Health
supplements
Are
they really useful?
Health supplements are useful – but not always. Nowadays they
are replacing regular foods. This is 100 per cent not good.
Natural Foods are the real health providers
Hippocrates – Father of Medicine – says that there are some illnesses which can
only be treated with nutrition. Undoubtedly, nutrition plays a major role in
health. In many cases, food heals diseases and yields good health. Altogether,
the entire thing is related to digestion. If you have a proper functioning
digestive tract and utilise the food intakes by a good digestive process, you
will be benefited or otherwise food will simply go waste. A good digestive
process will make the intestines absorb whatever is important and needed. Also they
eliminate many secretions, excretory products and others considered a waste,
through faeces.
Digestion is a complex phenomenon which is not understood properly. If you
consume more, you may make its absorption rate and process slow and this would
cut short excess absorption. Also, each part of the intestine is specially
designed to absorb selective vitamins or minerals. If that part of the
intestine is in trouble then you may not get those vitamins or minerals, even
if the food intake or supplements provide these in huge quantities.
Nature produces and provides everything indirectly. It will be automatically
got into the required form. Nature cares and undertakes everything on its own.
So, only natural food is very useful for good health. It is a good combination
of all the required nutrients in natural form.
If we boycott natural foods with the help of health drinks or artificial
synthetic tablets or syrup, then we are hindering the natural digestion and
elimination process which may make our health collapse slowly. In ancient days,
people used to take fruits, vegetables and spices for their healing properties.
They felt that food itself could heal them. For example, garlic, onion, pepper,
honey, apple, lemon, grains, nuts, seeds, etc., have good nutritional value and
medicinal properties also.
Nowadays people are not aware of the value of food. They simply go by the label
about the contents of the packed foods. Even though tin packed food shows good
value, it cannot be attained in full if the digestive process is defective. In
general, for healthy living,
Take
- Natural foods
- Well balanced diet
- Do regular exercises
or work to burn calories to increase the body metabolism, to strengthen
your circulation, health, immune mechanism, etc.
- Vitamins or minerals
or health tonics or health drinks only when required, that too with the
advice of a doctor or dietician
Avoid
- Multi vitamins or
tonics or drugs for a prolonged time
- Overeating
- Soft drinks
- Fast foods
- Tin-packed foods
- Smoking
- Alcohol
Follow
- Doctor’s advice –
Don’t self-medicate or take vitamins or tonics
- Dietician’s
prescription
A supplement
is considered as a dietary medicine or direct processed food, ready to be
absorbed and so they are concentrated. There are lots of health drinks in the
market which claim to provide extra calcium, extra iron, extra vitamins and
minerals, etc., etc., for complete nutrition. Likewise, in pharmaceuticals,
there are lots of vitamins, many combinations of health tonics, antioxidants,
iron tablets and calcium tablets.
People concentrate more on health and add supplements to their diet almost
after every meal. Also parents are wrongly guided by the media, which feature
robust, active and intelligent children. With overwhelming love for their
children, parents buy whatever they see or hear. They keep on giving their
children all sorts of tonics, minerals and vitamin syrups, making the children
flabby. Usually, a flabby child looks like it is robust. But it is not real
health. An active child is a healthy child. It is not really good for the
child’s health to go on taking these tablets or syrup or gel near future. It
may not be too long before take some capsules as breakfast, some more as lunch
and some other capsules as dinner.
In this Modern Era, Modern doctors add multi-vitamins and minerals to their
prescription. Sometimes doctors prescribe only multi-vitamins or zinc
(minerals) as medicines. They substantiate supplements as substitutes. Due to
this, from childhood human beings are made dependent upon supplements for
vitamins or minerals. People also go on taking this for years together. Some
people do this on their own without consulting doctors, and B complex tablets,
iron tonics and calcium tablets regularly for tiredness, anaemia and arthritic
problems respectively.
What is given in nutrition publications and dietician’s prescription cannot be
easily followed in day-to-day life. But if followed, the health benefits will
be priceless. While taking supplements, people think they are providing more to
the body than it really needs. Yes, it is so. The usual vitamin or mineral
tablets are 10-15 times more concentrated than the actual requirement of the
body. During the digestive process, only 15-20 per cent of the vitamins are
absorbed in the intestines from the vitamin- or mineral-rich food. So, to
fulfil our bodily needs, tablets provide about 10-20 per cent more. Is this
useful? No. Constant use of this excess amount will cause toxicity and
diseases.
