Supplements

Is Your Dog Taking Any Vitamin Supplements?

Just like humans, animals just like dogs, cats and many pets need a balanced diet with proteins, carbohydrates, fats and water, just like humans do. However, these are only the starting point for a healthy diet. Pets also need vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy.

However, it is not easy to find independent information online on the subject of canine vitamin supplements. If you are considering a vitamin supplement for your dog, be extra careful about getting caught up in the articles from the websites promoting such supplements.

What you demand is to have an objective and independent information regarding your own need for dietary supplements, your pet’s health can fall into the same category. Whoever sells the supplements says you need the supplements.

Just as we should check with our doctors before embarking on dietary supplements, so should you check hard by your veterinarian before you conclude on a supplement for your dog. Almost any website, store or publication that sells dietary supplements for pets will tell you that your dog does indeed need a supplement. However, just as humans can ingest toxic levels of vitamins and suffer dangerous side effects, so can your dog.

Your veterinarian can conduct a blood test to see if your dog is deficient in any vitamins and nutrients. Just as in humans there are medical conditions for which a supplement is warranted, there are medical conditions including mal-absorption issues that indicate a need for supplement for your dog.

In discussion with your veterinarian the possible need for a health supplement for your dog, you and your veterinarian should discuss the activity level of your four-legged friend.

Service dogs, such as guide dogs for the blind sometimes need health food due to their increased activity. Also, be sure to discuss the need for a supplement for your dog in conjunction with any ongoing medical condition your dog may have.

In modern years, there’s been a lot of controversy over pet supplements. At one point, pet owners were concerned the FDA was going to pull all pet supplements off the market. Instead, the National Animal Supplement Council was formed. It’s comprised mostly of pet supplement manufacturers whose mission is to forge compliance of supplement statutes.

The FDA regulates animal supplements the same way it does supplements for human consumption. Enforcement of the laws, though as in the human sector is lacking due to a shortage of resources. Some manufacturers take advantage of this knowing it will take a long time at worst, for the FDA to crack down on them.

If you are considering a vitamin supplement for your dog, make sure you consult with a veterinarian who does not sell supplements. This will help ensure you get an unbiased opinion as to whether you need to purchase a vitamin supplement for your dog.

After knowing why and how to choose a good vitamin supplement for your dog, it is important to realise that more information in vitamins for humans is also crucial. Earlier you are going to swallow any type of vitamin health food, you need to first consult your doctor.

However, many people sometimes tend to forget the quality and quantity of swallowing vitamins, without realizing the dangerous effects of over-consumption it, level while various kinds of these can treat chronic diseases.

Ergo, without a proper understanding of using proper vitamins to treat many chronic diseases, there will not be much illness free lifestyle to craving for.

Apply these effective tips as being highlighted here, together alongside an thorough understanding of vitamin supplements is important so that you enjoy your life once again.

The Best Bodybuilding Supplements to Take

Sport nutrition supplements help promote muscle growth in bodybuilders. Nutritional bodybuilding supplements also enhance performance and workout routines that include physical exercises. Weightlifting programs or weight training with free weights or machines will benefit from the addition of body building supplements.

Whether you are body building, weight lifting or working out with body toning exercises, always read and review the nutritional information on supplements before adding them to your workout routine. There are many different kinds of nutritional supplements which can be used for bodybuilding, weightlifting or even the general exercise enthusiast.

Many body building supplements also work well for weightlifting programs and even certain diet programs. On the other hand, you may find some sports supplements and nutritional products work better for the specific style of workout routine you are following.

For body building enthusiasts working towards muscle growth, there are some excellent weight gainer whey protein supplements available to help meet your goal. Because these bodybuilding products help add weight and muscle, they may not be best suited for workout routines designed only to tone muscle.

Body Building Supplements

Building muscle mass while sculpting your body for the perfect look can be a long and difficult process.

