Nutritional Vitamin Selection

According to experts, only 1 in 5 people, choosing vitamins, uses the doctors’ recommendations. To consult a doctor is the first thing to start with. Here Trust Pharmacy collects some more tips on how to apply vitamins correctly.Nutritional Vitamin Selection

Clinical trials of vitamins

Vitamins do not belong to medications. They are tested only for safety. The manufacturer is not obliged to prove vitamins’ effectiveness: only the manufacturer knows for sure what and in what quantities the vitamin produced contains. So, even if you choose a vitamins’ complex, which label mentions macro- and microelements that are actually used in manufacturing, only the manufacturer is aware whether it is true or not.

Consult a physician

Suppose you came to a pharmacy and took a bottle with vitamins from a shelf, on which dozens of components are listed, half of which you see for the first time. Is this good or bad? How to understand if you need it? Which of these components will really improve the condition? Will they bring harm to you? You need to be a specialist to answer all these questions. Only 20% of vitamin buyers consult a physician and do tests to specify what microelements are in a lack in the body.

Select vitamins individually

Pharmacy vitamins are available in different types, which one is better depends on a particular person. If a person doesn’t forget to take pills regularly, he can choose a complex with several doses per day, when different vitamins or micro and macro elements are spaced out in time. This is the best option for their absorption since some components are poorly absorbed together, for example:

  • fat and water-soluble vitamins, calcium and magnesium, etc.
  • Ferrum is better absorbed together with vitamin C;
  • calcium better absorbed with vitamin D.

But if a person forgets to take pills, it is better to choose the option with one intake per day. In this case, something will be absorbed a little better, something a little worse. As a result, a certain amount of vitamins and minerals will enter the body.

Manufacturer reputation matters

Focus not only on the declared composition but also on the manufacturer. The producer must be well-known with a trusted reputation. By the way, it makes sense to look at information about the country manufacturer of a particular complex. It is worth remembering that the recommended doses of vitamins and minerals may vary in different countries.

How to understand whether vitamins are effective

There are no “miraculous” vitamins that can transform a constantly ill person into a person with good health, a pale sick woman falling asleep at work into a workaholic full of energy. But how then to understand whether they work? According to medical specialists, it is not easy for an ordinary person to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular vitamin-mineral drug that he is taking. In some cases, this can be done with the help of special tests, but few will specifically do them. There are only some objective and subjective criteria that can be noted. Here are some good points to notice.

Evidence#1: Wellness improved

This does not happen when taking the first dose of vitamins or the tenth. As a rule, vitamins are prescribed in courses. It contributes to overall health improvement within a few weeks after the start of the treatment course.

Evidence#2: Increased activity

When people say that the condition has improved, they usually mean an increase in activity – physical and intellectual. If you become less tired, if the idea of walking to work on foot is no longer so scary, if by the evening you are not exhausting, you can claim vitamins are effective in you.

Evidence#3: Less ARVI cases

The effectiveness of vitamins is confirmed by a decrease in the number of diseases compared to the same period in the past. First of all, acute respiratory infections are mentioned because body resistance to infections increases with the normal intake of vitamins.

Evidence#4: Hair and nails improved

With the insufficient intake of many vitamins and minerals, hair and nails are the first to react. They quickly restore its state when the problem is fixed. Hair loss is a long process that cannot be stopped until a certain phase in the life of each specific hair ends.

Evidence#5: Much more positive attitude to life

A positive attitude to life does not seem to depend on what a person eats and drinks. However, a lack of certain vitamins can cause a depressive state. So the effectiveness of vitamins can be indirectly estimated by what has changed in attitude.

How to take vitamins correctly?

Although vitamins are not a treatment, their effectiveness also depends on the mass of conditions including the correct application. Here are some tips on how to apply vitamins correctly.

Tip#1: Tell the physician which medications you are already taking

It’s a good habit to tell your doctor about all medications that have already been prescribed by other specialists or which you are taking all the time. Not all drugs are compatible with them; certain vitamins can slow down the action of some meds, and strengthen others including side effects. For example, many vitamins do not combine with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. You need to know about such things in advance.

Tip#2: Read the instructions before starting the course

Instruction for use is also attached to vitamins that contain a lot of useful things. Read it, even if the doctor explained what and how exactly you need to take. You need to study the sections “Method of application”, “Side effects”, “Contraindications” and “Drug interaction” very carefully. This will help to avoid any consequences.

Tip#3: Follow the dosage

Follow the dosage regimen. The daily dose is not determined by chance. The doctor prescribes the dosage individually. Do not increase or decrease the dosage without a doctor’s permission.

Tip#4: Take it as prescribed

Most vitamins are produced to be taken during or immediately after a meal. How exactly to take them depends on the release form. If it is a capsule, it must not be open or chewed. If this is a syrup, do not dilute it in milk or juice. There are vitamins in the form of lozenges for chewing and for dissolving, drops, tablets and capsules are swallowed with water. All these forms were invented by manufacturers, not for consumers’ entertainment. Experiments will influence the effect.

Tip#5: Not combine with alcohol

If during the course you will abuse alcohol, it will affect the absorption of vitamins and the body’s need for them, as well as the likelihood of an allergic reaction. It is possible to appear.