Get the Facts on Supplements

What you don't know about Supplements....

With the current wellness shift*, and if you don't know what I'm talking about I'll explain, many people are focusing on supplementation. Supplementation is important not only for your general health, but in helps with weight loss as well. However, there is an enormous amount of information out there and if you aren't educated in nutrition or do not have experience or good advice when it comes to choosing supplements, you could be throwing your money away.

So, if you'll pardon the weight loss pun...here's the skinny on supplements. I'm actually going to break this into three parts due to the vast amount of information and we're going to start with vitamin/mineral supplements.

The Skinny on Supplementation

As most everyone knows, our bodies need proper nutrition to function well. What many may not realize is that through genetic modification (of food, not people), processing to extend "shelf life", pesticides and other lovely things that "happen" to the food we consume, our bodies are not getting the complete nutrition they need.

Here's another scary fact: the nutraceutical industry isn't regulated. I'm going to let that sink in a minute....not regulated.

What that means to us regular folks, is that manufacturers can use whatever component they want, whether it works or not, slap a label on it, and get you to pay for it. Why? Because companies realize how very uneducated people are in regards to this! If it looks like a vitamin and smells like a vitamin, it must be a vitamin. Wrong!

Shopping for Supplements So, now that you have enough information to be dangerous, let me give you some quick tips for supplement shopping.

Be certain it's chelated (I'll explain that in a minute) Research reputable companies Don't expect people at retail vitamin stores to know everything. Larger amounts don't equal better deals Okay, chelated (key-lay-ted).As a general rule, our bodies do not absorb minerals.For a good vitamin/mineral supplement to be effective it needs to be chelated.Chelation means that the minerals are attached to an amino acid, which your body recognizes and absorbs.

So, where you get about 2-3% absorption in a vitamin /mineral that isn't chelated, your absorption rate can climb as high as 40-50% with the right supplement.If you buy a supplement that is not chelated, you are literally flushing your money away.

Research reputable companies.The reason I say this is the aforementioned lack of regulation in this industry.Do your due diligence and make sure you know what they stand behind.Are they willing to refund your money if it doesn't work? What moved them to put that formula together in the first place? What kind of laboratory do they create them in? Do they know where their ingredients come from, can they answer that question?Big questions, I know, but when it involves your health there are no shortcuts.

Do not expect retail salespeople to know everything, they are there to sell you a product, ANY product.Rarely do they know the full spectrum of every product and company they offer. Be smart, you only have one body; there are no do-overs.

Okay, last but not least, buying in bulk isn't always better. I love big warehouse stores as much as the next person, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are getting the best product. Here's an example...a certain store sells gummy vitamins for kids. The nutritional value in ONE children's vitamin from the company I get my supplements through is equal to...get this, four and a half POUNDS of those gummy "vitamins". So, while those might be cheaper and come in larger packages, it doesn't mean they're a better deal.

To sum it up, pay attention to what you are buying. Do your research and make sure it's right for you and if you have questions, talk to people who can help you get the skinny on supplements and head you in the right direction for your own wellness.


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Physzique is Spokane's premier personal fitness training studio for those that want serious results. Owner and head fitness coach Zach Hunt has many years experience Spokane WA Supplements to ensure you get the best results possible. Check it out at: Spokane personal trainer for more great fit tips and info on the Physzique services.