefit of the daily dose, rather than just having it pass through your body unabsorbed, as is common with pills.

Liquid nutritional supplements have been around for a long time, they just haven’t really been popular until the last decade or so. Your body can function as it was meant do when you provide it with the vitamins and nutrients it needs everyday. Once you start using liquid supplements and see the difference for yourself, you will wonder how you have made it without them all this time!

If you were to walk into your local health and nutrition store looking for supplements that build muscle, you’ll probably find yourself confused and amazed at just how many products there are to choose from. With so many supplements available, it can be a little on the tricky side to decide which ones will help you with your goals. There are a lot of supplements out there to help you build muscle, although some may not be ideal for your goals.
The first thing to keep in mind, is the fact that you don’t always need muscle building supplements to build muscle, although will help you speed up the process. These types of supplements can help you increase muscular development, providing you work out. They can aid you in both muscle growth and the recovery of your muscles. Among the many products available, the most popular are protein, creatine, and multi-vitamins.
Protein is a preferred supplement among bodybuilders and those who exercise. It contains many amino acids which help you to build muscle. No matter what type of diet you are or on or supplement you select, you should always pick one that contains a lot of protein. The ideal way to take protein, is 2 grams per pound of body weight. You can get protein in pill form, powder, or even bars. When you select your protein supplement, you should also make sure that the supplement contains whey, soy, and eggs. Whey protein is the ideal supplement, as it contains everything you need to start building muscle.
Creatine is another beneficial supplement, as it will help you increase your muscle mass and improve the recovery time for your muscles. Creatine also helps you to increase your muscle pumps as well, allowing you to do more repetitions with more weight. Normally, you will need to go through a loading period of creatine, which is usually a week. Once you have loaded it, you should use in cycles, a few weeks using it and a few weeks off. To get the most from creatine, you should always follow the instructions the manufacturer has provided on the label.
Micro-vitamins are another great supplement, as they work great for those who aren’t getting enough minerals and vitamins with their normal diet. Although you may have the best of intentions, a busy or hectic schedule can make it very hard to get a healthy meal. If you use vitamin supplements in your diet, you can get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. If you are looking to build muscle, you should always take the proper supplements, and use protein bars and shakes if you aren’t able to eat a healthy meal.
Building muscle is something we would all like to do. Even though it requires a lot of exercise and commitment on your behalf, you should also have the necessary supplements as well. If you use the right supplements, you’ll notice the muscle growth in a matter of weeks. Supplements will help you to build muscle, by speeding up the process.
There are a lot of brands and manufacturers to choose from, including Weider and MuscleTech. You can find these supplements locally or online, giving you plenty of great deals to take advantage of. If you exercise and are looking to add more muscle mass to your body, you should give muscle building supplements a try. They work extremely well, they taste great, and they will greatly assist you in your quest to build muscle and live a healthier life.

Many people nowadays are turning to “organics” and “naturals” otherwise known as herbals. The rising popularity of herbal supplements has created a new fad if not a new health lifestyle. But before you join the bandwagon, here are some things you need to know about this mean, “green” dietary supplementing machine.

What is the difference between a drug and a dietary supplement?

According to the definition set by food and drug administrations in different countries, drugs are chemicals that can prevent, prolong the life, treat other effects of a health condition, improve the quality of life, and/or cure ailments and diseases, or alter the function of any part or chemicals inside the body. These drugs have approved therapeutic claims. For example, paracetamol is a drug given to bring down the body temperature in fever. Ascorbic acid is indicated for the treatment of scurvy. Iron supplements are given to treat mild cases of anemia.

Herbal supplements are not classified as drugs but as dietary supplements. The main difference is that they do not have approved therapeutic claims unlike in the case of drugs. Moreover, dietary supplements could either contain vitamins, minerals, herbals, or amino acids, all aimed to add to or supplement the diet of an individual. They are not intended to be taken alone as a substitute to any food or medicine.

Most of the manufactured medicines we now have once came from animals and plants. Through the years, chemists isolated the life-saving or life-curing components and separated them from the harmful ones. This lead to the further drug research and drug development that lead to the production of a different variety of drugs for many ailments and conditions from synthetic sources. But still we have semi-synthetic drugs, as well as drug that more or less approximate more natural composition. Since herbal supplements are made from a mixture of crude herbs reduced into powder or gel form, and later on packaged as tablets and capsules, there is a possibility that life-threatening or at least body chemistry-altering components are still present, thus the expression of concern from the medical community.

Is there a growing concern with the use of herbal supplements?

Yes. With the rising popularity of using and consuming anything herbal or organic is the proliferation of fake herbal supplements that threaten to endanger lives. If that’s the case, then why are herbal supplements given drug administration approvals? One way of ensuring the safety of the people is to have all candidate drugs, food, drinks, and dietary supplements registered with the proper authority. Otherwise, they would pose more risk with these things being sold in the black market for a hefty sum. We could ensure the quality and safety of herbal supplements if they get proper classification with the food and drug administration. Moreover, people may be able to file the proper complaints in the event a worsening of health condition is proven to be linked to the use of a particular herbal supplement.

Is using herbal supplements worth the risk?

Yes. It cannot be discounted that many who have tried herbal supplements experienced an improvement in their health—whether this is due to the herbals themselves or due to a placebo effect, as long as they do not worsen the condition of an individual, then using them is worth the risk. But of course, certain things must be considered before taking those herbal supplements:

Your doctor knows best.

First of all, clear your condition with your doctor. Ask him/her if taking a particular herbal supplement is safe given your health condition. People with heart, liver, or kidney trouble or malfunction, are usually not advised to take these, or at the minimum is to take these herbals in minimum amounts. All substances pass through the liver and kidney to be processed and filtered respectively. Kava, which is used to relieve people from stress, has been pulled out from the Canadian, Singaporean, and German markets because it contains substances that cause liver damage. Certain herbals such as Ephedra used for losing weight, contains chemicals with heart-inducing effects that can increase heart rate, which in turn can exhaust the heart and cause heart attacks in several documented cases by the American Medical Association.

