Supplements are various formulas of ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, antioxidants, enzymes, and similar. In most cases, supplements come in forms such as oils, tablets, capsules, soft gels, gelcaps, powders, and liquids.

In other words, supplements consist of the most essential nutrients that your body needs to work properly. In best practices, these compounds are mix together in ways that promote certain aspects of a healthy lifestyle – mostly due to the fact, that some minerals and vitamins benefit from other compounds to be better absorbed (or activated) by our bodies.

Short answer – your immune system becomes more fragile and some functions of your body slow down or stop at all. Long answer – that solely depends on the ingredients that your body is missing and functions that those ingredients promote in your body.

The best way to be sure about what could benefit you the most would be to consult your healthcare providers. This could be your doctor, pharmacist, dietitian, trainer, dentists, or other licensed professional.

Perfect supplements and supplement combinations can be determined based on what types of problems you have, what goals you are setting for yourself, or what areas of life that you want to improve.

Yes. But, this depends – there are two types of substances in your body. Some of the substances your body stores, some your body doesn’t store. Even though you theoretically could harm yourself with too much of each – in most cases, it is way much more dangerous to overdose on substances that your body stores internally.

No. Making sure you have a healthy, rich, and well-balanced diet should always step one when trying to improve your life quality. Supplements can only support your diet, by making it easier for you to be sure you have a more stable intake of certain substances. But even then, running some tests and readjusting your diet and/or dietary supplement use according to changes in your body, once every couple of months is crucial for your well being.

Not in all known cases. Some amounts of rare or difficult to absorb substances could be almost impossible to get from naturally occurring food sources, as you would potentially need to consume absurd amounts of certain foods every day.

It is safe for children to take supplements only if a licensed professional approved the use of it and is also in charge of monitoring your child’s health.

In most cases, you should be ok if you are taking different supplements – there might even be various benefits in doing so. But you always have to consult your doctor and/or other licensed professionals before experimenting with mixing various substances.

You can’t draw a very distinct line between these two, especially due to the fact that herbal medicine could be described as a subcategory of all supplements. But in most cases, herbal medicine is made from plants, plant parts, roots, herbs, spices, and other organically occurring bio-organisms – this means most herbal remedies are more complex on a biochemical level. While most other supplements can be just a mix of a couple of basic nutrients or just a single nutrient.

But again, it is very difficult to draw a fine line between these two as these both categories are very interconnected. Both of them can have their unique pros and cons when trying to decide between them.

Most remedies that can be called herbal supplements are regulated in most countries around the world, but not like any type of foods or drugs. In most countries, herbal supplements fall under the category of dietary supplements. This means that most herbal supplements on the market have to follow good manufacturing practices and they have to meet certain quality standards. But they can’t be sold with specific medical claims – which makes it easier for sellers and marketers to be more flexible with actual purposes of any given herbal supplement.

This also means, that in most countries – there are no specific rules that regulate any risks or to ensure safety for most herbal and/or dietary supplements. That’s why it is very important to do your personal research and buy your dietary/herbal supplements only from trusted sources.

Most herbal supplements contain certain types of complex chemical structures found in nature, which could have a range of effects on different users. Furthermore, they can be considered a real health risk when consumed in combination with other supplements, drugs, prescribed medications, or other recreational substances.

That’s why you always have to consult with your doctor and a licenced professional before experimenting with any herbal or dietary supplement. Furthermore, if you decide to use any dietary or herbal supplements – always make sure you start slow and learn how your body reacts at minimal doses, to minimize the potential health risks of any kind.

Even though some supplements are not regulated so vigorously like other drugs on the market – most of them will contain an in-depth active ingredient list and proposed serving sizes on their labeling. If no such information is provided to you, it can be a big red flag and you should probably not consume it.

If you don’t understand any of the information that is provided for you – always seek help from your doctor or pharmacist for a proper explanation.

Try to be a smart and educated consumer. Research any claims provided by the manufacturer and try to match it with various trusted sources. Try to locate the most objective, research-based information, and only then evaluate the possible benefits and risks involved.

Different dietary supplements might have different risks involved with various user cases, but there are some first steps that you should consider before experimenting with any kind of dietary or herbal supplement.

You shouldn’t take dietary supplements if you are younger than 18 or older than 65, you should also don’t take them if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. You also have to be very careful before taking any dietary supplements if you have serious health conditions or are currently taking any kind of prescription drugs or any other over-the-counter medications. Also, try to avoid any dietary supplements if you are having surgery soon or am seeking any kind of medical treatment overall.

The best way to make sure it is safe for you to take any dietary or herbal supplements is to consult your doctor and/or other licensed professionals. Also, avoid mixing any kind of supplements with any kind of recreational substances.

Evaluate your overall physical, mental, and medical condition before experimenting with any new substance and make sure all these areas of your life are great. Don’t try to seek alternative medicine practices if you have any issues with your health overall.

Follow supplement instructions and never exceed recommended daily dosages, furthermore don’t take any supplements for longer periods that you are advised to do so. Stop consumption of any supplement if you start to notice any negative side effects or feel that this supplement doesn’t work for you.

Don’t experiment with more than one supplement at a time, also keep track of your consumption to better evaluate actual value or benefits that any supplement provides you. Also, choose your supplements wisely – pick only trusted quality sources to buy them and always check alerts/advisories on the supplement you are planning to take.