THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FOOD SUPPLEMENTS IN PAKISTAN

It is true that we hear a lot of miracle virtues concerning dietary food supplement in Pakistan. For example, taking a vitamin D supplement would be effective against a long list of illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, depression, and even the common cold.

Omega-3s have been touted for their protection against strokes and other cardiovascular disorders. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and beta-carotene have been seen as promising solutions to fight heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease.

There is little evidence that they offer any significant health benefits. In fact, a recent and serious study even revealed that the four most common, only-used food supplements in Pakistan (multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C) did not protect against cardiovascular disease.

Often, the excitement around these dietary food supplements in Pakistan exceeds the scientific evidence. The media distort the results or rely on a single study result, without being interested in all the others that already exist and may contradict the first.

Indeed, many studies (mainly observational studies) do not control for other important parameters such as dietary habits, level of exercise, and other variables. They need to prove that taking the dietary food supplement in Pakistan alone is responsible for the health benefits.

More often than not, people who take dietary food supplement in Pakistan tend to be more health conscious, exercise more, have a healthier diet, etc. Inevitably, they have better form and health thanks to this lifestyle. It is therefore necessary to compare what is comparable.

 Are food supplements dangerous?

When the studies are more rigorous, the results are sometimes surprising. For example, vitamin E, which was thought to protect the heart, has been shown to increase the risk of stroke. Other studies regarding vitamin C, D, or omega 3 intakes raised concerns that high doses of these nutrients could increase cancer risk.

On the other hand, these same vitamins consumed through food provide real health benefits.

Moreover, the biggest problem with dietary food supplement in Pakistan concerns their regulation. They can appear on our shelves without proving that they offer real benefits. They don't have the same controls as conventional medications.

With limited regulation and oversight, it is also difficult to know for sure that the dietary supplement contains the ingredients on the label and is free of contaminants. For example, in Europe, the tolerated difference between what the product really contains and what is noted on its composition is approximately +50% to -35% for vitamins and minerals...

Possible health risks

Most supplements are safe, but there are exceptions:

·         A calcium and vitamin D supplement may increase the risk of kidney stones.

·         High doses of vitamin E can cause a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.

·         Vitamin K can interfere with the effects of blood thinners.

·         Taking large amounts of vitamin B6 for a year or more has been linked to nerve damage that can impair body movement (symptoms often go away after stopping the supplements).

Taking a dietary supplement is not without risk; you must consider them with as much caution as taking a drug.

 When should you take dietary food supplements in Pakistan?

The first reflex before taking a food supplement in Pakistan is to ask yourself if you need it. The best way to find out is to talk to your doctor and get a blood test.

The goal is to know if you are deficient or not. Then you have to adapt your lifestyle to fill this gap. If this is not enough, then your doctor can refer you to a dietary supplement.

Before taking food supplements in Pakistan, you must therefore start by ensuring that your diet contains all the nutrients necessary for your health.

It must be understood that the absorption by our body of a vitamin contained in whole food is always much greater than via a pill containing the isolated vitamin.

Take the example of broccoli. It is an excellent source of polyphenols, a substance that feeds our good bacteria and thus provides a powerful antioxidant effect on our bodies. The absorption of broccoli in its natural form does not give the same results as the ingestion of capsules containing broccoli extract (powder).

You can also use whitening cream and whitening serum in Pakistan for your skin.

Natural food makes it possible to produce four times more polyphenols (measured in blood and urine) than capsules.

Thus, natural foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, or herbs contain a multitude of substances that interact with each other. Isolating one to extract and introducing it into a nutritional supplement does not have the same effect.