Supplements: health benefits or risks | Body Health & Fitness

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The use of supplements is a practice that should be approached with caution says health experts and ISU trainers.

Kevin Selby, personal trainer and ISU graduate student, said there is wide array of supplements. ? Many are usually vitamins, minerals, herbs, protein, creatine, fat burners and other nutritional supplements.? Most supplements do not have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.? There are really no proven facts that state supplements do work.?

?They are said to do many different things such as decrease blood pressure, improve heart health, colon health, digestive health, immune system, you name it. There is said to be a supplement for everything,?? Selby said

According to the September edition of Consumer Reports magazine, it is important to find out information and educating yourself on what you are taking. A quick way you could do that is going to the FDA website. People can also find out about warnings, alerts and supplement recalls. It is also important to report anything bad that happens while people are on a supplement to the FDA so they can research it and possibly shut the manufacturer down if the supplement is dangerous.?

Most supplements are made in countries with little approved standards, Selby said.? More than 6,300 serious of side effects are associated with dietary supplements, including vitamin and herbs were found between 2007 and mid Apr. 2012.? Symptoms include signs of heart, kidney or liver problems, aches, allergic reactions, nausea, pain,? acne and vomiting.?

Selby said it is advised that potential users go to a doctor for more information about minerals and vitamins before taking supplements. People should only take a supplement if a doctor believes that they are not getting enough of certain vitamins or minerals in their daily diets.?

According to Consumer Reports, if people are getting the recommended amount of nutrients by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, cereals, dairy and protein, than there?s? little benefit from ingesting nutritional supplements

Most doctors will recommend that you should just modify your daily diet and go from there, Selby said. The body is designed to break down food, not pills, for a source of nutrition. Humans are meant to process foods through our digestive systems not chemicals in a pill form.

?Personally, I have used? multivitamins, fish-oil and protein,?? Selby said, ?The reason I used these supplements was because I was not getting them in my daily diet for a while due to being so busy with my schedule. I would say it did work for the amount of time I used them but I would not recommend it.??

Chris Field, junior social studies major and track and field thrower, said he uses muscle milk, creatine and whey protein.

??The supplements I used were supposed to put weight on me, and give me energy,?? Fields said. ?They worked for the most part but going natural isn?t too bad either.?

Selby recommends packing a lunch, bringing healthy meals with you to work or school. He also says to make sure people keep a balanced diet including a variety of fruits vegetables, whole wheat cereals/complex carbohydrates, dairy, fiber and protein.?

Source: http://www.bodyhealthandfitness.net/supplements-health-benefits-or-risks/

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