We all know the value of good health. One way or another, we all strive to achieve it. But then, since healthy habits aren’t as fun or indulging as we’d like, we seek shortcuts like supplements and magic diets.
While these supplements do have their use, there are things they simply can’t accomplish. Here are four of them.
Four Things Dietary Supplements Can’t Do
Replace meals
Our bodies need meals to function. Food provides all our daily nutritional requirements and some energy, vitamins, and even antioxidants. Plus, meals contain nutrients scientists haven’t even discovered how to put in pills yet. Dietary supplements can’t replace your meals.
Even if you found a pill that contained every single thing your body needs, it wouldn’t be enough. The stomach is designed to digest food for absorption by the intestines. Without regular food, stomach acids begin to break down the walls, leading to ulcers and other unpleasant conditions.
Help you build muscle
Muscle tissue is built up when they undergo stress and damage. Lifting weights that you’re not familiar with places the muscles under this strain, and they tear a little. During repair, the body prevents future occurrences by depositing more amino acids in the affected muscle group. That’s why anyone can see noticeable changes after a few weeks in the gym.
From the above description, you can see that dietary supplements can’t do any of that. Even anabolic steroids won’t build muscle until you lift weights. These steroids hack your body by stimulating the formation of new cells, helping you gain massive amounts of muscle mass in a short time. However, as you might have guessed, they come with side effects like reduced bone density, kidney failure, and high blood pressure.
Burn fat
Fat-burning pills and remedies are arguably the biggest scams on the Internet today. They work mostly because people are looking for a shortcut, and they are willing to try anything. It’s either taking lime before bed or only sleeping on your back. However, no pills can help you lose weight, and here’s why.
You shed weight when you use up more calories than you consume. Every day, we use up a certain amount of calories in our routine, and the amount you burn depends on your weight, activity level, and metabolic rate. Besides regular activity, exercise like cardio can help you shed excess weight.
Dietary supplements can’t burn calories for you; neither can they stop your body from absorbing more. The only pills that can help you lose weight are those that block appetite.
Boost your performance
Some drugs have been scientifically proven to improve concentration, reduce fatigue, and boost mental activity. But then, these are mostly controlled substances like Adderall. They increase central nervous system activity and release hormones like dopamine. Unfortunately, these drugs also have severe side effects, which is why they are controlled.
Most supplements that claim to achieve similar effects aren’t regulated by the FDA and don’t really work. There isn’t substantial scientific evidence to support their function. If you’re looking to boost your mental performance, practice natural means like getting lots of rest, solving puzzles, and consuming fish oil. Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, fish oil can help with neurologic repair and function.
Four Things Dietary Supplements Can Do for You
Dietary supplements aren’t all bad. Even though they can’t make you lose weight or become a genius, they have many benefits. In fact, if you read the zillis ultra cell reviews or reviews of other supplements, you’d see that there’s a lot they can do for you. Let’s run through some of them.
Increase protein repair
We said supplements wouldn’t help you build muscle, but that doesn’t mean they are entirely useless for bodybuilders. Protein supplements like whey protein can assist your body in muscle and tissue repair. After a gym session, your body needs a lot of protein to build mass and make you stronger.
Whey protein powder contains essential amino acids that are broken down and ready to go. Unlike meat and eggs, these protein building blocks don’t need to be metabolized. As a result, you’ll see more significant gains with dietary protein supplements.
Improve overall health
Your overall health is a result of multiple factors, including hard-to-control ones like the weather and your geography. For the most part, you can improve your overall health by adhering to good practices. Exercise, a good diet, and a positive attitude have all been shown to impact your mood positively.
Some supplements can also improve your overall health by boosting your immune system and mopping up free radicals. Antioxidants remove radicals that would otherwise bind to electrons to cause tissue damage. Plus, fortifying your immune system makes you less susceptible to disease.
Boost absorption and digestion
Digestion is improved by bacteria or probiotics present in our intestines. These bacteria are in a symbiotic relationship with our body — we help them stay alive, and they make sure we get our food’s worth. A low probiotic population can lead to everything, from indigestion to bloating.
This is why dietary supplements that introduce probiotics remain some of the most endorsed. Their functions are clear and easy to verify.
Even though our guts naturally have probiotics, our immune function depletes the bacteria colonies. Taking supplements can help to replenish them. There are also supplements called prebiotics that serve as a food source for the probiotics. These indirectly help gut health, keeping the bacteria happy.
Reduce stress
For decades, we’ve searched for the best and most effective ways to de-stress. After a while, everyone finds what works for them, and the methodology ranges from relaxing activities like yoga and meditation, to intense ones like working out and watching sports.
Unsurprisingly, many supplements claim to help you relax and eliminate stress. Some work, some don’t, and it’s hard to tell them apart. Sometimes, the best way to identify effective ones is to read user reviews. Another method is to read the product description and see its mode of action. If it helps to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and promote muscle relaxation, then you know it’s the real deal.