7 Supplements Proven to Help Your Health

While the idea of taking live microorganisms sounds like the start of a science fiction movie, probiotics help your gut and digestive health. Your body is already full of bacteria – sorry to be the bearer of gross news – and probiotics are “helpful” bacteria that keep your digestive system running smoothly.

Antibiotics treat infections by killing certain bacteria. But probiotics add good bacteria to your system. Medical professionals often prescribe probiotics after antibiotics to replace the positive bacteria that the medication may have destroyed.

Probiotics may be beneficial for:

• Diarrhea caused by antibiotics.
• Infectious diarrhea (caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites).
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Oral health.
• Preventing allergies and colds.
• Skin conditions, like eczema.
• Urinary and vaginal health.

Probiotics keep bad bacteria at a healthy level and help you absorb and break down medication. You can ingest probiotics through supplements or food.

The most common types of probiotic supplements are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The most common types of probiotics found naturally in yeast are Saccharomyces boulardii.

Another nutrient that is beneficial for your gut health is Vitamin B12. Check out the other B12 benefits next.

B12 vitamins are essential nutrients for nerve function, red blood cell formation, and DNA production. You consume B12 vitamins by eating poultry, meat, fish, and dairy products. You can also absorb B12 through your skin by standing in the sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes a day.

However, you may not ingest your daily requirement if you have a special diet, such as vegetarian or vegan. If foods with B12 vitamins are not part of your daily diet, supplements can make up for what you lack. Likewise, supplements can be beneficial since bodies may absorb fewer nutrients as you age.

Benefits of B12 vitamins can include the following:

• Improve red blood cell formation and anemia prevention
• Reduced risk of major birth defects
• Supports bone help are decreases risk of osteoporosis
• Reduced risk of macular degeneration
• Improved mood and depression symptoms
• May prevent neurons loss

Low levels of B12 vitamins can contribute to lower memory performance and brain atrophy. The Mayo Clinic’s recommended daily amount of B12 is 2.4 micrograms for teens and adults. You may need more if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

An increase in B12 can also improve your energy. If you need a bigger boost before your workouts, check out what could take your fitness efforts to the next level.

Pre workout supplements give you a boost of energy before exercise. These supplements can also help you recover from your workouts and reduce tiredness after an intense workout. The most common ingredient is caffeine.

Pre-workouts come in powder and pill form. Other beneficial ingredients may include:

• Creatine for energy, muscle mass, and strength performance.
• Beta-alanine, which is an amino acid that prevents acid buildup in your muscles.
• Branched-chain amino acids, which decrease muscle soreness and increase growth.

Pre workout mixes are typically safe for consumption, but you should always check with your doctor if you have pre-existing conditions. Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols can cause bloating, gas, and diarrhea when combined with pre-workout mixes.

Likewise, too much caffeine can cause increased blood pressure, stress, and sleep problems. Most pre-workout mixes are the equivalent of one or two cups of coffee, so you do not need to add additional caffeinated beverages.

Pre workout can get you going in the gym, but you still need to feed your body essential macronutrients to keep muscle mass and improve strength. Find out what you should add to your post-workout routine.

Consuming protein can help you gain muscle, increase your strength, and lose body fat. Protein is one of the essential nutrients that bodies need. However, some protein forms are better than others, including whey.

Diet whey protein bars and powder have amino acids that help your body absorb nutrients faster. Whey is high in leucine and cysteine, which are amino acids that promote growth and higher levels of antioxidants.

While diet whey supplements can help you reach your fitness and health goals, you should be aware of the following when shopping for products:

• The amount of refined sugar – Manufacturers flavor whey since the taste is not very good on its own
• Around 25 to 50 grams is the recommended daily dose – Consuming too much why can cause nausea, diarrhea, and digestive pain
• You may have an allergic reaction if you have a lactose intolerance

Protein shakes can increase muscle gain and weight loss when combined with a healthy diet, exercise, and an active lifestyle. Protein shakes are dietary supplements that do not replace meals but can add nutrients to your diet.

While protein feeds your muscles, a vitamin could increase your exercise capacity. Learn about the impact of vitamin d3 on your health and fitness next.

Our bodies make vitamin d3 when we absorb sunlight, but our body’s ability to generate essential vitamins decreases over time. We can also ingest D3 from fatty fish, fish oil, organ meats, liver, and egg yolks. Vitamin d3 stays in our bodies longer than D2.

You may need more vitamin d3 in your diet if you are elderly, breastfeeding, obese, have darker pigmentation, or have medical conditions like cystic fibrosis, liver disease, or Crohn’s disease.

Some health benefits of D3 include:

• Stronger bones and muscles.
• A boost to your immunity system.
• A better mood.
• Less inflammation.
• Better hear functioning.

Vitamin D helps support your bones generally. A low amount of vitamin D could increase your risk of fractures, osteoporosis, and weaker bones. Consuming vitamin d3 can increase your bone density and reduce your risk of bone-related ailments.

D3 can also help improve the effectiveness of other supplements. Discover what newer-known antioxidant works best when combined with vitamin d3 next.

Coenzyme Q10 – or Coq10 for short) is a naturally producing antioxidant in your body that helps with cell growth and maintenance. Like other nutrients, Coq10 levels decrease as you age, and you may have decreased production with certain medical conditions and by taking over-the-counter and prescription drugs with statins.

Research shows that Coq10 can help with conditions such as:

• Heart problems by reducing blood pressure.
• Diabetes by reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
• Migraines.
• Muscle weakness caused by taking statins.
• Reduces inflammation in the body.

You can consume Coq10 by eating fish, meat, and nuts. The antioxidant is also in multiple supplement methods, including capsules, liquid syrups, wafers, and intravenously (IV).

Coq10 works best with sufficient levels of Vitamin K2 and D. You can find supplements with all three or combine a Vitamin K2 and D supplement with a standalone Coq10.

A Coq10 supplement can begin to make you feel younger by easing pain, pressure, weakness, and inflammation. But the next supplement could make you look younger too.

Collagen is a protein that makes up connective tissue body parts, like skin, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. It plays a role in the appearance of your skin, such as dry or wrinkled. Many people use collagen for eczema since it helps with the skin’s healing process and the growth of new skin.

You can use collagen for eczema and other skin issues as treatment, but it may prevent conditions from occurring initially. The protein strengthens, hydrates, and heals skin. It can also fight bacteria, like staphylococcal, on your skin from causing issues.

In addition to using collagen for eczema, research links collagen to the following:

• Hair and nail strength and growth
• Joint pain relief
• Prevention of bone loss
• Boost muscle mass
• Reduce the risk of heart conditions

Collagen comes from animal products, so supplements may be your best way to increase your levels if you have an animal-free diet. However, you can increase your body’s natural production of collagen by eating leafy greens, soy, avocado, berries, citrus fruits, and some herbs.