WHY “SUPPLEMENTS”?

What types of supplements are there?
Supplements are administered in several ways, each peculiar one having its unique purpose.

Those absorbed through the skin: This may sound interestingly strange and I understand why. When supplements are mentioned what comes to mind are pills, powders, capsules, or other forms of extracted food substances that have to be ingested. Aside from that, the skin is quite rigid in permeability such that the chemicals from our body lotions do not end up in our bloodstream. However, certain supplements can be passed from the skin into the bloodstream by making their molecules very small and dissolving them in fatty oils. In cases where these aren’t effective, sterile needles can be used to poke holes in the skin before supplements are introduced.⁴ We will not forget our old friend Vitamin D which is hardly ever required as an essential supplement because our skin mobilizes it on its own when it comes under sunlight.
Those absorbed through the nose: the human nose has proven to be a potential route for the administration of drugs and supplements. It has a large surface area for quick delivery of substances into the bloodstream; it doesn’t involve the first-pass metabolism and in most cases secures your comfort.⁵ For instance, vitamin B12 which is required by our body for optimum red blood cell production and nervous system function⁶ most recently are being administered through the nose.⁷

Those inhaled: this is not anything like a cigarette! It is vaporized vitamins or essential oil-containing supplements. Although it was used as a therapy for people addicted to tobacco smoking, it is now being considered as a health-improving activity. A company producing vaporized vitamins claims that its vaporizer holds 10 times more Vitamin B-12 than you could obtain in a regular shot.⁸

Those digested: this is the most popular form of supplement intake where they are swallowed or eaten as you would do your food. They could be packaged as pills, capsules, or any ingestible material.

What do we need supplements for?
The hazard of nutritional deficiency is telling on many people, sadly, they are looking the wrong way for solutions. A research proved that poor or inadequate nutrition is one primary cause of the global sick rate.⁹ 5 out of 10 adults in the United States are suffering from chronic diseases that could have been prevented by healthier dietary patterns.¹⁰ This shows us how important food and feeding are to our health and the quality of life we live.

When we talk about food, we cannot take our eyes from its source; the soil. For food to give us adequate nutrients for our wellbeing, the soil has to hold enough nutrients for the crop plants to take up. However, as reported by Peter et al., due to intense, mismanaged farming, soil nutrients, are becoming short of supply. Soil Nitrogen has reduced by 42%, sulfur by 33%, and phosphorus by 27%.¹¹ These reductions in soil nutrients affect the number of nutrients in our foods sometimes to levels below optimum to sustain good health. It will amaze you to know that even our favorite veggies no longer contain adequate quantities of magnesium; the magnesium content dropped by 25% in wheat and veggies in recent years.¹² The ultimate result of the depletion of soil nutrients is that our food will not provide adequate nutrition for us. This comes with a lot of health hazards you may want to avoid. They include:

• Recurring illness due to weakened immunity
• Delayed recovery from broken skin or open wounds
• Fatigue
• Leanness
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Night blindness and/or impaired vision
• Loss of appetite

There are also diseases one can suffer from due to nutritional deficiency.
Diseases associated with nutritional deficiency

Other than the hazards of nutritional deficiency you have learned in this article, some diseases are not caused by infectious organisms rather are caused by the shortage in the supply of certain nutrients.

• Rickets is caused by the deficiency of Vitamin D. Its signs include weak bones and bowed legs.
• Beriberi is caused by the inadequacy of thiamin and it is characterized by cardiovascular disturbances, imbalance in muscle coordination, and nerve degeneration
• Anemia from iron deficiency, from its name, is caused by the inadequacy of iron in the body. It is a fatal health risk for pregnant women and it may cause retarded growth.
• Scurvy is caused by the inadequacy of Vitamin C. Symptoms include internal bleeding, delayed healing of open wounds, dysfunctional growth in bones and teeth.
• Goiter appears with a swollen neck. It is caused by the deficiency of iodine. Aside from the swollen neck caused by the excessive growth of the thyroid gland, it may cause mental retardation in children.
• Marasmus is caused by the inadequacy of calories for body use. It is prevalent in children. They lose all subcutaneous fat and appear extremely skinny. They are prone to diseases and are too weak to walk.

With these and several diseases associated with nutritional deficiency, we may want to borrow a leaf from the book of the Hunza people. Even at old age, they are free from diseases and full of vitality, this can be traced to their diet.¹³

What are the benefits of nutritional balance?
You have read the negative effects of poor nutrition; we however also have to talk about the advantage of having nutritional balance! The first thing that comes to mind is health. Researchers prove that the role of nutrition in science and preventive medicine has already been demonstrated in practice and in several articles.¹⁴ With balanced nutrition, you have higher chances of living longer, lower your propensity to have heart diseases or some types of cancers. You would have stronger bones, which helps you maintain a healthy weight, boosts your immunity, and keeps your organs functioning optimally.