Dietary Supplements
There are substances that can be ingested called dietary supplements. They come in many different forms that include, capsule, tablets, powder, and liquid. These supplements are not a good substitution for a proper diet, but can supplement it. Although dietary supplements cannot diagnose, prevent disease, cure, or treat they can help to maintain health and well-being. It is best to understand what the benefits and risk of dietary supplements are before using them.
Dietary supplements can be beneficial for certain dietary problems or when a person is lacking required nutrients. They are good for a person who may not eat enough to meet their nutritional needs. If the diet does not meet the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) then the dietary supplement called a multivitamin would be helpful. In other cases, when some adults become older their bodies ability to absorb and use the vitamins decrease. Older adults may have to use vitamin supplements. These will help to meet their recommended intake in the areas where they are deficient and help to prevent problems that can occur.
There also may be health conditions that require the use of dietary supplements. One health condition is called Anemia. Anemia is a condition when the blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. One of the causes is from low levels of iron in the blood. Iron helps to make hemoglobin to deliver oxygen to the tissues. When this happens a person may feel fatigue. The condition would be referred to as Iron-deficiency anemia. Taking iron supplements in the form of a pill will help with this problem. Also taking Vitamin C will help the body absorb the iron. The recommended dosage for iron supplements is 45 mg. This also depends on how deficient the levels are. It is also possible for someone who is treated with iron supplements to take more than their body requires. When this happens it could cause constipation, liver damage, and death.
The risk involved with taking...