You can improve workout results with sports nutrition products like whey protein isolate, nor androstenediol, guggulsterones, amino acids, DHEA and meal replacement bars. Bodybuilders and weightlifters alike reach their goals as well as their limits while depending on quality bodybuilding supplements.

Weightlifting Supplements

Weightlifters are always pushing themselves to the limit or lifting weights to the point of ‘failure’. To ‘burn’ through these sets and increase muscle growth, weightlifters employ nutritional supplements. You can safely combine supplements, such as a whey protein isolate, Nitric Oxide and Testosterone Boosters, whether you are just beginning or wanting to reach your peak performance. Weight training programs at all levels benefit when bodybuilding supplements are used in weightlifting workouts.

Nitric Oxide

Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body to communicate with other cells in the body. To produce this gas, enzymes in the body break down the amino acid Arginine.

Nitric Oxide is a molecule consisting of one atom of nitrogen and one atom of oxygen. The production of Nitric Oxide occurs when the amino acid L-arginine is converted into L-citruline through an enzyme group known as Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS).

Everyone REQUIRES nitric oxide to carry out key physiological processes within the body. From a bodybuilder’s perspective, nitric oxide supplementation may prove useful in increasing growth due to increases in blood flow to certain areas of the body. Further, men suffering from erectile dysfunction may also find supplementing with nitric oxide helpful.

Signs of deficiency include the inability to achieve and sustain erections, physical weakness and extreme fatigue. Most “nitric oxide” supplements contain the amino acid Arginine-alpha-keto-glutarate.

With any amino acid containing product, overdose is a possibility. Dosing with too much arginine can lead to diarrhea, weakness and nausea. Clear dosing guidelines have not been established, so it is best to do what is known as “tolerance mapping”. Take a small dosage for one week, note the benefits and the side effects, and increase the dosage until the benefits are maximized and the side effects minimized. Over time the two will converge and you will hit the optimal dose. This process is similar to “receptor mapping”

for bodybuilders who use insulin.

Protien Powders

Many protein powders are fortified with amino acids, including arginine. With this in mind, pay particular attention to how much arginine you are ingesting from all supplements taken.

Protein powders are formulated to be the perfect meal in a quick and easy shake. It is easy to take them with you to work or school or anywhere that you need to get your protein or satisfy your hunger in a healthy way.

Need to eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight? Or maybe you are trying to eat six small meals each day? Sounds easier than it really is, huh? Protein powders like the ones listed below may be exactly what you are looking for.

How do you pick a protein out of the hundreds that we have for you to choose from? Basically, you are looking for a powder that has the right amount of protein, carbs, fat and the correct protein type for your goal.

If you are trying to lose fat, you will most likely want a low carb, low calorie protein. The extra protein will help you keep your current muscle mass. If you are trying to gain muscle, you would want a high protein, high calorie powder that is relatively low in sugar and fat. If you are simply trying to find a quick meal replacement, a protein powder with medium carbs and medium calories would most likely be for you.

The three most popular types of protein are whey, casein and soy.

Whey

Out of the many protein sources out there, whey protein is the ultimate. It comes from milk. During the process of turning milk into cheese, whey protein is separated out. Protein can be found in a variety of foods -mainly meats, such as fish, beef, and chicken.

Dairy products as well as eggs, cottage cheese, soy and vegetable protein also contain good amounts of protein.

Nevertheless, none of these sources compares in quality or ease of use like whey protein. Whey protein has the highest value in providing branched-chain amino acids, which result in building and retaining muscle tissue.

Whey protein (the highest quality and best form of protein) is incredible stuff. It provides the body with the necessary building blocks to produce amino acids that are used for building muscle tissue. Whoa! Nearly every bodybuilder knows the importance of protein supplementation. Studies have been conducted that compare whey protein to other sources. They have found that whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acid makeup… and in just the right concentrations for optimal performance in the body. Both hormonal and cellular responses seem to be greatly enhanced with supplementation of whey protein, too! Not to mention the benefits whey protein has on the body’s immune system according to documented scientific research. Whey protein also plays a role as an antioxidant and helps support a health immune system. Most importantly, consistent whey protein intake coupled with exercise will result in consistent muscle building.