Follow the directions for use.

Never take more herbal supplements than what is directed by the doctor or as instructed on the bottle. Each individual reacts differently to the components of herbal supplements. While it is perfectly safe for one individual to take in a supplement of primrose oil capsules, another person may be allergic to it. So, do not even think about downing one bottle of

It has no approved curative effect.

No matter how the product pamphlet or the label of the bottle sounds about how it has been found to be helpful in certain health conditions, these herbal supplements are not therapeutic. So do not substitute these for the medications prescribed by your doctor for the treatment of certain diseases, or for the maintenance of blood pressure, lowering of blood sugar and cholesterol, and fight off infections.

Gaspari Nutrition is one of the most trusted brands in bodybuilding supplements nowadays. It doesn’t matter what your needs are or what level of bodybuilding you’re in – Gaspari Nutrition is sure to have something made especially for you!
There is a wide assortment of Gaspari supplements being sold in health stores and online health shops. These include Cytolean, an excellent fat burner and appetite suppressant; IntraPro, a protein supplement created specifically for bodybuilders and athletes; PlasmaJet, a nitric oxide-based growth product; Myofusion, a high-quality protein supplement; Novedex, a natural product to boost testosterone; Halodrol, a prohormone that helps build muscle; Mitotropin, a great pre-competition fat burner; SizeOn, a creatine-based volumizing supplement; and SuperPump, a supplement to enhance lean muscle mass. Thus, Gaspari supplements can help you lose weight and gain muscle at the same time.
The Gaspari company has conducted rigorous research on their products in order to provide effective, high-quality supplements. It has been shown that using Gaspari supplements can result in an increase of more than twice the lean body mass of an individual. Specific Gaspari products have also been studied independently. For example, SuperPump has been shown to produce a more than 5% increase in the mass of the arms compared to placebo. It was also shown to produce a significant reduction in the amount of fat in the body. Another example is the Ohio Research Group study on SizeOn. SizeOn was discovered to produce a significant increase in body weight and lean body mass. Also, individuals who were using SizeOn were noted to be able to do approsimately 3 times more repetitions during their resistance training compared to those who were using other products.
Unlike other bodybuilding products, Gaspari supplements come in different flavors, giving users some variety. Some popular flavors include carrot, fruit punch and sapphire raspberry. Gaspari supplements are easy to use, with instructions available on the product packet and on the Gaspari website. It is important to follow these instructions to the letter, and not take the supplements in excess of the recommended dosages.
The great thing about Gaspari Nutrition supplements is that they are affordable. These products cost anywhere from $33 to $80. Aside from these products, Gaspari Nutrition also offers Supplement Kits that can be used by different levels of bodybuilders, from starters to the more advanced. These kits typically use a combination of Gaspari products to further enhance the effects. There are also supplements made especially for men and for women.
Although Gaspari products can be combined with each other, such as those in Gaspari Supplement Kits, using other products together with Gaspari supplements can result in unwanted side effects. Many users recommend that if you’re already taking Gaspari supplements, it may be best to avoid other stimulants, as the stimulant effects can be significantly augmented. Also, users also suggest that Gaspari supplements not be taken near bedtime.
For bodybuilders, Gaspari Nutrition supplements are nothing short of impressive. Gaspari products will surely give you the leaner, bigger and stronger body that you want. Try Gaspari supplements today!

The term supplements have been bedevilled the world over especially when mentioned in the same breath as body building. Supplements are however not all bad although they have been abused to a very large extent. New trainees who are venturing into the body building industry need not panic out of ignorance every time supplements are mentioned. This article tries to give a basic introductory guide to body building supplements.A novice body builder may easily fall into the trap of impatience. He may wish to build compact muscles as quickly as possible using supplements. The problem is that there are over 50 million products on sale claiming to be supplements. The internet is riddled with multitudes of advertising placards calling attention to miraculous body building wonders all of which claim to be amazingly the best.  All this serves to create confusion in the industry, especially because most products assume names that sound familiar to something vaguely common. Beginners find themselves in a dilemma. They get junk e-mails and trunk phone calls from salesmen all the time giving unsolicited advice on hoe to choose supplements that can help them to gain huge muscles quickly.The first point of note is that a body builder doesn’t necessarily need dietary supplements to gain huge muscles. The supplements however can help in increasing the rate of muscle growth and development. Simply put, diet supplements are body building tools that aid in increasing the potential of muscle building. It is recommendable for beginners to start out diet supplemented body building with a multi-vitamin dosage, then a protein prescription, before taking up a Creatine dosage.So what types of supplements exist in the market today? There are many types of diet supplements capable of enhancing speedy muscle growth, recovery, and repair. The following is a basic list of the available supplement in the market, and which can be used in body building to produce the best results in muscle size, power and tone: Multi- Vitamins, Proteins, Protein Bars, Glutamine, Creatine, Anti-Estrogens, ZMA, HMB, Natural Test Booster, Growth Hormone, Nitric Oxide, Amino Acids, Methoxy and even Ecdy.Most of the above supplements can be grouped into four different categories based on their function in the body. These four categories are: supplements that amplify development of new muscle cells and tissues, supplements that help improve repair of damaged cells after intense workout sessions, supplements that provide the body with raw material in form of nutrients vital for body builder’s health and finally supplements that aid in burning and conversion of body fats for a lean compact body.All these distinct types of dietary supplements are available for choice. For a novice to make the right choice of supplement that will be an effective aid in the quest to build muscles, each product’s content, side effects and more importantly, dietary contribution to body building. These types should be reviewed based on their nutritional content. A better understanding should be sought from nutrition experts who will give a prescription detailing dosage and ratio of intakes.