People using supplements of vitamins/minerals or tonics/health drinks usually
quote various reasons for their constant use. They are
- Energy giving
- Improves health
- Prevents infection
due to good health
- Recovery from
disease or healing properties improves well
Other reasons are - There is a lot of
pollution nowadays
- Fruits and
vegetables are grown in chemically fertilised soil
- Pesticides are
sprayed on fruits and vegetables
- Food is not
qualitative
- Life is filled with
tension leaving no time to take selective nutrients
- The busy schedule
leaves no time to spend time on cooking
- Hotels are more fond
of fast foods than natural foods
People’s
notions are true. But the fact is that all these work only in the initial
period. Later on, even readymade vitamins will not be properly absorbed in the
intestines since each vitamin is better absorbed in the presence of some other
vitamins or minerals. They also work interacting with each other. This process
is less understood. For example calcium is better absorbed in the presence of
vitamin D.
So, you cannot make a synthetic formula to absorb all that you require as done
by natural foods. Defective absorption or digestion may lead to deficiency
disorders. Also, sometimes excess and constant usage of artificial vitamins or
minerals will bring rebound sickness. At that time cure can be attained only by
stopping those vitamins or minerals. Finally, improper digestion is responsible
for the deficiency if the food is from a good source.
Nature reveals itself to us like a blind man’s imagination of an elephant. In
order to maintain our health, we have used our knowledge of two centuries to
invent synthetic artificial supplements with the use of machines in the form of
tablet, powder or jelly in place of natural foods. Due to our mechanical
lifestyle, we have started making duplicates and imitations of nature.
Duplicates are needed only when one cannot get the original. Also, in no way
can it match all the properties of the natural food. We cannot buy health like
we buy supplements. So to reap a good harvest in health we should take natural
foods and nutrients which contain vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins,
fats, oils, etc. Artificial supplements are full of some or other vitamins or
minerals, but they never get absorbed properly in our intestines. So, eating a
healthy diet, low in fat, high in fibre, as in fruits and vegetables is good.
Natural nutrients are:
Vitamins are catalysts for our bodily functions. They work
with enzymes in helping all body chemical reactions (named as co-enzymes).
Vitamins are not synthesised in our body and so they have to be obtained from
our foods. They are required in small amounts only, so a well-balanced or
good diet usually meets all the needs in surplus. Liver plays a major role in
digestion and works as a warehouse or reservoir of vitamins.
Vitamins are mainly classified as fat-soluble (Vit – A, D, E & K) &
water-soluble (Vit – B & C). Fat-soluble vitamins are mostly stored in the
liver (if in excess, they are excreted in the faeces), whereas water-soluble
vitamins are used for the time being and excreted in the urine. Vitamin
deficiency usually leads to specific disorders. Digestion plays a major role in
absorption of these vitamins. If there is improper digestion or the intestine
is diseased, the vitamins will not be properly absorbed. The uses of vitamins
are exhaustive: their role in growth, defence mechanism and healthy living are
often found to be excellent but the process is not understood fully. The
vitamins which are often found to be useful are:
A) Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed along with dietary fats.
1.Vitamin A (A1 – Retinol) – Everyone knows this vitamin
since it take cares of the eye. It helps in perfect vision like accommodation
reflex and visual acuity. So, people often take vitamin A for any eye disorder.
The rich sources of this vitamin are cod liver oil, liver, egg, cheese, butter,
ghee, milk, carrot, spinach, etc. Its deficiency leads to night blindness,
dryness of eyes, spots on eyes, etc.
2.Vitamin D (D3 -Cholecalciferol) is chiefly helpful in
calcium absorption for forming or maintaining bones and teeth. The rich sources
are from sunlight (through skin), cod liver oil, milk, etc. The deficiency will
lead to bone disorders (rickets) or teeth disorders due to lack of absorption
of the calcium.
3.Vitamin E (Tocoferol) works mainly for good health by
acting as a biological antioxidant. It prevents cell damage. So old people show
great interest in taking it and doctors, in prescribing it. Vitamin E in
degenerative disorders helps in maintaining cell integrity. The rich sources
are vegetable oils, egg, wheat, etc.
4.Vitamin K helps in synthesis of prothrombin which protects
us by arresting bleeding and forming clots. The rich sources of vitamin K are
spinach and green vegetables. The deficiency leads to prolongation of clotting
time and promoting bleeding.
B) Water-soluble
vitamins (Vitamin
B and vitamin C) are not stored in the body except B12 which is stored in the
liver. They are used then and there and remaining is excreted by the kidneys in
the urine. So, water-soluble vitamins need to be taken daily. Also, since they
are water-soluble, they get lost during the process of washing and cooking. The
important water-soluble vitamins are:
1.Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) plays a vital role in appetite, digestion
and utilisation of carbohydrates, brain development and its maintenance. The
rich sources are un-milled cereals, pulses, nuts, oil seeds, yeast, egg, liver,
meat, etc. Its deficiency leads to poor appetite, pain in calf muscles,
tiredness, beri-beri (complaints of poly neuritis, cardiac pathology &
odematous swelling), encephalopathy, etc. This is more prevalent in people
using polished rice.