Training athletes often consume 25 grams of whey protein per day. Bodybuilders who want serious gains (and are burning serious calories), generally consume 150 grams per day. Extremely high doses of whey protein is not recommended, as this will cause the body’s liver to be overloaded and you won’t get the same benefits as with a consistent lower amount taken three to five times per day.

BCAA:

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Amino Acid supplements are an effective and useful blend of essential amino acids for the human body.

Amino acids come from protein rich sources such as meat, fish, dairy products, and vegetables such as legumes, peas, and grains. There are many types of amino acid supplements on the market. Some products claim to have a large quantity of amino acids, but come primarily from a weak protein source (such as milk). Unfortunately, people may have allergies associated with the protein source. Our supplement formula is comprised of the highest quality crystalline protein source.

One and one-half grams of powder three times a day should be sufficient to provide the body with an adequate supply of available amino acids to assist in digesting food and bulking up. There are no side effects with proper supplementation.

Testosterone Boosters:

Raising your testosterone helps you to gain muscle, enhance your mood, support healthy libido, and more! Some prohormones do a great job of raising test levels, but some people prefer not to use them.

Arginine

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. It is a building block of protein that performs a myriad of physiological functions. It is a known precursor of the gas nitric oxide [N02].

Arginine is an amino acid that the body cannot make naturally. Therefore it is important to consume foods that are rich in arginine.1

Arginine is found in high concentrations in nuts and seeds like peanuts and almonds. It can also be found in chocolate and raisins.

Individuals with existing heart or psychiatric conditions should consult with their physician prior to supplementing with Arginine. With any amino acid containing product, overdose is a possibility. Dosing with too much arginine can lead to diarrhea, weakness and nausea. Clear dosing guidelines have not yet been established, so it is best to do what is known as “tolerance mapping” – Take a small dosage for one week, note the benefits and the side effects, and increase the dosage until the benefits are maximized and the side effects minimized. Over time the two will converge and you will hit the optimal dose. This process is similar to “receptor mapping” for bodybuilders who use insulin and steroids.

Many protein powders on the market are fortified with amino acids, including arginine. With this in mind, pay particular attention to how much arginine you are ingesting from sources. If you do not feel comfortable following the above described procedure, it is always best to follow the directions as prescribed on the products label.

Why Do People Take Dietary Supplements And Who Is The Audience For Supplement Marketers?

The use of condition-specific supplements more than doubled between 1999 and 2005. There are two possible reasons for this increase:

•Consumers could be switching from single-nutrient supplements to treat and prevent health issues to combination and condition-specific formulas
•Americans are more confident of their ability to take care of their own health

Consumers may be switching from single-nutrient supplements to condition-specific formulas because it is an easier and less costly route toward one-stop shopping for health.

Dietary supplements are a way for Americans to self manage and treat specific health issues.

The prevention of specific health issues and medical conditions has become the number one reason why 57% of consumers took a vitamin-mineral supplement for the first time over the past 5 years.

I personally had a rise in triglycerides for the first time. Instead of a prescription drug my doctor elected to try a dietary supplement, Niacin, in the hopes of reducing the triglyceride level. At my last exam, apparently this supplement worked for me. My triglyceride level was lowered after 6 months of taking the dietary supplement of Niacin. It has been more cost effective than a prescription drug.

Young people are specifically interested in improving physical performance as a motivator for starting vitamin and mineral supplements. The number one reason for adults aged 18 to 29 years to go on a vitamin-mineral regimen or make a dietary change is to enhance performance. Weight control is the second reason.

There continues to be steady growth of the belief in vitamin-mineral supplements as an effective means of treating and preventing health problems and conditions.

There is also a growing concern about vitamin-mineral supplements interacting with prescription medications. Some people are dissatisfied about the quantity of pills taken and other people have difficulty swallowing pills.

