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Many People use the supplements in a regular diet, without consulting to the doctors. It’s just not stopped here, people recommended to their friend’s relatives or family, without keeping any knowledge of it. Today Dietary Supplements are most commonly used across world, showing lots of health benefits but many research have shown its risk also on health. This doesn’t only harm them but may cause many disease because of wrong understanding.

As we know, supplements are using worldwide to correct the deficiency in the body without generally showing any side-effects. Even if, no side-effects shown in the body but still it is advisable to take the supplements only after doctors advise, as research shows many adverse events who are on supplements.  Some of the dietary supplements are well understood and established, others need further study. 

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements include many vitamins, minerals, calcium, soy etc. which comes in the form of capsules, tablets, softgels, liquids and powders.

Benefits of dietary Supplements

Supplements are generally given to fulfill the body needs, so that body can function properly and it also helps to reduce the risk of few diseases but these supplements are not permitted to treat any disorder or disease. As correctly said, no supplement can replace food requirement in the body. It is also said that eating food over supplement is better for health. 

Supplements can help to provide an extra nutrients which is lacking in your diet as required in the body and or sometimes in health conditions (such as cancer, diarrhea etc.) remove deficiency. For example, large doses of vitamin B3 (niacin) can help to increase "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which can help to reduce the toxic effect of chemotherapy drugs.

Health risk of supplements

It is been reported that overuse of supplement or those which is not recommended can be create lots of risk in the body. One of research done in Tufts University, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine reported that more than 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day of calcium intake will cause the increase risk of death from cancer.

Some other dietary supplements can also cause severe reactions like skin sensitivity during radiation treatment while those who are on chemotherapy may be at higher risk for drug interactions with the supplements. So at this point, it is required to take physician advice, before taking any supplements.

Vitamin D supplement is one of the most popular supplement, which help to protect bones from disease like osteoporosis, as we are not able to get enough vitamin D from the food. Reports also suggest that, taking vitamin D supplement more than 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), can cause extra calcium absorption, which lead to muscle pain, abdominal pain, and kidney stones and sometimes heart attack.  

Excess Calcium Intake        

Calcium is another essential nutrients for the body, which helps to make our bones strong and a heart healthy, but too much of anything is not good. As mentioned by NIH, more than 2,500 mg of calcium per day in women’s between 19 to 50 years age, and more than 2,000 mg per day lead to health risk whereas in men’s  between the age of 19 to 70 is 1,000 mg a day, and 1,200 mg per day for 71 and older age will lead a problem. 

It had been suggested in the Journal of the American Heart Association, that calcium supplements intake may increase plaque accumulated in the aorta and other arteries whereas when calcium intake is in the form of foods, which are rich in calcium such as dairy products etc. will be safe. 

Calcium supplement will only be advised if an individual is detected with calcium deficiency or hypocalcemia. 

Multivitamins and Multimineral

These are another supplements which are very commonly used and taking this in the food form, is really good for health. Many research shown its benefits but other research also shows its harmful health effect.

A study in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, taken data from nearly 40,000 women of above 19 years age and published that, women who were on supplements had an increased risk of dying compared with women who were without supplements.

While the other research in the journal Nutrients, shows that use of multivitamin and mineral supplement, help to prevent from many health risk, as without it might cause some health disorder. For many other health problems, it is advisable to take these vitamins and minerals like pregnant women are mostly recommended by the doctors to prevent any birth defect but it is not required in healthy people. 

Soy Supplement

Soy proteins like in soy milk, Tofu and tempeh are very good sources of protein, fiber and minerals and can be used by some women as a soy supplement as it contains estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones, which help to give relieve in symptoms of menopause. However, few studies shows their concerns as isoflavones found in soy supplements might increase the risk of breast cancer but it is yet not clear as many studies shows no risk of breast cancer from eating soy source.

At the end, soy intake in the food diet shows no risk of breast cancer and needs to be little cautious while taking soy in the supplements. 

Conclusion

It might be that some supplement can be beneficial but others can have harmful to the health. The best way is to consult the doctors as they can help you achieve a balance between the foods and nutrients you personally need.