2.Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) is mainly helpful in protein and
carbohydrate metabolism. The good sources of riboflavin are liver, meat, eggs,
milk, leafy vegetables and fruits. Deficiency of this vitamin leads to
dermatitis, sore tongue and cracks in the corners of the mouth.
3.Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) plays a major role in amino acid
metabolism in the brain and its development. Rich sources of this vitamin are
liver, meat, fish, cereals, etc. Its deficiency leads to sore tongue,
convulsions, dizziness, etc.
4.Niacin is essential for nerves, skin and digestion. The
rich sources are germinating pulses, cereals, groundnut, meat, fish, etc. The
deficiency leads to sore tongue, mouth ulcers and diarrhoea.
5.Folates or folic acids are essential for synthesis of DNA.
Natural sources of folic acid include green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and
citrus fruits. They play an important role in brain and nervous system development
and fertility.
6.Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) is mainly helpful in
carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Also, it is very useful in the
synthesis of red blood cells and DNA. Rich sources of the vitamin are liver,
meat, milk, egg and fish. The vitamin is stored in the liver and its deficiency
leads to anaemia, neurological problems, etc.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) is essential for the body’s immune
mechanism. The vitamin is found in abundance in green vegetables and citrus
fruits, especially lemon, orange, etc. It is essential for metabolism of
connective tissue, wound healing, iron absorption and immune responses. Its
deficiency leads to scurvy (gums swelling and bleeding, anaemia, weakness,
etc).
Minerals are substances which are very useful for our body
in the formation of bones, teeth, blood, hormones, etc. They are absorbed in
the cells or plasma with the difference in the osmotic pressure. They are
helpful in utilising energy from foods. Some minerals are called trace
elements, named so for their requirement in micro quantities. They are zinc,
iron, iodine, copper, cobalt, selenium, etc. Mineral-rich foods are leafy
vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses, eggs and fish. Minerals are widely
distributed in our daily foods. The important minerals are calcium,
phosphorous, sodium, potassium, iron, iodine, zinc, etc. The body absorbs only
small amounts of minerals from our food. Mineral-rich foods also decrease the
mineral absorption rate, since too much absorption of any mineral or trace
element will be harmful.
Calcium is the main constituent of bones. It plays a
major role in nerve conduction, muscular contraction and coagulation of blood.
It also helps in enzyme reaction and in all metabolic processes. Rich sources
of calcium are milk, vegetables, fish, fruits and cereals. The mineral is
better absorbed in the presence of vitamin D. The deficiency leads to bony
disorders and nervous complaints.
Sodium is very important to the body. It helps in
exchange of the substances between the cells and extra-cellular tissues. It
works with water in maintaining the body fluids. It is excreted in the urine
and sweat. Depletion of sodium will bring exhaustion. Sodium chloride salts
hold more water and maintain more volume of the body fluids. It is present in
all foods.
Potassium is helpful in cellular functions. This is
also present in all foods.
Magnesium is useful in strengthening the bones and enzyme
reactions.
Phosphorous is useful in the formation of bones and teeth.
It helps in all tissue metabolisms. It is also distributed widely in foods.
Iron is very helpful in the synthesis of haemoglobulin and
for its oxygen-carrying property. It is also useful in cellular respiration and
enzyme reactions. Rich sources of iron are liver, meat, egg, fish, cereals,
pulses, leafy vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, nuts, dates, etc. Iron is seen
to be better absorbed in the presence of vitamin C. The deficiency leads to
anaemia and a weakened defence mechanism. Usually women suffer from this due to
menses and pregnancy.
Iodine plays a major role in the synthesis of thyroid
hormones. The rich sources of this mineral are fish, meat, spinach, milk,
water, etc. Generally, cabbage and cauliflower suppress the absorption of
iodine. In the hilly areas, where soil and water is less in iodine content,
thyroid problems are more. The government has taken steps to make iodised salt
to be dispersed throughout the country.
Flourine is useful in the formation and maintanence of teeth
and bones. The source of flourine is derived from drinking water and foods. Its
overdose leads to flourosis which includes losing the enamel of the teeth,
strength of the teeth and bones.
Zinc is used widely nowadays for early recovery from
diseases and maintaining good health. It is commonly distributed in all foods.
