We live in an age where access to information is greater than it has ever been before. Hence the reason millions of people around the world are getting fit and living healthier lives. With a wealth of information about healthy living at your disposal, it’s easier to learn the basics and understand what works and what doesn’t. Making fitness a lifestyle and getting on a healthy diet sounds straightforward. Still, a few aspects of healthy living often remain overlooked or aren’t considered as simple as the internet might have you believe, supplements being one.
Consumption of supplements remains controversial for many and for a good reason. However, this article will tackle several myths that surround their use and purpose.

We will go over the five most-believed myths and counter them with the actual facts. Make sure you read until the end to gain a new perspective and holistic idea of what these products can do for you.

Sidenote: We advise visiting your local physician before consuming these products if you have any specific questions or concerns. However, let this article be the first step in breaking the stigma around health supplements.

Exceeding the recommended dosage doesn’t make a difference

Most people have vitamin or mineral deficiency. However, that doesn’t mean that you overcompensate through overconsumption. The recommended dosage is written for a reason, and exceeding the amount is asking for trouble. It’s better to stay consistent with whatever you are taking and wait for the results to show. Whether it’s multivitamins or whey protein, the effects will take time to show, so be patient and don’t consume more than the recommended amount.
It is best to first visit a doctor and get a prognosis for where and what you are lacking. A few tests will pinpoint what your body requires and after a recommendation, you can buy the right supplements online.

Overloading the body can cause severe complications, and in some cases, it could lead to organ failure and death.

You develop a dependence

If your body is lacking a particular mineral, fulfilling that need is just as important as taking medicine when you’re sick. Dependence should be the last thing on your mind when your health is concerned. Millions of people around the world consume a diverse range of supplements and look to change their lifestyles.
You need not worry about dependence when these products are helping you supplement your diet. The gist of supplements is that you are already consuming a healthy diet and these products simply fill the remaining gaps. Furthermore, you should frequently get tested to gauge your mineral/ nutrient levels to ensure meeting your needs without overindulgence.

Protein is a performance enhancer

Here’s what protein does for you. It helps grow your muscles after they have been broken down during exercise. Exercising creates microscopic tears in the muscles. Protein fills those gaps the way cement does. It has absolutely no effects on your physical performance and doesn’t give you strength, however, it does help you recover faster.
Protein naturally occurs in many of our foods. Beans, eggs, and all kinds of meat contain large sources of protein. Sports nutrition companies simply isolate the nutrient and resell it to the general public in powdered form. It’s still the same protein, just refined and isolated so that it’s accessible to everyone. It’s considerably easier to add a protein shake into your diet rather than 150 grams of meat.

Most athletes consume supplements such as creatine and caffeine isolates to increase their output. While they take these alongside protein, the two shouldn’t be confused to be the same thing.

Multivitamins are unnecessary when you have a healthy diet

Most people are vitamin D deficient. It helps us fight diseases and strengthens our immune system. Vitamin D isn’t the only vitamin deficiency you might face. Hence the reason why consuming multivitamins may be the best answer. You may see the signs of deficiency in the smallest things. Like getting tired easily or developing random aches and pains.
You may be eating a well-balanced diet, but there might still be essential nutrients missing. Processed and genetically modified food may take away some of the vital nutrients that the body needs. Consuming multivitamins fills the gaps and helps build up immunity levels.

Multivitamins are typically a one size fits all packages that everyone can consume. After getting a recommendation from a physician, children and adults can and should consume these capsules regardless of what their diet is like.

Supplements are safe with all medicines

Assuming that you can consume supplements with medicines is a major fallacy. Not only is this notion wrong, but it can cause major harm to some people crossing the two. Depending on what medicine you are taking, you can have severe adverse reactions to the supplements.
These vitamins contain chemicals and compounds that could be extremely reactive with the contents of your medicine. Therefore, in the attempt to become healthier, you may end up damaging your liver and causing major complications.

Read the labels and get a second opinion. Most supplements and medicines have warnings written on them to avoid taking certain other minerals. Follow these religiously and make sure you don’t mix the two in the future. Moreover, if you feel something is not right, stop immediately.

Conclusion

Supplements can be extremely beneficial for you as long as you know what you are doing when consuming them. Following groupthink norms might not be the best way to go and could end up damaging your health in the long run.
There we have some of the most common myths about health supplements that needed to be addressed. We have gone over factors ranging from overconsumption to dependence and several others in between. Now that you have a better idea of what supplements are and the myths that surround them, perhaps you may have a change of heart.

Whether you choose to consume them is entirely up to you. However, we wish you well on your journey to a fit, happy and healthy life. Take care!