While using supplements may seem like a simple decision, it can have a significant impact on your health. Some mistakes are harmless, such as wasting your money, while other mistakes have a direct effect on the equilibrium of the body.
It’s important to keep in mind that you don’t need supplements to attain peak physical condition. Supplements are merely meant to optimize and expedite the results of your hard work. People who use supplements without first setting the foundations for a healthy lifestyle aren’t just wasting money, they’re also wasting their time. If you’ve already established a healthy lifestyle, and you’re looking to optimize your progress through supplements, there are some mistakes that you should do your best to avoid.
Using Supplements to Replace Real Meals
There are people who think that supplements can function as a replacement for actual food. The danger with this kind of thinking is that they are meant only to optimize progress. This means that if the user isn’t already living a healthy lifestyle, the supplements won’t have anything to optimize.
In fact, it’s possible to meet your nutritional needs without ever having to use supplements. Taking supplements on an empty stomach frequently can upset the GI tract, which can lead to stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
Consuming supplements like pre-workouts can also cause jitteriness, headaches, and even mild allergic reactions.
Overdosing
Overdosing on supplements doesn’t amplify their effects, and can be potentially fatal depending on what you consume. A prime example of a potentially fatal overdose is when a user takes far too much pre-workout supplements. These contain caffeine, which can cause palpitations, diarrhea, and even a heart attack in excessive levels. This is especially dangerous for people who develop high tolerance levels for caffeine, which makes them think that they aren’t getting the desired effects from recommended doses.
If you aren’t getting the desired effects from your pre-workout, it’s best to lay off the supplement for a week or two to lower your body’s caffeine tolerance. Increasing dosage just to get a boost will not only mean that you increase the rate at which you consume your preworkout, but it also increases the risk of getting dangerous side effects such as nausea, tachycardia, insomnia, and even death.
Not Consulting a Professional
Different people react differently to various supplements. Always ask for a professional’s opinion before adding a supplement to your diet as this can help ensure that no harm comes your way during use. This is especially important if you’re currently on medication as some supplements can either negate the effect of your medication, or cause harmful reactions . Some professionals may even have connections like www.steelsupplements.com, where you can source better supplements for better prices. Consulting with a professional will always be worth the time and money, and they can even help you pick better alternatives for the supplements you’re planning to get.
Mixing and Matching Supplements
Another reason why you need to consult with a professional before taking a supplement is to ensure that all your supplements work well with each other. Some supplements have adverse side effects when taken with other supplements. Some may cancel each other’s effects, while others may even damage your body.
A prime example of supplements that should never be taken together are fish oil and ginkgo biloba. While fish oil and ginkgo biloba are good for heart health and as a measure against cognitive impairment respectively, taking both supplements at the same time can impair your body’s ability to clot, which increases the risk for uncontrollable bleeding.
There’s no sure way of telling how supplements are going to interact without consulting your doctor, dietician or nutritionist first. The importance of professional consultations cannot be emphasized enough.
Forgetting to Check the List of Ingredients
Before buying a supplement, it’s important to check that it doesn’t contain ingredients that you’re allergic to. It’s also important to keep in mind that not all ingredients are expressly stated in the ingredient list.
Drug and supplement manufacturers are required to fully disclose all ingredients they use to produce their products. However, some knock-off brands do not list all their ingredients. On top of getting a professional consultation, it’s also important to buy only from reputable brands so you know what exactly you’re introducing to your body.
Not only this, but knock-off supplements usually have fake ingredients that may not yield the effects advertised, or worse, may even be harmful to your body.
Supplements are useful for people who aren’t able to get their nutritional needs through normal food. However, dietary supplements shouldn’t be mistaken as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle and healthy food, nor should they be abused. They should be carefully selected and consumed as recommended for users to reap their benefits. Remember that while supplements are a convenient way to get nutrients, they can never match the nutritional value yielded from real food.
