Combining several supplements or taking doses higher than recommended may increase the risk of harm, according to experts. While it is possible to get toxic doses of nutrients through supplements, it is not possible through food. Drinking too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and this is especially true of supplements. Consuming too much of certain vitamins or minerals can cause unpleasant side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea and nausea, so it's best to learn how much you should take.
If there are no known interactions between vitamins, it's OK to take multiple vitamins at once, according to experts. If you're not sure if there's an interaction, contact your healthcare provider. It is recommended that if you are taking zinc, you should also take a 2 mg copper supplement to maintain the balance of these two minerals in the body. Keeping track can help you take different supplements and keep track of how much you take every day. It's important that you always consume supplements with a full glass of water or other non-acidic beverage.
This is important because a supplement meant to help you sleep, for example, is generally not something you want to take during the day. Men and postmenopausal women should skip supplementing with this mineral, unless their doctor says otherwise. In addition to not taking all your supplements at once, it's important to know that you're taking them correctly. After all, if you're taking six different supplements, you might want to know exactly what time of day you should take them and if it's safe to take them all at once. The DV (daily value) is the percentage of a nutrient that a supplement or serving of food adds to the average daily diet for all ages.
However, green tea has health benefits, so feel free to drink it in moderation and wait two hours after taking an iron supplement. The Health Information and Food Supplements Service is funded by PAGB, the consumer healthcare association. It's estimated that 77 percent of Americans are now taking a nutritional supplement according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Whether or not to take a supplement with food depends on the supplement, as some are better with and others are better without them. Rather than trying to figure out which supplements are right for you on your own, work with a nutritionist, dietician or health professional who specializes in dietary supplements. Not only can supplements help avoid a deficiency of a certain nutrient, but they can also help increase levels of certain nutrients faster than food sources alone.
The most important question consumers have about supplements is often the best practices for taking them. It's not a good idea to take an iron supplement (or eat iron-rich foods) at the same time as green tea.