Which supplements should I take? Supplements for Beginners.

Some vitamins and trace minerals cannot be produced by the body, so we need to consume a sufficient amount of them within our diet. At present, the vegetable and animal sources that we eat do not provide our bodies with the correct amount of nutrients. This is because of fast farming, poor-quality soil and mass farming. Also, the foods readily available for us to consume are becoming more disadvantageous for the body.

The Western diet emphasises foods containing high refined sugar levels, refined flour products, high glucose/fructose products and harmful stimulants such as tobacco, caffeine, alcohol and drugs. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies; therefore, we should take supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs and amino acids) to enhance an already balanced diet.

Which supplements should I take? Supplements for Beginners 

Deciding on the supplements best for your body will depend on many factors such as any present deficiencies, medical issues (mental or physical), gender, age, level of physical activity and current diet. All supplements are linked to beneficial functions for the body. For example, Vitamin D is known for assisting in bone health, so if you had a problem with your bones like joint pain you might want to start taking vitamin D supplements.

But taking supplements after the problem has started is reacting to the problem, if you were taking vitamin D supplements before the joint pain started, there is a chance you could have averted it. So, for protection you should take these supplements daily:

Multivitamin 

B vitamins (B1,2,3,5,6,7,9,12) 

Omega 3 

Probiotics 

Vitamin D & Magnesium

Multivitamins 

This is the best way to “cover your back” when supplementing your diet, the more ingredients the better it is for you. Essentially, you are topping up the vitamins and minerals you have consumed from the diet, making more available for the body to store and use and you are giving it some variety as you most likely won’t consume every mineral and vitamin the body needs consistently, every day. This will help benefit your nervous system, brain function, maintain proper development, strengthen immunity, digestion, metabolism, raise energy levels and promote strong bones and healthy teeth. 

B vitamins 

It is best to take a B complex supplement, which is a combination of all the Vitamin B’s. Growth and energy are supported when taking vitamin B supplements. They have been associated with a boost in cognitive function and improved metabolism.  

These are the recommended daily intakes for each B vitamins: 

B1 (Thiamin) 

1mg a day for men

8mg a day for women

B2 (Riboflavin) 

3mg a day for men

1mg a day for women

B3 (Niacin) 

5mg a day for men

2mg a day for women

B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 

Adults (aged 19-64) 6mg a day

B6 (Pyridoxine) 

4mg a day for men

2mg a day for women

B7 (Biotin) 

Adults (aged 19-64) 30ug a day

B9 (Folic acid) 

Adults (aged 19-64) 200ug a day

B12 (Cobalamins) 

Adults (aged 19-64) 1.5ug a day

Omega 3 

We should be consuming two portions of fish a week (140g x2), one of these portions should be oily fish. However, the majority of people are not consuming this, for whatever reason, so we should supplement our diets with Omega 3. Omega 3 has been related to joint health, cognitive function and the immune system because it is helpful against inflammation.  

Probiotics 

Probiotics have the capacity to control our hormone balance and immune function within the gut. They encourage an improvement in our digestion, leading to more of the active ingredients in the food and supplements we consume to be used properly within the body, promoting general health. 

Vitamin D  

Vitamin D is generally taken to strengthen the immune system. Vitamin D supports the growth and flexibility of the joints and bones and contributes to healthy teeth, assisting in muscle strength. The recommended daily intake for Vitamin D is: 

Adults (aged 19-64) 10ug a day

Magnesium 

Magnesium helps the body absorb and utilise Vitamin D. It is recognised for its ability to help control blood pressure, immunity and boost nerve function. The recommended daily intake for magnesium is: 

300mg a day for men 

270mg a day for women 

Supplements should be taken with food to aid absorption and decrease any side effects, such as nausea. The body absorbs smaller doses of nutrients better than large ones so some supplements may require more than one tablet/capsule a day.

If you take your supplements in the morning this will most likely aid you throughout the day. If you take them in the evening, the body can use the supplements to help repair as you rest. Both are beneficial. The strength/dose of your chosen supplement depends on your individual intake within the diet or any deficiencies but if you are taking them in general, nutrient reference values (NRV’s) are the best reference to use.

Please note in most cases it is not harmful if your intake is higher than the NRV; these are guidelines. But be careful of overdosing as this can cause side effects.

However, taking a supplement with a very low dosage or low quality is probably not worth taking as the body may not be able to absorb it or the supplement may be in the wrong form, which makes it harder for the body to process.