Advice on dietary supplements from Roz Martin, founder of skincare supplement, MedColl

Dubai, UAE, February 15, 2017:  When you reach for that bottle of Omega 3 fish oils or those vitamin C tablets, you might want to ask yourself do you really need them in the first place. Supplements usually come in capsule, pill, powder or liquid form.

You can take these supplements to make sure you get enough essential nutrients and to maintain or improve your health, but it is important to note here that they shouldn’t be used to replace a well-balanced diet, but they can be useful for filling in gaps in your diet. So why aren’t we getting enough nutrients? 

A number of reasons actually. 
Food coming from depleted soils have insufficient mineral content, also long transit time for delivery could see food harvested or picked weeks, even months before they reach you. We also have a bad habit of overcooking our foods resulting in lost nutrition not to mention skipping meals. Stress can really affect and compromise our immune system. And as we age, our body’s digestion slows up. 

So what can you do to ensure you’re getting enough?

You could do a simple blood test with your nurse and see what you’re deficient in, especially if you’re feeling tired or run down. So what your health care provider says and you can then take the dietary supplements you need.

The most popular supplement is of course the multi-vitamin. Make sure you get one that’s been formulated for you, as in male or female, pregnant or experiencing menopausal symptoms. 

Evidence does suggest that some supplements can enhance health in different ways. The most popular nutrient supplements are calcium and vitamins D for bone health. Vitamin C for boosting immune system and the stress busting Vitamin B’s. 

Just because a supplement is promoted as “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Supplements can either be from a natural source, which is safer for you or they could be synthetic, and manufactured in a lab.  The key here is to ask when you’re buying. Some stores that have their own label of vitamins and supplements and some private companies use poorer quality and grades of ingredients.

For vitamins and minerals, check the % RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) on the label for each nutrient to make sure you’re not getting too much. Too much of certain supplements can be harmful. You can always ask the pharmacist or health store advisor, they can advise you.

MedColl has worked in collaboration with Ireland’s leading medical collagen research center, The Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, UCD, also a government body, in scientifically researching and developing a patented supplement formula that contains these unique “collagen precursors” which help the body maintain and produce healthy endogenous collagen. 

This is by far the safest and most effective method of helping the body make its own natural collagen rather than injecting, surgically placing and dose-dumping gelatin into the system.

*The human gastrointestinal tract (GI tract or GIT) is an organ system responsible for transporting and digesting foodstuffs, absorbing nutrients, and expelling waste. The tract consists of the stomach and intestines, and is divided into the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts.

MedColl is available at leading pharmacies across the UAE including Boots the Pharmacy and Bin Sina priced AED 295.