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Are you feeling your best?
If you ask that question, the reply is usually no. You’re tired, you’re struggling to focus, or you’ve got a pain in your back that just won’t go. Whatever it is, you’re feeling far from 100%!
But you don’t have to live with your problems. If you’re not feeling great every day, a supplement could help fix your ailments and leave you feeling better both physically and mentally.
To make sure you’re choosing supplements that will actually benefit you, take a look at our guide.
What Are Supplements Used For?
Supplements are supposed to tackle different health issues by giving you a big dose of the vitamins and minerals you need. These little tablets are designed to give your health a boost. Of course, they work best alongside a healthy diet and active lifestyle, so don’t rely solely on a supplement to keep healthy!
But, not all supplements are made equal and some can even be a little misleading, which is why you need to be careful when buying them.
Know Your Health Problems
There are plenty of options for supplements. The first step to make sure you get one that will actually help you is to look at your health problems. Talk to your doctor about your ailments and try to have a blood test done to assess the levels of vitamins and minerals in your blood.
If you’re lacking in any, this could be the cause of your problem! For example, if you’re tired, you may have slightly low levels of iron and an iron supplement could help you.
There are also supplements that are preventative. For example, serrapeptase is good for cleansing blood and helping fight blood clots. If you have a history of clots or strokes in your family, this might be a great option for you to help avoid any similar medical problems.
Once you know what you’re looking to solve, it’s time to move onto choosing your supplements.
Things to Remember When Choosing Supplements
When buying any supplements, you should be careful that you’re choosing one that will work for you. To help you out, take a look at these considerations.
Avoid Anything That’s Too Good
If a supplement makes sweeping statements that sound too good to be true, they probably are. The company selling the supplements are trying their best to get you to buy their product, so beware of this over the top marketing! It likely doesn’t have any scientific evidence to back it up.
If you think the claims are a bit too big for just a pill, take a look at the ingredients. Look them up to see what they do and whether they align with the claims.
Make sure to check the concentrations, too. If the supplement has very low concentrations, it probably won’t be enough to do what you’re looking for!
Look Into the Company
Whether you’re buying supplements online or in-store, it’s always a good idea to research the company that’s selling them. A quick Google search should give you reviews from past customers, letting you know their experience and if the supplements work.
You can also check that they’re transparent about the ingredients they use. If they’re not, definitely don’t buy them. If their supplements are tested by a third-party or FDA approved, these are great signs!
Speak to Your Doctor
You already know that your doctor can help you identify your health problems, but they can also help you pick your supplements. If you’re looking at a few options, take the ingredients list and company information to your doctor for their opinion. They should have some insight into whether the ingredients will benefit you and can let you know if they’ve heard of the company before, both for good or bad reasons!
Always Check the Side Effects
When buying a supplement, reading the side effects is essential. Most supplements will have some side effects, so it’s not a bad thing, but you should make sure they’re worth taking them for. Knowing the side effects can also help stop any panic if you experience them as you’ll already know the cause.
If a supplement has a lot of very nasty side effects, you should probably avoid it or speak to your doctor first.
Easier to Digest
Supplements aren’t always easy for the body to digest and absorb, meaning that your body might get the full hit of vitamins and minerals. This is especially true when you’re 40 or over and your digestion naturally starts to get a bit slower. Some ingredients, like vitamin B, are naturally hard to absorb regardless of age!
To make the most of your supplement, look for the forms of these ingredients that are easier to absorb. They’re often called optimized, bioavailable, or active. Of course, if you can’t find these, that doesn’t mean the supplement won’t work; everyone’s digestive system is different, so give it a go anyway!
Take Your Time
When choosing supplements, it can be tempting to run to your local store and pick out the one with great claims on the bottle and a flashy design. But, this definitely isn’t a good idea! To make sure you’re not wasting your money on ineffective pills and liquids, take your time researching supplements before picking the best one you can find.
If you found our article useful, take a look around our website for more. We have tons of useful information about health and lifestyle, including tips to stay fitter and mental health advice. Read more of our articles and start living a healthier, happier life.