Consumers are being bombarded with advertising, medical studies and word-of-mouth wisdom about vitamins and mineral supplements. Almost every week a new scientific study proclaims the virtues of vitamin this or that.
RDAs are “Grossly Oversimplified” For Vitamins and Supplements
RDA’s (Recommended Daily Allowance) are also used to set standards in many programs. But many nutritional scientists consider them to be out of sync with the needs of many Americans. The RDA takes the stand of the mythical “average” that was created from a lot of scientific and mathematical “averages” computed from a group of people somewhere on the planet. Averages have become grossly oversimplified, where fixed but arbitrary set points have been established for a variety of factors.
So, many consumers today take vitamins and minerals in amounts that far exceed the recommended doses to prevent chronic illnesses, like heart disease, and they rarely have reliable sources for direction.
Can You Really Get The Nutrition You Need Without Taking A Vitamin or Supplement?
The fact is food alone cannot supply some nutrients in amounts sufficient to prevent disease. For example, vitamin E at levels considerably higher than the current RDA has been linked by a number of researchers with the prevention of heart disease and improved immune function.
Calcium-fortified orange juice, Vitamin-enhanced waters, Fortified cereals and energy bars. Everywhere you turn, new products are showing up on supermarket shelves touting added vitamins and minerals.
If you already take a multi-vitamin and mineral tablet, add a calcium or vitamin E supplement on top of that, and eat a few fortified food products along with a fairly healthy diet, you are now out of balance with too many vitamins and minerals.
Is More Really Better When It Comes To Taking Vitamins and Supplements?
Americans tend to think that more is better, or that if it’s natural, it can’t harm you, and that is particularly true when it comes to vitamins and minerals. But that’s not always the case. Some people habitually overdo it with vitamins and minerals and suffer the consequences.
Serious Consequences For Over Doing Vitamins and Supplements
Here are a few examples. Most people think if they take too many water soluble vitamins (like B vitamins and vitamin C) they will just get washed out in the urine, this is true, but it can put extra stress on the kidneys and liver. A more serious problem with water soluble vitamin B6, is that, over time, it can cause nerve damage if taken in excessive amounts.
Vitamin C is another that people tend to take in large quantities, mainly in the form of supplements, and often in an attempt to stave off colds and illness. But at 2,000 milligrams or greater, it can cause digestive upset, and people don’t typically associate stomach upset with the fact that they are taking vitamin C. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption and research has shown excess amounts may increase the risk of liver cancer and heart disease in people with iron overload.
Here Comes The Vitamin Deficiency
By continuing to follow established dietary patterns, an individual or an entire family soon develops long term deficiencies and excesses. Most people repeat basically the same diet over months and years, often extending to generations.
The balanced diet one size fits all is a myth. There is only biochemical individual balanced diets. So we are back to genetics. Our genes determine the chromosomes, and the latter are responsible for the presence and efficiency of the body’s enzyme systems. If the enzymes do not function, one will develop a diagnosable disease, usually one that is lurking in the family background. If we could discover the weak enzyme then we could be more specific in the application of the appropriate vitamin or mineral to make that enzyme function more efficiently.
An Easy CURE to the Vitamin and Supplement Debate: It’s Based On Person’s Smell & Taste
The olfactory or smelling sense helps to indicate deficiencies or excesses. John L. Kitkoski spent considerable time and effort to find the key to a spectrum for dietary supplementation selection system and a methodology following human olfactory (smell). When you open a bottle of smell sensitive dietary supplement, what you smell is what is on the label. What you smell is what you get. Many people like the smell of a particular vitamin or mineral and yet they have no symptoms suggesting a deficiency. It suggests, however, that some problem is on its way.
As biochemical individuals there is no “one symptom means one deficiency” method. Illness is not a particular vitamin or mineral deficiency but a complex relationship between ratios.
The Perfect Vitamin and Supplement Program On Earth!
Life Balances is the only self directed health program in America today. The program was built around the biochemical individual.
Many people are concerned about the source of their vitamins. There are really a few things that the best vitamin supplement has. The first is that the vitamin supplement is volatile, which means its made so that it is broken down correctly in the body. The second is that the vitamin supplement is smell sensitive. Unfortunately, no other vitamin supplement on the market is smell sensitive.
Life Balances patented smell sensitive vitamins (available at HealthtoHeart.com) ensure that each person can correctly guide themselves through their nutritional needs by smell and that each vitamin is volatile, so it is correctly absorbed. They have the two most important vitamin benefits of any vitamin supplement on the market.
Once you discover them, you’ll never have to guess which vitamins and supplements you need.

There are so many different weight loss supplements on the market today. With so many of them promising that they are the new “wonder supplement” that is the answer to all your desires, you need to be careful. It’s a jungle out there. In this article we will look at what to look out for, how to choose a weight loss supplement, and some of the reputable weight loss supplements on the market.

Weight Loss Supplement Safety

Remember there are many weight loss supplements on the market that are not approved by the FDA. It is important to make your choice as to a weight loss supplement by doing your due diligence before you make your purchase. The second thing to keep in mind is that your supplement needs to be consumed in moderation. Don’t commence your supplement program by over loading. There have been many cases where people have consumed to much and made themselves sick. Your body needs to slowly adapt.

When taking weight loss supplements it is also wise to acknowledge that the supplement will only assist in weight loss. It won’t solely bring about weight loss for you. Your weight loss supplement needs to be coupled with a sensible well balanced diet, and a regular exercise routine. Exercise helps increase your metabolic rate, thus accelerating your weight loss. If you combine these three elements then you will lose weight safely, and your weight loss will be long term. Remember that a supplement alone will not create long term weight loss.

Some reputable weight loss supplements

Green Teas

The Green Tea weight loss supplement market is booming. Green Tea has significant health benefits. It is high in antioxidants, it is good for the heart and there is little side effects for green tea weight loss supplements. Green teas are an excellent weight loss supplement to commence with.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is found in skin of red grapes. It has very powerful anti aging benefits and is excellent for weight loss. Resveratrol rapidly increasing your metabolic rate and gives you the the weight loss benefits of consuming a low calorie diet, without dramatically reducing your calorie intake. It also has powerful cell generating properties, helping slow the ageing cycle.

