Many supplements are pills. Medication is pills. Confusion was inevitable. When we take supplements, the association is taking something intended to cure us. The psychological ramifications of those actions are beyond the scope of this blog and site. That said, it’s easy to see how we get so confused.
(Source:
motherearthnews.com)
To read more on this subject, read how Supplements Are Not Helping You.
Once you get in the habit of taking supplements, you may find it hard to wean off them. Taking pills can create a security blanket, where you’re not sure what will happen if you stop. It helps to have an exit strategy.
Here are four supplements, why you might be taking them, but what you might consider doing instead.
Protein
(Source: challengeme-fitness.com)
This one has to be one of the most misguided supplements on the list. Young men take boatloads of protein in hopes that just consuming more of it will somehow turn them into the Hulk.
It’s true, amino acids are the building blocks of muscle. That said, there is no magic in taking protein if you’re exceeding your body’s digestible or absorbable amount of protein.
The first thing you need to do is make sure you are taking the right amount of protein for your goals. Then you have to ask yourself if you can’t get enough of it from natural sources.
Your body can adapt to most sources of protein with little variance, despite what you may read, but why are you drinking piña colada flavored protein shakes when you like eggs better?
If you don’t like eggs or animal proteins, you can eat combinations of legumes and grains, especially high-protein options like chickpeas or hemp seeds.
Calcium
(Source: ucsf.edu)
This one is tricky. Too much calcium is not good.
Over time, you’ll develop calcium build-up inside your body, creating points of pain around your joints. You’ll write that pain off as aging. It’s not; not necessarily.
If you’re not accidentally over-supplementing calcium, the opposite is just as concerning. Not enough calcium is problematic for bone density.
The first thing you need to do is consult with a professional to determine how much calcium you should be consuming. That person will likely tally all your sources, then help you determine a course.
If you don’t want to take calcium in a supplement form, you can also get calcium from sources like milk or animal bones. That’s right, bones.
There are many bones you can reduce to a consumable texture by slow cooking them or grinding them into powder. If you go with the latter, you can eat that powder by making soup.
Multi-vitamin
(Source: health.harvard.edu)
This one is gonna raise a few hairs. After all, the last couple of Surgeon Generals we’ve had agreed that all adults should consume a daily multi.
If you don’t consume a lot of raw vegetables, meaning more than one large salad a day, then you should stick to your multi.
Your body uses a combination of macro and micronutrients to make you function. Missing components of your ideal nutrient profile can cause problems.
Think of it like building a brick wall without mortar. You can do it, but the end results aren’t as strong.
If you’d prefer, you can likely get most of what you need by eating a diet loaded with raw vegetables. Your doctor can advise you further on your plan.
Caffeine
(Source: womenshealthmag.com)
In most research, caffeine ranks first place for supplemental nutrients. People like to feel alert at all times. Nothing does that better than caffeine.
Some multivitamins even include it in their mix so the people who take their multi can “feel something.”
The problem with caffeine making its way into every drink and supplement is that some people build a tolerance to the effects of caffeine.
They can even start to feel unenergized when consuming caffeine. That’s not a good thing. Too much caffeine can lead to other problems like high blood pressure.
(Source: thebombaybugle.com)
Last thing: None of these suggestions replace the advice of your doctor.
If you’re taking something under the recommendation of your doctor, consult that person before making any changes to your program.
This blog is purely for entertainment purposes. It’s not meant to be medical advice in any way.