If you have a deficiency of vitamins, supplements can be life-saving.You should talk to your doctor before you start taking them.It's important to make sure what you're taking is necessary to your health, as supplements can have side effects and interactions like any drug.
Step 1: Let your doctor know what you are taking.
In case of interactions, your doctor should know what supplements you're on.This is important if you are going to have a surgical procedure.The effect of blood thinners can be reduced by vitamins K and K.
Step 2: If you think you're deficient in vitamins and minerals, ask for a blood test.
The modern diet provides enough vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.That means vitamins are not always necessary.A simple blood test can show you if you have enough vitamins and minerals in your blood.If possible, get your nutrition from your diet.A supplement can help if you are deficient.If you follow a restrictive diet, you should get bloodwork done to check for iron and B12
Step 3: Talk to your doctor about which supplements are right for you.
Excess can build up in your body if you have a disease that makes it hard to clear certain vitamins, and some vitamins and minerals can clash with medications.Ask your doctor if you should take a supplement.Calcium can interact with some medications.
Step 4: Discuss the dosages with your doctor.
If you have an iron deficiency, your doctor can tell you how much iron you should take a day.Iron and fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, D, and E, can cause health problems if you take too much of them.
Step 5: If you're over 50, consider calcium, B12, and D.
You do tend to need more of these as you get older, so you don't necessarily need to take them as supplements.If you're over 50, talk to your doctor about the supplements you need to get more from your diet.They can determine if you need to add a supplement.
Step 6: If you're pregnant, talk to your doctor about supplements.
If you're trying to have a baby before the 12th week of pregnancy, you should start taking 400 micrograms of folic acid a day.If you have certain conditions, such as diabetes or a neural tube defect, your doctor may recommend a higher dose.If you're not getting enough from your diet or if you have low blood levels, your doctor may recommend vitamins D and E.What's best for you should be discussed with your doctor.They can recommend other vitamins.It's a good idea to make sure the supplements don't contain vitamins A and C.If you get too much of the fat-soluble vitamins, it can be bad for your baby.
Step 7: If you show a deficiency, take iron supplements.
Iron is in most men and women's diet.If you have heavy periods or you don't get enough iron in your diet, your doctor may want you to take an iron supplement.Talk to your doctor about how much to recommend.It's not a good idea to guess how much iron to take.It can build up in your body if you take too much.
Step 8: Discuss the supplements you should take.
You may not be getting all the vitamins and minerals you need from your diet if you're vegetarian, vegan, or vegan-free.To make sure your body is healthy, talk to your doctor about taking appropriate supplements.If you don't eat dairy, you may need an iron supplement or calcium supplement.
Step 9: Don't take weight loss, sexual performance, and athletic enhancement supplements.
The supplements are more likely to have pharmaceutical ingredients.Side effects from consuming ingredients you don't know about are possible.If you're worried about drug interactions or getting more than you bargained for, it's best to avoid these types of herbal remedies.If you're taking fat-soluble vitamins, mega-dose vitamins can be bad.Beauty supplements may also fall into this category as they often make claims they can't back up and may have ingredients that are harmful to your health.Talk to your doctor about what you're taking.
Step 10: There are websites where you can look up supplement ingredients.
It's important to know what the ingredients of the supplements are expected to do.If you want to find out more about the ingredients in your supplements, look for sites that end in ".gov" or ".edu."You can find the National Institutes of Health's Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/.To find out which ingredients are safe to eat, click through the individual pages.
Step 11: The safety risks and interactions should be checked.
If there are any health risks associated with particular ingredients, make sure to look to see if they cause bad side effects.Make sure to look at any drug interactions to make sure you're as safe as you can be.Don't try to treat a condition that you've found with a supplement.Don't forget to talk to your doctor.
Step 12: You shouldn't go beyond the upper limit for vitamins and minerals.
The government recommends a certain amount of vitamins.Many people have an upper limit, which is an amount you shouldn't go above.You can find the upper limit on government and educational websites.The fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, are stored in the body.Excess water-soluble vitamins pass through the body.
Step 13: There is new research about supplements.
Medical professionals change their recommendations about what you should and shouldn't take as more research is done on certain supplements.If you want to get the most benefits from your supplements, you need to keep up with new research.For instance, it was thought that vitamins E and C would decrease a person's chances of developing prostrate cancer, but more recent research has shown that it actually increases the chance of this condition.
Step 14: You can choose supplements from a company.
The FDA regulates supplements as a food, not a drug.The FDA doesn't evaluate claims made by manufacturers.It doesn't address whether active ingredients listed on the label match what's in the bottle, it is up to the company to follow through with what they say is inside.It's important to choose one that you trust.Drug stores and big box stores are good places to buy national brands.For peace of mind, look for certification from one of the organizations listed.The organizations verify that the supplement is what it claims to be.If you don't know what companies to trust, you can contact a licensed naturopathic physician.
Step 15: When you're pregnant or nursing, be careful with supplements.
Most supplements aren't evaluated for their effects on pregnant women.It's always a good idea to talk to your doctor first if they have bad effects on your baby.Most products have not been evaluated for children.Unless you talk to your doctor, it's best to skip most supplements for kids.
Step 16: Take a look at how often you should take supplements.
It's better to take some supplements more than once a day.Others are dependent on the dose.It's best to split the calcium into smaller amounts if you take it more than 1,000 a day.Some of this information should be on the back of the bottle.
Step 17: If you should take supplements with or without food.
Some supplements should be taken with food.It doesn't matter which way you take calcium carbonate, it should be taken with food.Iron and calcium shouldn't be taken at the same time.After having milk, taking calcium, or chewing antacids, you should wait 2 hours to take iron.Other combinations are beneficial.It is possible to help your body absorb iron by taking iron with vitamins C and E.