Some Weight Loss Supplements to be cautious of

Ephedra

Ephedra or ephedrine is a stimulant drug that has received much media attention. There have been serious doubts raised as to whether or not this drug is safe as a weight loss supplement. Ephedra is meant to starve hunger and also increase your metabolic rate. There have been cases where patients have had heart complaints as this drug can also lift your heart rate.

Meal Replacements

Meal replacements companies have been growing massively over recent years. People are time poor, and meal replacement offer a way to lose weight fast. Appealing to most, however they have a very low rate of long term weight loss success. The main reason for this that it doesn’t teach portion control. Weight loss requires a shift in lifestyle and by learning eating habits that are healthy. Meal replacement weight loss supplements will help you lose weight short term, however from clients I have worked I have found that these supplements have not created a behavioural shift significant enough to have long term weight loss success.

Today there are quite a lot of people who are into body building or working out. Considering the appearance-conscious society that we live in today, many people are now going to the gym in order to have a great looking and healthy body. So, if you searching for a way to get that just right body that you can proudly show off at the beach, you should consider enrolling in fitness programs that is usually found in the gym.
The hard part about getting a great well toned muscular body like you might have seen some of the professional bodybuilder have in the gym is it takes a lot of work and discipline. You will have to stick to a very structured set of guidlines probably developed by your trainer. This can be difficult and trying at times. However one way to maximize your results and see the results of your efforts in the gym much more quickly is through the use of supplements. You have probably seen the big professional body builders in the gym right? Most of them are taking a wide variety of supplements to help them gain rock hard muscle quickly. There is no magic pill you will still have to workout regularly and stick to your diet but a supplement can improve your results.
These supplements can be used even by beginner body builders. If you want to see fast results, you should consider taking body building supplements that can help you see results at the quickest time possible.
Important Supplement Facts
Unfortunately there is no body building supplement currently on the market or in stores anywhere that will build muscle for you while you sit back on the couch and enjoy eating ice cream. Supplements are natural nutritional supplements that will help you in working out harder and recovering faster. However no supplement will do the work for you.
Be Careful About
There are many different types of supplements on the market and a wide range of possible effects that they might have. You therefore have to be careful and think about what you are putting in your body instead of just popping them in your mouth. You will want to stay away from any illegal body building drugs like anabolic steroids. These can have serious side effects and even do long term permanent damage to your body. It is best to stay with all natural legal supplements like you can purchase at GNC.
Most Effective Supplements
One of the effective supplements to start off with is Creatine. This is a natural supplement that you body already creates. Creatine is naturally created in your liver, pancreas, and kidney area and then it is transported to your muscles through your blood. Creaine is used by the body to restore any damaged muscles. Therefore following a really hard session at the gym you have broken down your muscles and basically torn or damaged them. There is some creatine in your muscles already and that is how the body naturally heals itself. However, by taking extra creatine in supplement form your body has more available and therefore the muscles can rebuild more quickly. Many people also report that they are able to workout harder then without the supplement. It is great at giving short boosts of energy and power while lifting.
Additionally you might want to consider taking a whey protein supplement. Obviously you naturally get some protein by just eating regular food on a daily basis. However, the body is only able to absorb so much of the protein when you are eating. By taking a supplement you can add to and enhance the amount of protein available in your body. As we all know protein is one of the major building blocks of the body. So after a strenuous workout when your muscles have been broken down by taking whey protein you provide everything your body needs to repair itself quickly.
There are many different effective body building supplements and as you spend more time working out talk with others in the gym and see what they use. Also if you have a personal trainer then talk to them about a supplementation program. As long as you are taking all natural supplements there is very little bad or harm your body. Just make sure you keep your supplements to a reasonable amount a little each day will do wonders but don’t over do it.

A bodybuilding supplement review is a great tool whether you are just beginning a new workout routine or if you are an experienced bodybuilder. With bodybuilding supplement reviews, you can get the latest information about a variety of products on the market today.
The reviews are often posted by experts or other users who have tried the products. As such, you can save money by reading what they have to say before buying it. A bodybuilding supplement guide typically lets you know the positive and negative effects each product can have on your body, too.
One of the leading online muscle supplement reviews can be found at Supplement Judge. On this site, you can get many bodybuilding supplement reviews to help you make a decision. Users rate supplements by product so you can easily search for a specific product and read what others have to say about it.
If you are looking for the best supplements in a specific category, you can even click on one of the many categories (such as General Health, Fat Loss, and Testosterone Level) in order to read bodybuilding supplements reviews of different products in each category.
You can then compare which ones are the right ones to help you meet your goals. It also has a top-rated list for the best reviewed supplements and options to buy products directly from the site for an added measure of convenience.
Another site that offers muscle supplement reviews is Bodybuildingforyou. At this website, you can find bodybuilding supplement reviews that compare the qualities of different brand names. This site also provides users the opportunity to post and read reviews of vitamins and other types of supplements so you can find everything you need at this page.
With an easy-to-read appearance and user-friendly features, this bodybuilding supplement review site is neither intimidating nor overwhelming. For added convenience, visitors can post questions and answers in the site’s forum or you can even chat live with other users who have experience with supplements.
One of the simplest websites where you can find muscle supplement reviews is at Body Fitness Guide. On this site, you can find basic explanations of bodybuilding supplements as well as short but informative reviews of the products and brands. This site is ideal for beginners who are just starting out in their bodybuilding routine.
By reading bodybuilding supplement reviews on this page, you can get information to help you find the right products to help you meet your goals. You can also use this site as a quick reference because it lists the ingredients in many of the bodybuilding supplements and also information regarding their possible side effects and benefits.
Reading bodybuilding supplement reviews is an excellent way to find the best products for your specific needs. You can read what other people have experienced with different products and the effects that they have noticed. You can also do price comparisons so you can be sure to get the most effective products for your money.
Other sites even provide ways that you can talk with other users in case you have questions or concerns. You can likely find other bodybuilders to answer your questions through chatting or reading forum discussions.
Bodybuilding supplement reviews are an ideal way to make informed and educated decisions regarding the supplements you choose.

