Know Your Supplements: The Difference Between Natural and Chemical Supplements
There are a lot of supplements out there, and finding ones that are going to help your workout without providing unnecessary chemical compounds to your body can be tough!
Many supplements and products contain chemicals that you don’t need or that can even hurt your body or hinder your workout. The good news is that there are alternatives out there. At Flow, we believe in providing you with supplements that are healthy for your mind, body, and your workout routine.
Start With the Basics: What Are Supplements
Before we dive into the rundown on supplements, let’s take a quick look at what supplements actually are. More and more people are using dietary supplements to provide their bodies with the nutrients and vitamins that they need on a daily basis. We used to get a significantly larger amount of these from our natural foods, unfortunately, due to commercial farming and soil erosion among other factors, the soil our food is grown on is significantly lacking in these. And so supplements are helping us all stay healthy!
Sometimes, supplements are used simply to stay healthy and other times they’re used to produce better workout results. Dietary supplements typically come as capsules, tablets, or liquids that support better health for a person’s body. As we stated above, there are many types of nutrients that you might need but that aren’t being received in the food you’re eating. Dietary supplements provide those nutrients without you having to completely change around your diet or your eating habits.
Effectiveness
So, are supplements actually effective? We think so! And, so does the National Institute of Health. As an example, they’ve found scientific evidence that calcium and vitamin D are needed to help keep bones strong and stop them from deteriorating. Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help mitigate the risk of heart disease. Using supplements can be effective in helping you to stay healthy and reduce the potential for diseases.
Risks and Benefits
Most things in life come with a little bit of risk, and taking supplements is no different. It’s important to read the labels on the supplements you choose to take to ensure that they don’t contain compounds that could interact with other medications you might be taking.
On the flipside, taking supplements can greatly benefit you by increasing muscle, giving you more energy, helping keep your skin healthy, and aiding in bone regrowth.
The Lowdown on Organic Supplements
Okay, so now that we know what supplements are exactly, let’s look at the difference between organic and synthetic supplements.
Organic supplements are products made with natural ingredients that are certified organic. For example, the ingredients in the supplements typically include certified organic protein, organic chlorella, organic amla, and natural fish oils.
But what makes organic ingredients so important?
A study conducted in 2002 actually showed that the body doesn’t absorb, retain, or utilize the synthetic nutrients or even partially synthetic nutrients to the same degree as natural and organic ones. Unfortunately, this means that when you take synthetic supplements you aren’t actually getting all the benefit that you could be!
On top of that, foods contain a complex web of cofactors, enzymes, phytonutrients, and coenzymes that work together. When these complex structures are recreated chemically, they lose their nutritious effect and don’t interact with the body in the way that they should.
Another benefit of organic supplements is that the ingredients used are free of pesticides and insecticides. That means that the supplements themselves are also free of these chemicals, making them better for the environment and better for your body.
The Different Types of Supplements
Once you’ve made the choice to take organic supplements, the next step is looking at the type of supplement you want to take. There are many different ways of taking supplements and there are many different kinds of supplements that you can choose from.
Minerals and Vitamins
Interestingly enough, most people who take dietary supplements take vitamins and minerals rather than some other type of supplement. The most common types of vitamins taken include vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B, and multivitamins.
Specialty Items
Specialty items, or specialty supplements, are items that target specific areas of your health. For example, they target your mind, energy levels, or stress levels. Many people take omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, or fiber, all of which are considered specialty supplements.
Botanicals
Botanical supplements are items that are natural ingredients or foods that offer health benefits. For instance, green tea, garlic, cranberry, and ginseng are a few common herbals and botanicals that are used.
Sports Supplements
The last category of supplements to take note of include those that are used for sports and fitness. Flow Supplements falls into this category. Supplements in this category are used for weight management or for sports nutrition.
Many of the supplements in this category include protein supplements, energy drinks, and hydration drinks or gels.
Going Organic
Choosing to go organic is a great choice for boosting your health and taking your workout to the next level. At Flow, all of our products contain only natural ingredients that will provide your body with the full benefits they need. Reach out to us to order your supplements and get ready to see the difference in your workout regime!
