Supplements Yay or Nay?

By Bhavna Malhotra,Consultant- Nutrition & Lifestyle

bhavna.nutritionqueries@hotmail.com

The current pandemic has taken our interest in diets up by many folds. We are constantly thinking of ways to improve the quality of our diets to beat the virus. Immunity boosting foods and supplements are the new buzz words. Pre COVID times supplements usually were of interest to only fitness and sports enthusiasts but now many of us are looking for the magic pills and shakes. So, are supplements really good for us? Are they safe?

To answer this let us first see the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for Indians as prescribed by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). Remember these recommendations are for standard male and female with following criterions of activity, weight and health status.

Note: Apart from protein and visible fat as mentioned in the table remaining calories are prescribed in the form of good carbohydrates and healthy invisible fats.

NIN lists out recommendations for vitamins and minerals too for the standard male/ female and other age categories. This information is easily available online if you search for RDA for Indians (revised in 2010). https://foodsafetyhelpline.com/fssai-issues-directions-on-recommended-dietary-allowance-rda/

However the question still remains ‘Do I need supplements?’ The answer to this lies is a few questions that you need to ask yourself:

• Do I fit the criterion of standard male/ female – ideal weight, disease-free, engaged in moderate work? Just a note- moderate work would include 30-45 minutes of moderate-intensity workout daily in addition to your 8-hour desk job 😊
• Am I disease free?
• Do I have all the food groups on a daily basis which means having fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses/ legumes/non-veg and dairy?
• Do I have access to fresh produce (veg & fruits) which hasn’t been lying on the store shelf for many days? The more days spent on a store shelf the more nutrient loss.
• Have I got my blood tests done in the last 6 months to rule out any deficiencies? Especially if I’ve been feeling fatigued/lethargic/weak most of the time.
• Do I follow a moderate intensity workout program and am not into heavy weight training or professional sports training?

If the answer to all these questions is ‘yes’ then you definitely don’t need a supplement. A wholesome diet with all food groups, cooked traditionally in your region-specific way is enough to provide all the nutrients with your body needs.

If you are into heavy training (read- professional sports or heavyweight training) you might need a protein supplement or a multivitamin to meet the increased demands of your body. If you are not into heavy exercise but you have some deficiencies due to poor absorption, a disease condition or incomplete diet then supplements as prescribed by your physician will be mandatory.

The word ‘supplement’ literally means ‘a thing added to something else in order to complete or enhance it.’ Hence if taken to ‘complete’ your diet and not as a ‘substitute’ to a healthy natural diet supplements are beneficial. Just remember to get the supplements prescribed by a certified health care professional. A thorough assessment before a prescription is the key to good health!!