Many people nowadays are turning to “organics” and “naturals” otherwise known as herbals. The rising popularity of herbal supplements has created a new fad if not a new health lifestyle. But before you join the bandwagon, here are some things you need to know about this mean, “green” dietary supplementing machine.

- What is the difference between a drug and a dietary supplement?

According to the definition set by food and drug administrations in different countries, drugs are chemicals that can prevent, prolong the life, treat other effects of a health condition, improve the quality of life, and/or cure ailments and diseases, or alter the function of any part or chemicals inside the body. These drugs have approved therapeutic claims. For example, paracetamol is a drug given to bring down the body temperature in fever. Ascorbic acid is indicated for the treatment of scurvy. Iron supplements are given to treat mild cases of anemia.

Herbal supplements are not classified as drugs but as dietary supplements. The main difference is that they do not have approved therapeutic claims unlike in the case of drugs. Moreover, dietary supplements could either contain vitamins, minerals, herbals, or amino acids, all aimed to add to or supplement the diet of an individual. They are not intended to be taken alone as a substitute to any food or medicine.

Most of the manufactured medicines we now have once came from animals and plants. Through the years, chemists isolated the life-saving or life-curing components and separated them from the harmful ones. This lead to the further drug research and drug development that lead to the production of a different variety of drugs for many ailments and conditions from synthetic sources. But still we have semi-synthetic drugs, as well as drug that more or less approximate more natural composition. Since herbal supplements are made from a mixture of crude herbs reduced into powder or gel form, and later on packaged as tablets and capsules, there is a possibility that life-threatening or at least body chemistry-altering components are still present, thus the expression of concern from the medical community.

- Is there a growing concern with the use of herbal supplements?

Yes. With the rising popularity of using and consuming anything herbal or organic is the proliferation of fake herbal supplements that threaten to endanger lives. If that’s the case, then why are herbal supplements given drug administration approvals? One way of ensuring the safety of the people is to have all candidate drugs, food, drinks, and dietary supplements registered with the proper authority. Otherwise, they would pose more risk with these things being sold in the black market for a hefty sum. We could ensure the quality and safety of herbal supplements if they get proper classification with the food and drug administration. Moreover, people may be able to file the proper complaints in the event a worsening of health condition is proven to be linked to the use of a particular herbal supplement.

- Is using herbal supplements worth the risk?

Yes. It cannot be discounted that many who have tried herbal supplements experienced an improvement in their health—whether this is due to the herbals themselves or due to a placebo effect, as long as they do not worsen the condition of an individual, then using them is worth the risk. But of course, certain things must be considered before taking those herbal supplements:

- Your doctor knows best.

First of all, clear your condition with your doctor. Ask him/her if taking a particular herbal supplement is safe given your health condition. People with heart, liver, or kidney trouble or malfunction, are usually not advised to take these, or at the minimum is to take these herbals in minimum amounts. All substances pass through the liver and kidney to be processed and filtered respectively. Kava, which is used to relieve people from stress, has been pulled out from the Canadian, Singaporean, and German markets because it contains substances that cause liver damage. Certain herbals such as Ephedra used for losing weight, contains chemicals with heart-inducing effects that can increase heart rate, which in turn can exhaust the heart and cause heart attacks in several documented cases by the American Medical Association.

- Follow the directions for use.

Never take more herbal supplements than what is directed by the doctor or as instructed on the bottle. Each individual reacts differently to the components of herbal supplements. While it is perfectly safe for one individual to take in a supplement of primrose oil capsules, another person may be allergic to it. So, do not even think about downing one bottle of

- It has no approved curative effect.

No matter how the product pamphlet or the label of the bottle sounds about how it has been found to be helpful in certain health conditions, these herbal supplements are not therapeutic. So do not substitute these for the medications prescribed by your doctor for the treatment of certain diseases, or for the maintenance of blood pressure, lowering of blood sugar and cholesterol, and fight off infections.

For more information on herbal supplements, please visit the Holmed Market website.

If you wish to shop for herbal supplements, click here.

The benefits of taking nutritional supplements are endless no matter if you have a chronic illness or feel that you are perfectly healthy. In today’s world of instant gratification, high-paced lifestyles with fast food and on-the-go meals, it is no wonder that our society’s personal health is degenerating at an alarming rate. Although we do have more medical resources in order to diagnose and treat illnesses quicker and easier, wouldn’t it be more feasible to prevent an illness before it even starts, or at best minimize the results of having a chronic illness.

Nutritional supplements range in price and product depending on what you are looking for. Nutritional supplements can help aid muscle aches, cell regeneration, providing the body with actively fighting antibodies against harmful substances in the home or work environment. Anti-aging benefits, balancing your daily intake of vitamins and minerals and helping your body rid itself of environmental toxins are just a few of the positive aspects of using a nutritional supplement on a regular basis.

Tips For Choosing Nutritional Supplements

1. The first thing you must do before running out to your local health food store is to examine what you take in each day as part of your balanced diet. Are you lacking fruits or vegetables? Should you be drinking more milk or eating too much protein?

2. Once you have narrowed down what your natural diet is lacking, then you can begin your search to fill that void with a nutritional supplement. If need be, keep a food journal for one week to recognize any patters you may have or a specific food group that you are not getting enough of during your regular routine.

3. Consulting your health care provider will be your next vital step on the road to better health. You will need to examine your strengths and weaknesses in your diet and make calculated decisions on what supplements will fit your lifestyle and current diet best in order to give your body what it needs.

4. Analyze any medication that you are currently taking. You should not go out on your own and start taking nutritional supplements without consulting a health care provider in order to avoid any medical or health disasters in the future.

5. Reading the labels carefully will be an important part of choosing which exact brand of nutritional supplement you purchase once you have found what you need in order to maintain your health. What it says on the label may not be what is inside, and you may only be receiving trace amounts of a mineral that you desperately need.

6. Many multi-vitamins do not have the amount of isolated vitamins or minerals you are lacking, or you may be overloading your system with too much of one type of nutritional supplement if you are taking more than one product during the same time period. Utilize the staff in your local health store; let them know what you are currently taking or what you are looking for in order to get recommendations for your nutritional supplements.

