What herbal supplements should i take quiz

Meat, eggs and poultry are all excellent sources of choline. Strict vegetarians may want to consider taking a choline supplement. Each of the essential vitamins and minerals plays a complex set of roles in the body. Magnesium, for example, is a vital element in over biochemical reactions, ranging from protein synthesis to nerve function.

It is not hard to imagine the broad potential for health symptoms to arise from a deficiency in this one mineral. In addition to vitamins and minerals, there are other nutrients that are backed by established research, including omega-3 fatty acids. These examples represent opportunities to improve wellness beyond the basics of vitamin and mineral intake. The RDI is simply how much of each nutrient is needed each day for healthy adults.

It is typically measured and listed using one of three different units: milligrams mg , micrograms mcg , or international units IU. The nutrition labels on foods will list the nutrients they contain, as well as the percentage of your RDI for each particular nutrient. This information is helpful to ensure that you are not consuming too much or too little of any nutrient in a given day. One way to figure out what vitamins and supplements to take is to look carefully at the nutritional value of all the foods in your diet and see how close you come to the RDI recommended by the FDA for each essential vitamin and mineral.

It is only advisable to begin taking a supplement if you are confident that you are not presently meeting the RDI and unlikely to exceed the UL. In some cases, having too much of an essential vitamin or mineral can be as dangerous as having too little.

For example, too much potassium can cause diarrhea, vomiting and an irregular heartbeat. This condition can arise from the overuse of potassium supplements, so be careful when considering any dietary supplements and always be mindful of the upper limits for vitamins and minerals.

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Ratings of ConsumerLab. Find out your recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals. See Your Nutrient Values. Join over , people on our weekly email list. Featured In. Dietary supplements are substances you might use to add nutrients to your diet or to lower your risk of health problems such as osteoporosis or arthritis. Dietary supplements come in the form of pills, capsules, powders, gel capsules and tablets, extracts, or liquids. They might contain vitamins, minerals , fiber, amino acids, herbs or other plants, or enzymes.

Sometimes, the ingredients in dietary supplements are added to foods and drinks. Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients you need. However, some people may not get enough vitamins and minerals from their daily diet. People over age 50 may need more of some vitamins and minerals than younger adults do.

Your doctor or a dietitian can tell you whether you need to change your diet or take a vitamin or mineral supplement to get enough of these:. You might hear about antioxidants in the news. These are natural substances in food that might help protect you from some diseases.

Here are some common antioxidants that you should be sure to include in your diet:. Currently, research results suggest that large doses of supplements with antioxidants will not prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes. In fact, some studies have shown that taking large doses of some antioxidants could be harmful. Again, it is best to check with your doctor before taking a dietary supplement.