Rich sources of this mineral are meat, milk and fish. Its deficiency leads to
growth failure, weakened immune response, delayed recovery, sexual weakness,
etc.
Selenium has gained importance recently due to excellent
results in maintaining cell integrity and fertility. The rich sources of this
mineral are corn, wheat and soya bean.
Proteins are essential for the formation of tissues
and their maintenance. They also help in the synthesis of haemoglobin, enzymes
and hormones which are very essential for bodily functions. Deficiency of
proteins leads to loss of weight, anaemia and weakened defence mechanism. The
rich sources are meat, egg, milk, fish, pulses, cereals, nuts and soya beans.
Carbohydrates are essential for oxidation of fats since it
contains oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. The rich sources of carbohydrates are
flour, sugar and cellulose. Even though we take plenty of carbohydrates in the
diet, it is not stored well and so it is regularly needed in day-to-day life.
Fibre content of vegetables and fruits are very helpful in normal
bowel movement. Recent research has not show any nutritional or energy value in
these fibres. But obese, constipated, hypertensive and diabetic people get more
benefits from this type of food.
Fat and oils are concentrated sources of energy by the combustion
of their contents, carbon, oxygen and fatty acids. They are essential for the
absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Rich sources of fats and oils are meat,
fish, egg, milk, ghee, butter, cereals, pulses, groundnut and coconut oil.
After being stored in the body, they help the body by acting as a reservoir of
energy. They are rich sources of essential fatty acids (EFA) which can reduce blood
cholesterol. Fat help the body by giving shape and thermal insulation to avoid
losing body heat.
All these nutrients work well if they are sourced from natural foods only.
If these are artificially substituted, the result may not be up to the
expectations and may sometimes result in side-effects. For example – for
stomatitis or gum bleeding or swelling, people take vitamin C & B complex
tablets. Anyone suffering can notice that even though they keep taking these
tablets, the apthae or stomatitis does not go off completely. But the condition
will respond very well when they people take citrus fruits which are good
natural sources of vitamin C & Bs. Likewise, scurvy cannot be treated with
supplements.
Also taking vitamin and mineral tablets often can cause hypervitaminosis and
become toxic in nature. Even though their benefits are endless in the case of
lack of energy, it is not at all a substitute for natural foods. Requirements
of vitamins or minerals or fats depend upon the person’s age, constitution and
nature of work.
If you supplement what the body requires from artificial synthetic
compounds, it is just like giving a poor man money instead of giving him a job
or extracting work from him. What you gave will be enough for him for only one
day. You will have to give him again the next day. You, in fact, form the habit
of making him dependent on you. Likewise, routine supplement therapy spoils our
digestion and our body by leading to dependency.
Nowadays, people even go for IV (intravenous) drips for simple tiredness.
Does this help in the long run? No, it won’t work for more than eight hours.
This short route of adding glucose to the blood can be preferred and used when
there is digestive problem or when one cannot take food orally. If you can take
oral fluids, simply going for healthy natural drinks can help more than IV
drips. Likewise, children are now forced to take appetizer, tonics of iron,
zinc and calcium for anaemia and growth. Does this cure them of anaemia? No, it
works very temporarily. If you discard the course of tonics, they will surely
recur again. Do menopause women or aged people taking calcium, iron, zinc and
vitamin e always benefit from them? No, they are continue to suffer from
osteoporosis, flushes, etc.
You may wonder why these supplements don’t work, even though they are provided
artificially. There are lots of differences between man-made and nature-made
vitamins and minerals, in its absorption, action and quality. Supplements can
also be harmful since they are highly concentrated and the intake is selective.
So, for natural good health, the deficit should be attained from natural foods
only. You can easily get all the needed nutrients from right food, if your
digestion and absorption are normal. You can take artificial supplements for a
short duration, when you are extremely tired or for immediate or instant
energy. Instant energy is becoming fashionable like instant coffee or tea. But
for being and staying healthy, be and stay natural. Also, utilise the food by
work i.e. work for food and take food for work. Everyone should cultivate a
regular habit of taking a good diet and good exercise.
People mostly do not need vitamin supplements at all, but continue to take them
because they are health conscious. This may sometimes lead to their getting
distressed on getting recurrent complaints, even after taking vitamins and
minerals in large doses. In large and continued doses, supplemented vitamins,
minerals, etc. may act as toxic agents. Too much or too less of any vitamin or
mineral will be harmful. Anything in excess is not good for health. For
example, glucose is absolutely needed for our energy and life. But, if its
level rises in our blood, it becomes diabetes and can cause diabetic coma.