Nutrient dense supplements are nutritional supplements that are packed full of natural occurring nutritional compounds from fresh whole live foods. These specific supplements are especially beneficial for those looking for an all-in-one, natural and convenient way to receive a balance of minerals and supplements. These products do come in a variety of types and those, which are concentrated to over 100 nutritional elements, can in fact save you money in the long run by limiting the amount of separate nutritional supplements that you would have purchased previously to obtain the same results.

Although some nutritional supplements look appealing and healthy on the label, often our bodies are not able to absorb the entire benefit of those capsules. If you are looking for a nutritional supplement that can bypass the digestive system and is able to be absorbed right into your body to maximize the effects than a liquid nutritional supplement is the best choice for you. If you are spending money in order to purchase the vitamins and minerals you are lacking, you will want to have them available for your body to take advantage of them wouldn’t you?

With some research and a little help from your health care professional, you can use a combination of your own diet along with nutritional supplements in order to take advantage of the benefits that your body requires in order to stay healthy and live longer.

Nutritional supplement is a product that provides additional nutrients when people don’t get enough of them through food. Nutritional supplement increases the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, etc. It gives you everything you need to quench the thirst of average daily intake of nutrient.
Nutritional supplements are available in different shapes and sizes – many nutritional supplements can make a huge difference in your life. Nutritional supplements are exactly what they imply; they are the vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that your body needs to be healthy. Here are some information on nutritional supplements and what they are used for.
First of all, supplements help you to overcome nutritional deficiencies. We need all the nutrients in the proper amounts in order to have an optimum health. Since our diets can not provide all of them, nutritional supplements can fill in those gaps.
Nutritional supplements also help to boost our immune system. The stronger your immune system, the more resistant your body can be against disease. You probably know that popping a tablet or two of Vitamin C can help you avoid cold and related illness. This is exactly how useful supplementation is.
Nutritional supplements also enhance and complement our activities, such as workout regimes etc… Our body needs more than just vitamins and minerals. There are various nutritional health supplements offering a wide spectrum of essential nutrients. There are plenty of high quality multi-vitamins available on the market that offers a comprehensive range of vitamins and minerals.
Nutritional supplements represent a support to our body. The nutritional supplements clean the human body and restore the deficiencies present inside. While taken constantly, nutritional supplements promote good health and help prevent diseases. Nutritional supplements represent a good thing that we need. It is best to satisfy the body’s vitamin and mineral needs with a healthy diet.
Here are a few tips that you might consider before buying nutritional supplements:
1. Nutritional supplements can enhance your body’s function. It cleans the human body and restores the deficiencies present inside.
2. Everybody can consume nutritional supplement and mostly if it is diagnosed with a nutritional deficiency.
3. You must find out if you have a nutritional deficiency.
4. Ask your physician if it is safe for you to take nutritional supplements.
5. Does this supplement interact with any drug or food you are consuming?
6. Nutritional supplements help in better healing. Choosing the right supplements according to the requirement will provide the body with the fuel needed to enhance re-growth and heal within the body.
The goal of using nutritional supplements is to get your health, fitness and looks to a greater level. Nutritional supplements for good health are nutrients which may include one or several of the following: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and medicinal herbs or botanicals.

Odds are, your local health/vitamin shop carries a well-stocked supply of muscle building nutritional supplements. In fact, you may find that there are so many, it is difficult to decide which one to try. You probably have certain goals in mind, and it can be difficult to choose the supplement that will best help you to reach those goals, especially when there are so many to choose from. In this article, we will try to help you narrow down your choice.

You should know that you can build up muscle without using supplements, but using supplements will definitely help you achieve faster results. You still have to work at building muscle; it won?t happen if you just sit on the couch all day, no matter how many muscle building supplements you use. By having a well-planned weight lifting and workout routine that you do everyday, and using supplements, you can build muscle, if you are willing to work at it. The most popular supplements that muscle builders use are multivitamins, protein, and creatine.

Multi-vitamins are a nutritional supplement designed to help those who don?t always eat a proper diet provide their body with the vitamins it needs everyday. It is easy to get busy and just grab whatever food is handy, even if it isn?t the most nutritious option. If you take a daily multi-vitamin, your body won?t have to suffer when you don?t have the time to eat as you should. These vitamins may not do a lot to help you reach your muscle-building goals, but they can keep you healthy and boost your energy, which is also very important.

Many bodybuilders rely on protein supplements to augment their exercise routines. Protein contains potent amino acids, which are effective at building muscle. If you are interested in building muscle, you definitely need either a high protein diet, or a protein supplement. If you take a protein supplement, most research shows that you should use 2 grams for every pound you weigh. So, if you weigh 200 pounds, then you would take 400 grams of protein each day. Protein supplements come in many forms, pills, bars, and powders. Look for a protein supplement that is made up of eggs, soy and whey.

Creatine supplements will help you not only build muscle, but will also help your muscles recover faster after workouts. If you lift weights, some lifters say that they are able to do more reps when they use creatine supplements. You have what is known as a loading period, usually one week, and then you use it for a few weeks, stop, and start back again, depending on the supplement manufacturers directions found on the label.

The right nutritional supplements can help you build muscle, provided you use them correctly, and in conjunction with muscle building exercises and a healthy diet.