Condition-Specific Supplements

Condition-specific supplements are the fastest growing sector of the supplement business. The use of vitamins E and C have dropped since the year 2000. Multivitamin sales continue to grow at a modest rate. Consumers still take vitamin-mineral supplements because they believe their diets lack vitamins and minerals. Calcium and Vitamin C are the most frequently taken vitamin supplements.

For those people who used a condition-specific supplement in 2005, joint pain was the most frequently mentioned condition, after that was for heart health, osteoporosis and arthritis. Also on the rise are vitamin and mineral supplements for osteoporosis and memory concentration.

In 2005, nearly half (44%) of all US supplements sold were for a specific health condition, such as arthritis, joint pain, heart health, osteoporosis, weight loss.

There were 14 conditions that account for 84% of the condition-specific supplement sales in 2005. The top two conditions consumers took condition-specific supplements for was sports/energy/weight/loss and general health. Other conditions include:

•Sports/energy/weight loss
•General health
•Joint health
•Cold/flu-immune
•Anticancer
•Heart health
•Bone health
•Gastrointestinal health
•Diabetes
•Menopause
•Brain mental
•Mood
•Sexual health
•Insomnia

The trend toward taking supplements for condition-specific reasons is expected to continue to grow. Baby Boomers now aged 42 to 60 years and the 72 million Generation Y members who will be the audiences for supplement marketers. Those who are not currently using a supplement say they are most likely to do so to prevent/treat arthritis.

As baby boomers begin to experience age-associated conditions for the first time, they are most likely to opt for supplements directed at particular conditions such as arthritis, cholesterol, wrinkles, eye health, and hypertension.

Source: Nutrition Today, Volume 42, Number 2, March/April 2007

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 4-2007.

Synthetic Vs. Natural Vitamin Supplements: Which Is Better?

Vitamins are organic compounds that help in the body’s metabolism and maintenance. Vitamins can be absorbed from numerous food sources, but are especially abundant in fruits and vegetables. However, there may still be nutrients that your body will not be able to absorb, or that you may not be getting enough of from your diet. This is why vitamin supplements are important.

There are 12 essential vitamins that our body needs to function effectively. These include Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, D, E, K and folate. These vitamins have been shown to protect the body from certain illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. Lack of vitamins in the body can result in various diseases, including blindness, anemia, birth defects, bleeding disorders and bone deformities, among others. Vitamin supplements provide your body with the recommended daily amounts of essential vitamins, and help prevent the development of these diseases.

Nowadays, numerous vitamin supplements exist, available in different forms. Vitamin supplements are available in all health stores and can also be ordered online. These vitamin supplements can generally be divided into two categories: natural and synthetic. At present, there is a continuing debate regarding which kind of supplement is more beneficial to the body.

Natural vitamin supplements are vitamins extracted from natural food products and processed to create a food supplement. Meanwhile, synthetic vitamin supplements are man-made vitamins chemically processed in a laboratory.

Research has been leaning more towards natural vitamin supplements as the more beneficial product between the two categories. Studies on synthetic vitamin supplements have resulted in mixed results. Some scientists believe that taking synthetic vitamin supplements could result in numerous side effects, especially when the vitamins are taken in large amounts. This is because synthetic vitamin supplements contain numerous chemicals, which could react adversely with your body. Just as lack of vitamins results in various diseases, excessive intake of vitamins have also been known to cause a myriad of toxicities, including hypersensitivity reactions, diarrhea and bone damage, to name a few.

Recent studies have also shown that natural vitamins are better absorbed and processed by the body than their synthetic counterparts. This allows you to get the most out of your supplements, ensuring that you have adequate vitamin levels in your body.

Since natural vitamin supplements appear to be the better choice, it is best for you to find a natural supplement that can provide all these benefits.