Likewise, white blood cells (WBCs) are necessary for our immune reaction. But
if it becomes more, it reacts to every small or trivial discomfort and even
leads to death like in the case of cancer.
If food contains large amounts of vitamins and minerals, either in natural or
artificial supplementation, initially the body prevents itself from its toxic
damage by decreasing its rate of absorption. Due to this, the body will not be
able to get other important nutrients which are really needed for day-to-day
living. Finally, the depleted condition leads to increased absorption to
compensate for the low value, where toxaemia develops.
Toxicity of vitamins can develop as side-effects, when
vitamin tablets are often used without doctor’s advice or otherwise used
continuously for a long time, after prescribed by a doctor. The fat-soluble
vitamins are more toxic than water-soluble vitamins, since they are stored in
our body (in the liver). The water-soluble vitamins can also become toxic if
taken in very large doses. Also, rebound sickness can also appear due to reduction
in absorption in the intestines.
In large doses or continued doses,
- Vitamin A may lead
to weight loss, dry itchy skin, nausea, headache, diarrhoea, bone and
liver disorders
- Vitamin D may lead
to bone deformation, arteriosclerosis, cardiac disorders, renal stones and
failure
- Vitamin E can cause
bleeding in the abdomen or brain, poor immune system and diarrhoea
- Vitamin K can make
healthy cells deteriorate
- Vitamin C can
enhance tumours and decreases vitamin B12 level and cause tiredness
- Vitamin B may lead
to reduced iron absorption, leading to anaemia.
Toxicity
of minerals. Like
vitamins, minerals can also cause side-effects.
In large doses or continued doses,
- Calcium may lead to
osteoporosis, renal stones and arteriosclerosis. It also suppresses the absorption
of vitamin D and magnesium
- Sodium may lead to
vomiting and ulceration of the gastro-intestinal mucosa
- Iodine may lead to
thyroid problems (hyperthyroidism)
- Fluorine may lead to
dental flourosis (loss of shining of teeth, pitting and discoloration of
teeth) and skeletal flourosis and also formation of new bones
- Iron can cause a
deficiency in zinc. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, constipation,
diarrhoea, dark or black coloured stools and abdominal disorders
- Selenium can produce
selenosis which includes symptoms of abdominal disorders, hair loss, white
blotchy nails, garlic breath odour, fatigue, irritability and nervous
disorders
So, to end
the hot debate, whether vitamins and minerals are beneficial, the right answer
is that they are beneficial in natural supplements and less beneficial in
artificial supplements and not at all beneficial either in natural or
artificial supplementation in case of diseased intestines or conditions where
medicines are compulsorily needed to correct it. Homeopathy can answer very
well completely and naturally by correcting the inner balance in any such
diseased case. The diseases of the cells are a reflection of the diseases. The
cause and nature of a disease will depend upon the activity of the cells.
Physiological-chemical process is important for cellular function. Vitamins,
minerals (salts: sodium, potassium, phosphate, magnesium sulphate and sugar)
and essential fatty acids in the organisms play a major and vital role in
cellular function. Normal activities of the cells depend upon the standard,
normal intake of these essentials. Any deficiency or lack can cause the
diseases or favour the condition for the diseases. Even though substituted, if
the cell activity is not capable of absorbing it the substituted vitamin/mineral
will be a waste and the cell will be less active or diseased. We need
stimulation for good activity rather than substitutes. Let us fight the disease
with our own force and not with the force of drugs which may cause dependency.
The basic principle of Homeopathy is to correct the disease by stimulating the
natural defence mechanism to work against the disease so that, in future, the
natural defence mechanism will be able to or capable of protecting us from
recurrences.
If you have difficulty in breathing, it means your lung is in trouble. If you
have difficulty with your heartbeats, it means your heart is in trouble.
Likewise, if you feel tired, you as a whole are in trouble. So prescribing
multi-vitamins for those feeling tired is wrong. It is best to correct our body
and make our body absorb vitamins and minerals directly from food rather than
from a little pill: don’t fill your plate with pills. The apt method to correct
it is with Homeopathy medicines. Complete cure reflects in every dimension of Homeopathy.
When all hope is given up, Homeopathy can open up a new avenue for cure. There
may be many avenues for cure. One which is straight and short is Homeopathy.
Homeopathic Medicines should be taken under the advice and diagnosis of a
qualified Homeopath.
for new hope
Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)
Laxmi Homeo Clinic
24 E. New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai, TN 625 001
India
Tel:
+91-984-319-1011 (Mob / Whatsapp)
Clinic : +91-452-233-8833 |
E-mail:
drcheena@gmail.com
(Disclaimer: The contents of this column are for informational
purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional
healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of
healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)