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I’ll start with the bottom line: you don’t NEED supplements to burn fat or build muscle. The human body can function and make excellent athletic progress on nothing but quality food and proper training.
But you CAN use supplements to help the process along faster. The real key is knowing what works, what is garbage, and when an advertiser is simply trying to take your money.
Let me put it this way…in a recent muscle magazine, I counted 120 pages of full-page (in some cases 3 to 6 page), high-powered supplement ads. If you were to buy all these products, you’d be laughing all the way to the bank…laughing maniacally, because you’d have to rob it in order to pay for all those supplements!
There ARE good supplement manufacturers who make good products…they put in what they say they’re putting in and don’t try to fool you with advertising. But this article is about the BAD ones and it’s more fun to talk about them…
So what sneaky tricks do advertisers use to separate you from your money?
1. Unprovable Testimonials
How many times have you seen testimonials like “I lost 10 pounds in a week” or “I gained 20 pounds of muscle in a month.” These testimonials prey upon the desire in all of us for fast and easy results. Who wouldn’t want results this quickly? After all, if this person did it, I should get those same results too, right?
To me, this is like a car commercial that uses special effects to catch your attention then has an official disclaimer like “car should not be driven underwater” or “does not imply resistance to meteor strikes.” It looks and sounds cool but you know it’s just not real – you want to believe but…
And believe me, I would LOVE to think that results like this are possible with just a supplement. But how do you prove that those results even happened? You can’t. How do you prove it was due to that supplement? You can’t. How do you know the person wasn’t “on” something? You can’t. And how do you get your money back when it doesn’t work? You can’t.
About 10 years ago, I did an experiment on myself to see just how much weight I could gain in a week (keep in mind, I was just aiming for total bodyweight, which includes muscle, water and fat). By going on a very strict diet and training program for 2 weeks then completely reversing everything and loading up, I was able to gain 25 pounds of bodyweight in 7 days. And I owed it all to the incredible new supplement I was taking called Hydrogen Dioxide (a.k.a. H2O).
2. Before and After Photos
Before and after photos can be very inspiring and offer proof that a product works. Or they can fool you like the time Homer Simpson opened a can of beer that had just been in a paint shaking machine.
Here’s a before and after picture technique you can try at home:
Your Before Picture:
- slouch as much as you can
- let your gut hang out and down, push it out if you can
- bow your shoulders in, hunch your back over, and bow your knees in
- stand directly square to the camera so you look as wide as possible
- frown or look miserable
- have a messy, unflattering hairdo
- wear the most unflattering clothing you can find – make sure the clothes highlight every bulge
- don’t flex or tighten up anything – make yourself feel as flabby as possible
Your After Picture:
- stand up straight and tall
- suck in your gut and flex your abdominals
- keep your shoulders back
- look happy and wear a big smile
- stand slightly sideways (tilting your body at angle makes it look thinner)
- wear flattering clothing and have your hair neat
- flex all your muscles and keep everything tight
You can make quite a change in yourself pretty quickly!
3. Pay An Athlete To Get Fat Then Pay Them To Get Back In Shape
It is a little-known fact that some supplement companies have been known to actually pay well-trained athletes to stop training and get fat. Why? To get a really awful-looking “before” picture.
Then, when the athlete starts training hard again, eating right and, of course, taking their magic supplement, they get into great shape very quickly. The goal is to convince you that it was the supplement that was the key to the transformation, not the fact that it was a well-trained athlete in the first place. But an average person is NOT going to be able to make a transformation like this, no matter how good the supplement is.
When you’re already a well-trained athlete, you can make dramatic changes to your body extremely quickly (as evidenced by my own 25 pounds in a week weight gain I talked about above). To me, it’s like telling a professional boxer that he can only punch with his face for a few rounds. When he starts up with the fists again, he’s going to make a pretty rapid improvement!
4. 6 Page Special Ad Reports
Have you ever started reading an article in a magazine only to realize partway through that you’re being sold a supplement? These styles of ads are VERY common – informative enough to make you believe it’s the magazine itself writing the article but, lo and behold, the best solution to the topic in the “special report” is the supplement they’re trying to get you to buy.
Note to supplement companies: even a good product can be wrecked with too much slick advertising.
5. Misrepresenting Legitimate Scientific Studies
Here’s the set-up: take an ingredient that showed some positive results in an isolated scientific study that has nothing to do with actual weight training, e.g. malnourished toddlers in Lithuania showed an increase in lean tissue when given nutrient “X”.
Now assume that the same results will also happen in a 200 lb healthy male athlete. Tell people that nutrient “X” is backed by scientific studies. They know that you’re not going to actually READ those studies!
Here’s the kicker… now include 10 mg of it in your product when the effective dose in the toddlers was actually 1000 mg!
And here’s a fun way to kill an afternoon: call up these companies and ask them to send you copies of the studies they’ve used to prove their supplements are effective. I’ve done that…they don’t stay on the line very long. Oh, they’ve sent me “studies,” but where I went to school, legitimate scientific studies don’t generally include price lists.
6. Name Your Product Similar to a Drug and Claim It’s “Almost Illegal”
Luckily for them, it’s not illegal to be useless. If the only thing a product has going for it is a mashed-up name similar to a drug, pack up your underwater car and go driving through a meteor shower. It’s going to be a long day.
7. Proprietary Formulas
I have no problem with people keeping the lid on the specifics of an effective formula to keep others from copying it. But when that is used an excuse to include next to nothing of the active ingredients that actually do anything…
You see, I don’t want to pay for a pill that is 95% methylbullcrapsomethingorother and 5% active ingredient. When the phrase “proprietary formula” is used, the manufacturer doesn’t legally have to say exactly how much of each of the ingredients is in the formula.
The best part is when the scientific study they used to prove their product works shows a dose of 5 grams is needed to be effective and their serving size/pill size is only 1 gram…AND they have 10 other ingredients listed as being in the pill.
8. Professional Bodybuilder Testimonials
Because I’m quite sure that a pro bodybuilder weighing 280lb at 4% bodyfat really gained all that muscle from a couple of scoops of some fruity powder that is supposed to give you a better pump.
9. The “Latest” Supplement
There was a time when the AMC Pacer and the Gremlin were the “latest” cars to come off the assembly line. Just because something is the “latest” doesn’t mean that it actually works.
The current craze: Nitric Oxide (a product that is supposed to increase circulation to muscles, resulting in a greater “pump”/blood flow to the muscles for increasing muscle growth). Let me put it this way…I’ve tried it, I’ve researched it and don’t waste your money on it.
The only way it’ll work is if you mix it with something else that DOES work (like creatine, for instance). Then you’re just paying extra for the privelege of combining the two supplements.
You want a better pump? Drink more water – that’s what blood primarily is. The better hydrated you are, the greater your blood volume will be. Need proof? One of the primary dangers of diuretic use for reducing water levels to show muscles better is thickening of the blood, which basically is reduced blood volume. The more water you have in your body, the greater your blood volume will be and the stronger your pumps will be.
Heck, if you REALLY want to build muscle, half your day should be spent sloshing around because you’ve drank so much water!
10. “Eat What You Want And Still Lose Weight”
Chances are, a product like this contains something to speed up your metabolism (most likely a herbal stimulant) and/or something to block the absorption of fat or carbs. You will probably lose weight but you may be a nervous insomniac with debilitating cramps and greasy diarrhea. What a great way to promote good health!
Conclusion:
Bottom line, I have no problem with supplements or supplement ads that are legitimate. What I do have a problem with (and you probably gathered this from the article) is the way people are manipulated through clever advertising into spending their hard-earned money on useless products. It gives weight training a bad name makes even good products look suspicious.
You see, a supplement can only do so much – it can only SUPPORT what you’re doing with your weight training and nutrition. If your training program or nutrition don’t work without supplementation, no supplement is going to fix that.
I use supplements every single day. They can help tremendously in your training, especially when you use supplements that are effective and have proven to be so! There are plenty of good supplements and good manufacturers out there (more on that below)!

