SUPPLEMENTS FOR GENERAL HEALTH

There are so many supplements of the market it can become confusing to know what to take and what could possibly be a waste of money.

It’s probably easier to start with the supplements that are backed by large scale random controlled trials and robust meta analyses.

I will break it down into general health and sports performance

VITMAIN D3

Supports Bone Health via aiding calcium absorption (reducing risk of bone & fracture risk),
Immune function
Reduce Depressive Symptoms.
Some research shows that it may improve fat loss and muscle function.

“Vitamin D should no longer be considered only to have an impact on
calcium metabolism & bone morphology but should be recognized to have a broad impact on the organism as a whole”– Hamilton (2010)

SYMPTOMS OF DEFICIENCY

Tiredness & fatigue
Bone pain
Muscle weakness
Aches & cramps
Frequent infections

DOSAGE – Ideally get a blood test & supplement accordingly. For general health 400 – 4000IU/per day
Take with fats for optimal absorption.

FISH OILS –

Research has shown these to be Nutraceutical in terms of
Anti-inflammatory,
Improvement in depression,
Anabolic resistance in elderly,
Anti-hypertensive,
Anti- arrhythmic
Insulin resistance reduce
Help facilitate weight loss

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) are commonly found in oily fish eg salmon, mackerel, crtrou, anchovies, sardine, shellfish & seaweed/algae.

DOSAGE -This is goal & individual specific.
For health 450 -1000mg /day eg 1-2 portions of oily fish a week eg 1 cooked salmon 140g will be approximately 950mg EPA & 2000mg DHA you would not need to supplement unless

For therapeutic use – 1000 – 4000mg / day

IRON

FUNCTION
Oxygen Transport – iron a key part of haemoglobin which is a protein in red blood cells that moves oxygen through the body
Muscle storage: it forms myoglobin a protein that stores and releases oxygen in muscles cells
Energy production – it supports enzymes that help you cells convert food into usable energy
Brain function- it aids in making important neurotransmitters that regulate mood and brain performance
Immune support – helps fight off infections

SYMPTOMS OF DEFICIENCY
Persistent Fatigue
Pale skin
Shortness of breath
heart palpitations
Frequent illness
Cold extremities

DOSAGE – ideally get a blood test and supplement accordingly. Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron.

So what about all the other vitamins and minerals on the market?

It is always best to have a blood test to see if you are lacking in particular vitamins and minerals if for example your diet lacks fruit and vegetables, you are eating very low calories, where upon a multivitamins and minerals may prevent or correct nutrient deficiencies.

Regarding health as a whole, we are unable to claim that vitamin
and mineral supplementation ‘makes up for’ inadequate dietary
intake due to multiple bioactive components in food that would be
missing – Me, (2022)