Vitamin supplements are a great way to help the body get the essentials it needs to stay active and healthy. However, one cannot just choose a good-looking bottle and consume whatever is inside mindlessly – looking at the composition and features of the supplements is very important.
What Are Vitamins?
Vitamins are organic compounds that a human body needs to sustain itself. Unlike nutrients such as proteins or carbs, vitamins are required only in a small amount. Despite their minuscule quantities, Vitamins undertake several essential functions inside the body, ranging from regulating metabolism to acting as antioxidants.
An interesting fact about vitamins is that excess consumption of vitamins can cause illness just as much as the lack of it. Thus, it is always better to have prepacked, dose-specific vitamin supplements to ensure that the body gets just the right amount of vitamins.
Label Reading for Vitamin Bottles
To make sure that what one consumes is only the highest quality vitamin supplements in the right dosage, it is important to understand the labels that come on the vitamin bottles. Here are the things one should look out for on the label –
- The Instructions
One of the most important components of almost every medication or supplement is the directions to take them. These specify how much of the supplement one should take, at what time, and whether these need to be taken on an empty stomach or with food or water. Following these instructions is essential to get the best from the supplements.
- The Ingredients
Supplements usually come together with mixed with other substances. Some of these are necessary to ensure good shelf life and taste and are not harmful to the human body. In other cases, however, the pills may contain a lot of artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Anything that has an excessively long list of ingredients, most of which are not the vitamins, are best stayed away from.
- Certifications
Most places require health items, including supplements, to undergo some trials and certifications to ensure their quality. These include both government-mandated and third-party tests. These certifications are an excellent way to ensure that one’s vitamin supplements are of the highest quality and fit for daily use.
- Cautions
Usually given right next to the instructions, cautions are very important to read and understand. They help an individual know about the rare, but possible side effects that may occur, along with the situations in which one should not be consuming these items. This knowledge can help prevent any health mishaps.
- Allergen Information
Vitamins are derived from several natural sources, and some of these may trigger existing allergies in an individual. Thus, it is important to keep a note of these. This information is usually found in the key or additional ingredient section of the label.
With this knowledge in hand, everyone can be smart consumers and make the right choice while getting their supplements from http://healthcareguys.com/. Smart label reading can help ensure that one gets only the best from their supplements.