So many choices and so many claims – How do you choose?
Here’s a guide to help you choose the best supplement for you.
More and more people are turning to nutritional, dietary and herbal supplements to prevent diseases and promote general good health.
Taking steps towards improving my health lead me in the direction of nutritional supplementation or more simply put – Vitamins. Growing numbers of people (including me) feel that modern medicine is failing to address the issues that are important. The huge cost of medical care has many of us looking to maintain wellness and prevent disease so we can avoid the need to be so dependent on doctors and prescription drugs.
Modern lifestyles expose us to processed unnatural foods as well as toxins in the air we breathe and the water we drink. There are many aspects of modern day life that threaten to damage our health and push us down a path to poor health.
Even health conscious people can struggle to get all the basic nutritional elements they need.
Nutritional supplements can be the answer for many people as they provide the essential elements our bodies need to thrive and achieve the best health possible.
Remember that vitamins and supplements are a great way to complement your diet, but they are just that a good complement. They are not a “magic Pill” that gives us the freedom to eat a diet of junk food while we sit on the couch doing nothing.
The right supplement will definitely improve your health, however eating some fruits and vegetables and getting some exercise gives the body the best chance to achieve maximum wellness.
Be sure to choose your supplements wisely! Not all supplements are created equal. Just as there are different levels of quality in the food we eat and the products we buy there are quality levels in supplements.
The nutritional health and wellness industry is growing by leaps and bounds (partly due to the aging baby boomers) and many companies are putting vitamins and supplements on the shelves and online. It is becoming increasingly difficult to know if you are getting quality that you can trust.
A recent study shows that the likelihood of choosing a non-toxic and effective health supplement from the overwhelming array of products that are available is only 2.5%. In other words, there is a 97.5% chance that without investigating the reliability of the product yourself you could select a nutritional product that might be hazardous to your health! (I call that a step in the wrong direction).
SO…. The question is “Who can you trust and what is actually good for you?” It comes down to making choices. Research your products and the companies that make them before you put your health on the line.
Many of us agonize over what clothes or car or TV we should buy but just grab the cheapest vitamin on the shelf. It’s your body and your life. The choices you make now affect your future health and wellness.
So how do you choose the right supplement?
First let me educate you on some information that I wasn’t aware of until just recently. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not regulate the vitamin and supplement industry. That means that what is written on the label of a vitamin bottle might be true but also might be just a scam trying to make the supplement look better than it is.
There is no one regulating what can or cannot be said about the effectiveness of the supplement. This also means that there are no laws regulating the serving size or amount of vitamin and/or mineral contained in each tablet or capsule you are ingesting. No one to make sure it is a dosage your body needs or can use to maintain health.
Many vitamins work together in your body and if the proper amounts of each are not ingested together they might as well not be ingested at all. They could actually do more harm than good.
Another important thing I learned during my supplement research is that many of the vitamins available use fillers and artificial ingredients in their products. I always thought if you bought Vitamin C then the pill was all Vitamin C. Turns out it might have things like petroleum in there too. It might even have more ‘junk’ then it does the actual vitamin.
The first step in choosing a vitamin or supplement is choosing a vitamin or supplement company. Look at the label of any vitamin you plan on purchasing and see who the company is and check for contact information. Look them up on the Internet or even call them and find out some of their manufacturing practices.
- Do they follow and meet with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance?
- Are the products they make independently tested and analyzed for effectiveness?
- Does the manufacturer test the supplements for purity and potency?
- What types of ingredients are used?
- Are they natural or synthetic?
- Is the product full of fillers and other artificial ingredients? Many companies use fillers, binders and coatings in their vitamin tablets. These are usually inactive ingredients that are unnecessary for your body and can actually do harm.
* Fillers are just that. They fill up space and help form the tablet.
* Binders help keep everything together. Many times these can actually be harmful and include such things as gum, carbopol and povidone.
* Coatings help keep it all together and can contain artificial flavors to make it taste better. (If you are trying to cover up petroleum and other nasty things no wonder you need artificial flavors.)
- Are the products bioavailable? Meaning does it actually get absorbed and used by the body and not just get passed through the system as waste.
- Are your vitamins and supplements a food or a drug?
All of this information should be available on the company’s website or by contacting their customer service representatives. If you are unable to find it or if they are unwilling to share this kind of information then it is probably in your best interest to avoid these supplements.
The second step is to research and educate yourself on how vitamins and supplements affect your body.
Learn what vitamins work together and why you need a good balance. Taking too much of a vitamin or taking an improper balance of vitamins can actually do more harm than good.
This knowledge can help you when it comes to choosing which supplements to purchase.
The key is to take a step – DO SOMETHING! Take an active role in maintaining your health.
Think about it!