Supplements in Practice - Supplementation

Question 1

Supplements

Answer 1

• A healthy, balanced diet supplies the body with sufficient nutrients to carry out routine functions.
• Supplements help plug dietary gaps.
• However, nutrients from food are the best source.

Question 2

Food supplements:

Answer 2

A food supplement is defined as:
* ‘A concentrated source of a vitamin, mineral or other substance with a nutritional or physiological effect, alone, or in combination, sold in dose form’.

Question 3

Herbal products:

Answer 3

• Herbal products do not have food supplement status as they are classed as medicines.

Question 4

Deficiency States:

Answer 4

• For deficiency states: Deficiency symptoms are end-stage symptoms associated with an extended lack of a particular vitamin, mineral or other nutrient.

Question 5

Therapeutic uses:

Answer 5

For therapeutic uses:
* Insufficiency can be identified when there is under-functioning of certain biochemical pathways, by nutritional evaluation, or by identification of other symptoms.
* Most disease starts and progresses due to an insufficiency of specific vitamins or minerals

Question 6

Preventative health:

Answer 6

For preventative health:
* Supplements are used to address any nutrient insufficiencies in order to maintain optimal health and wellness

Question 7

Factors for which supplements may be needed:

Answer 7

• Food processing reduces nutrient content: Whole organic food, locally sourced, in season & minimally processed.
• Food additives deplete nutrients: Many food additives are toxic, depleting the body of essential nutrients and impairing nutrient absorption.
• Weakened digestion: Due to refined, low-quality food and medications.
• Stressful lifestyles: Depletes nutrients including calcium, magnesium and zinc.
• Nutrient depletion at birth: Potential heavy metal and chemical toxicity of the parents.
• Soil is depleted: Zinc, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, calcium and magnesium.
• High-yield crops are deficient in certain nutrients: After years of intensive cultivation.
• Fertilisers: Do not supply enough trace minerals to plants.
• Pesticides deplete soil: Kill soil microorganisms needed to create nutrients for plants, thereby causing lower nutrient content.
• Long-distance transportation: Crops lose much of nutritional value