Tips for Choosing Dietary Supplements
Tips for Choosing Dietary Supplements
There are several things you should keep in mind when choosing and shopping for dietary supplements.
1. Check the label of the supplement
Read the product labels carefully. From these labels, you get complete details about the supplement including the dosage, active ingredients and the quantity of nutrients in each serving. You can also make sure that the formulation has been separately tested and analyzed by reading the label.
2. Choose a gender-specific formula
Men and women have different nutrition requirements. A good and perfectly designed supplement will have specific formulations for both men and women.
3. Morning and evening formulations.
Look for a supplement that has both morning and evening formulations. Our bodies need different minerals and vitamins during the day, though others aid us to repair body in the evening. Furthermore, some nutrients neutralize each other and should not be consumed at the same time.
4. Avoid supplements that provide ‘megadoses.’
Try to select multivitamin-mineral supplements - One-A-Day, Centrum, etc. providing 100 percent of the DV (Daily Value) of all the minerals and vitamins. Calcium-containing supplements do not supply 100 percent of the DV and sometimes the tablets would be too big to swallow.
5. Choose hypoallergenic products
If you have sensitivity problems, avoid products such as wheat, yeast and corn that cause allergic reactions and opt for hypoallergenic products.
5. Look for ‘USP’ on the label.
USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) label make sure that the supplement meets the standards for purity, strength, dissolution and disintegration.
6. Look for expiration dates.
Over the time, dietary supplements will drop its effectiveness. Do not buy supplements that have no expiration date on the label.
7. Store all vitamin and mineral supplements safely.
Store dietary supplements in a cool and dry place. Keep away from hot and humid storage places, like bathroom. Moreover, store supplements away from children. Put supplements in locked cabinets or other safe locations.
If you are in a good health condition and simply looking for an additional vitamin supplement to balance the body’s nutrition needs then begin with a simple vitamin supplement program like Multi-Vitamin Supplement, Calcium and Magnesium, B Complex or Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Before starting the supplement, carefully read the label and follow all the dosage instructions.