Many of us aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to taking nutritional supplements, which is why we have put together our 5 step guide to help you get the best from your supplements.
Selecting supplements
Choose your nutritional supplements, especially vitamin and mineral supplements, according to your age, as your needs change after the age of 50 to 55. This is partly because your metabolism needs more of certain nutrients and partly because changes in intestinal acid and enzyme production means you absorb nutrients less efficiently.
If you are unsure which supplements you might need, why not fill out your NutriProfile at www.nutriprofile.org for some personalised advice.
Making sure they are standardised
The plants from which herbal supplements are made contain different blends of constituents at different times of their growth cycle and are affected by the weather, soil quality and time of harvest. Although the quantity of active ingredients varies between batches of raw material, selecting a ‘standardised’ product ensures that each tablet/capsule provides the same effective dose.
Combining supplements
Most people would benefit from taking both a multivitamin and mineral with an essential fatty acid formula. You can then add in other nutrients if you have a particular health need. For example, those wanting to help maintain healthy joints may select glucosamine. For maintaining a healthy heart, you may add additional folic acid, omega 3 or garlic extracts. 5-HTP may be beneficial for those wishing to lift a low mood and ginkgo can help to improve memory and concentration, especially in older people.
Taking supplements with medicines
Over 40% of adults take some form of nutritional supplement and many of these are also taking at least one prescribed medication.
The drugs that may interact with herbs are those with a narrow range between the effective and toxic doses, such as anticoagulants, sedatives and some drugs prescribed to treat heart problems, depression, diabetes, blood pressure and epilepsy. Although the risk of serious interaction is low, if you are taking a prescription drug, it is important that you check directly with your doctor or pharmacist before taking a supplement.
Taking your supplements
Most vitamin and mineral supplements are best taken immediately after food, washed down with water or orange juice. If you have not eaten for 20 minutes supplements may trigger nausea or indigestion. Just four bites of food or a glass of juice will do. Don’t however, take them with tea or coffee as this can interfere with their absorption.
Fat-soluble substances, such as Co-enzyme Q’0, evening primrose oil, fish oils and vitamin E are best taken with food containing some fat to increase their absorption.
One-a-day vitamin and mineral supplements are best taken after your evening meal rather than with breakfast. This is because repair processes and mineral movements in your body are greatest at night, when growth hormone is secreted. If you are taking two or more tablets/capsules of the same preparation daily, spreading them over the day maximises absorption and evens our blood levels. Although if you are likely to forget, then it is better that you plan them into your routine at a particular time of the day than to miss a dose.
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