When choosing a natural vitamin supplement, make sure that the supplement contains all 12 essential vitamins. Also, check that the supplement is really natural. Some synthetic products manipulate their advertising to make it appear that the product is natural, when in fact, it isn’t. Look closely into the ingredients used in the product, and research on them. Take advantage of some websites that allows you to check up on these supplements and their contents. Finally, before taking any natural vitamin supplements, it is best to consult a qualified nutritionist or your physician first.

Don’t forget that no vitamin supplement can replace a healthy, balanced diet. It is recommended that you eat a vitamin-rich diet, which can be achieved by increasing your intake of vegetables and fruits. A healthy diet, complemented by a high-quality natural vitamin supplement, can ultimately give you a stronger body and help you live a longer life.

ABSTRACT: Vitamin supplements are necessary to keep your body healthy. Natural vitamin supplements can provide you with adequate amounts of vitamins needed in your diet, without the side effects associated with its synthetic counterpart.

Why Should you Use Nutritional Supplements in your Diet?

Nutritional supplements are used to fulfill a deficiency of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in our everyday diet. A few years ago nutritional supplements were not as popular among people as they are today. This is because in years passed there was not much need for anyone to take these supplements. People used to eat pure and healthy food which consisted of a balanced diet including milk, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, fish. Basically back then our diet contained everything that we needed in order for our bodies to function correctly. Today our busy schedules have made our minds so pre-occupied that we don’t have enough time to eat enough to fulfill all our body needs. Combined with the fact that the vegetables are extensively farmed and kept on shelves for a long time, this reduces the nutrient intake that we actually eat. This is why we need nutritional supplements to maintain our health.

It is a known fact that nutritional supplements are useful for people belonging to all age groups. Children need adequate amounts of calcium, phosphorus and iron to develop healthy bones and teeth. Similarly, elderly people need all kinds of vitamins and energy vitalizing substances to keep themselves fit. These supplements also help them fight against various diseases, and some are even thought to prevent heart attacks and even cancer. Many nutritional supplements, including folic acid, are recommended to pregnant women to protect the baby from developing any abnormality. Obesity and high cholesterol can also be treated by using nutritional supplements made from natural plant and animal extracts.

Lately there has been much debate as to whether nutritional supplements are really useful or if there’s really no point in taking them. It’s true that there is no alternative for a proper balanced diet, nothing can take the place of fresh fruits and vegetables. But at the same time taking small amounts of health supplements is not harmful at all, instead it provides protection against many diseases in the long run.

You should never replace your everyday meals with nutritional supplements, although meal replacement powders are available on the market. As with any change in your diet it’s important to consult a health specialist before consuming any kind of nutritional supplement. Also don’t fall for the many attractive advertisements about some supplement products that claim to do wonders overnight. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!

Natural food extracts should always be preferred over other man-made supplements. A weight loss supplement made from extracts of green tea is an example. Many other supplements are also made by combining different herbal extracts and a blend of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. As you must have guessed, these materials are not harmful for the body at all as they all occur naturally.

People who are taking antibiotics are advised to ask their doctor before buying nutritional supplements because they might interfere with the antibiotic course that has to be completed in order to treat an infection. Similarly diabetic patients and those suffering from high blood pressure and high cholesterol are advised not to consume any kind of weight gain or energy boosting supplement before consulting their doctor.

You also need to remember that these nutritional supplements are effective only when right amounts of each one is taken as prescribed by a health specialist. Overdose might prove to be detrimental to your health. Similarly taking less than the correct dosage, or not following the procedure correctly may not prove to be as effective for the body.

Overdose can also cause some side effects like dizziness and nausea. There are no clear signs of vitamin or mineral deficiency in the body, but when you feel that your diet is not composed of all the healthy food that must be consumed everyday, you should immediately ask your doctor’s opinion. If taken properly and as part of a healthy balanced diet, nutritional supplements are an excellent way to ensure that your body is being fed with all the necessary nutrients it needs in order to function properly and defend it from various kinds of illnesses.