Food supplements
What are food supplements?
According to European legislation, food supplements are foods sold in the form of tablets, ampoules, sachets, herbal teas ... whose purpose is to complete the basic diet. They constitute a concentrated source of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, fibers) or other substances (plants) that have nutritional and physiological effects. They must cover at least 15% of the daily nutritional requirements of the nutrients they contain every day.
It's not about medicines: they improve well-being but do not heal from any disease, and are suitable for people in good health who want to stay healthy, not for the sick, and do not require a prescription.
They are subject to some strict quality rules that require them to have total transparency on the origin of the products, ingredients and contraindications.
Who are food supplements for?
Over the course of the twentieth century, our eating habits have changed: we spend less time on meals, we vary less and, for reasons of time available, we eat more and more processed products, to the detriment of fresh and natural foods. Result: nutrition struggles to meet our needs which, instead, constantly increase (due to stress, pollution, smoking ...).
Food supplements are intended for those who want to systematically supplement their diet to fill a deficiency or satisfy a specific need. They also target certain groups of the population who, due to their specific physiological conditions (children, elderly) or an altered metabolism (smokers), have particular nutritional needs.
How to choose between the different types of supplements?
Food supplements are on sale in various types of shops: pharmacies, supermarkets, herbalists. Wherever they are sold, they are subject to the same regulation. Instead, it is advisable to check the brand and characteristics before buying on the Internet or by post, because these products can escape Italian or European legislation.
In general, they are organized into 3 categories: well-being (shape, vitality, digestion, sleep ...), slimming (deflating, accompanying weight loss, controlling appetite ...) and beauty (preparing the skin for the sun, improve the health of hair, nails, skin ...).
When and how to use them?
Food supplements should be taken for limited periods following the instructions on the label, occasionally to solve specific problems (magnesium against cramps, coal against swelling ...) or following a treatment of a certain duration to improve the general state (treatments from 1 to 3 repeatable months).
Since they are considered as food, in theory they do not have any kind of interaction with any medicines. Nevertheless, in the case of medical treatment, it is advisable to ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice, and possibly contact the customer service of the manufacturers.
It is possible to take 2 food supplements at the same time, as long as they do not contain the same principles.
Finally, we must not forget that food supplements do not in any case replace a balanced diet but serve, possibly, to complete it.
