Dietary supplements - are they worth using?

It's loud about dietary supplements. They were invented to help us replenish the body's deficiencies in vitamins, macro- and microelements, add vitality, brighten the mind and protect against stress. Unfortunately, often under the slogan "dietary supplements" specific products are advertised that should not be called that.

Dietary supplementscontainvitamins , macro- and microelements, minerals, fats, enzymes, plant extracts - substances that are supposed to complement ourdieteverything our body needs to function smoothly. They should not be defined as preparations that have healing properties.
- The set of ingredients and doses that can be used in the production of dietary supplements, as well as the form and form in which they can be produced, are strictly defined in law EU - emphasizes Anna Malinowska, press spokesman of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. This is why among the preparations that seem similar "by eye", some have the status of a drug, others a dietary supplement. For example, Maglek B6 or Vigor are medicines, and Magical, Centrum or Biovital are dietary supplements. The secret is in the composition and dose. A good example is those containing valerian extract (valerian). The same company sells two products with similar properties and effects. One as a medicine (Valerin Forte), the other as a dietary supplement (Valerin Mite). Valerian, considered a medicine, can be used in small amounts as a dietary supplement, although it is unclear why, because such a substance is absent in natural foods.

You must do it

Buy dietary supplements in pharmacies or herbal stores. It is a safer source than a bazaar or the Internet, because the producer is not anonymous.

Before you decide to buy, carefully read the information on the packaging or on the pot. In a prominent place there should be an inscription: "dietary supplement", what is the composition of the preparation, the daily dose and the possibilities and effects of overdosing. The label must clearly indicate that the product is properly stored out of the reach of children and that the preparation is not a substitute for a varied diet.

The label should not contain information that the preparation prevents or heals specific diseases.

If you see an unknown substance in the description, please askpharmacist to explain to you what it actually is.

Choose preparations from well-known companies, certified by the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products, the Food and Nutrition Institute, the Institute of Plants and Medicinal Products or another scientific institute.

If you are buying the supplement directly from a company representative, ask for a document proving that the product has been approved for sale as a dietary supplement.

Only the manufacturer is responsible for the quality of dietary supplements

Dietary supplements are not subject to such restrictive pharmaceutical regulations as medications. The condition for registering a drug in the Official List of Medicinal Products is the submission of a pile of documents confirming the composition and effectiveness of the preparation. Medicines are strictly controlled and mostly prescribed by prescription. A manufacturer who wants to introduce a dietary supplement to the market for the first time is only required to notify the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. In the case of doubtful preparations (they meet the criteria of a dietary supplement and a pharmaceutical preparation), in accordance with the amended Act on Food and Nutrition Safety (October 2006), GIS may oblige the entrepreneur introducing a given product to Poland for the first time to submit an opinion to the Product Registration Office Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products, which will ultimately determine whether the preparation can be sold as a dietary supplement or medicine. Unfortunately, many substances sold as dietary supplements are still out of control, because producers do not notify that they are selling them at all.
- This is the law of the European Union. According to it, the responsibility for the quality of the dietary supplement, the content of the information provided on the packaging and in the advertisement rests only with the manufacturer - emphasizes Anna Malinowska, GIS spokesman. So we have to be careful with what we buy.

Dietary supplements will not replace he althy eating

The body benefits more from food than from its chemical counterparts. The composition of vitamins, minerals and various chemical compounds is richer than in dietary supplements. In addition, some substances prolong the shelf life of nutrients or enhance their action. For example, the flavonoids contained in citrus extend the life of vitamins C, A and E, i.e. antioxidants that scavenge free radicals from the body. But if we wanted to cover 100 percent. the body's need for nutrients from food, our diet would have to be perfect. Unfortunately, busy and busy, we don't have the time or the head tolead a he althy lifestyle. We eat irregularly and haphazardly, stress is "eaten" with sweets. There are too many animal fats, s alt and sugar in our diet. In addition, food, due to various technological processes, transport and storage, is increasingly deprived of many valuable ingredients. We also live in a polluted environment and everything leads to the fact that we often lack some nutrients. Then dietary supplements can become our allies. Check when they are needed.

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