Understanding Dietary Supplements

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has shown, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports, that dietary supplements can be good for your health. For example, it’s wise to take in the right amount of minerals, especially iron. Here’s why: Scientists Report *Iron is an essential mineral for the human body, required to transport oxygen and support energy release. *Iron plays a key role in maintaining a healthy immune system and increasescognitive function for sustained concentration. *Initial iron deficiency symp- Supplementing your diet with vit- toms can include fatigue, general lack of energy and decreasedability amins and minerals can be a good thing, if you don’t take in too much. and enduranceathletes in particu- percent of women of childbearing age require 2 mg of absorbed iron daily, yet most traditional iron to concentrate. *Pregnant women, vegetarians lar should monitor their iron levels with the help of their health care practitioners. Read The Label That said, you need to know what you're getting. Keep four points in mind: 1.Tell your health care provider about any supplements you use. 2.Always read and follow the label instructions. 3.The label should have the nameof the supplement, the name, address and phone numberof the manufacturer, a complete list of ingredients andthe servingsize. 4,You should see how much of each nutrient is in the supplement. You want to get the Recom- mended Daily Allowance (RDA) but you don’t want to exceed the tolerable upper intake level for any one nutrient. That can be a problem if you take iron. It’s a very difficult mineral for the body to absorb. Consider this: Eighty supplements contain 65 mg of iron. Of this 65 mg, very little is absorbed, resulting in excessiron, often leading to uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems. Fortunately, you can now get a liquid iron supplement that’s been clinically shown to have a high absorption rate of 40 percent. Each packet contains 5 mg of naturally occurring iron-rich spring water. This can fulfill the daily absorbed iron requirement of 2 mg, leaving only 3 mg of excessiron. Both original pur-Absorb and pur-Absorb Apple supplement with 100 percent natural apple concentrate plus vitamin C for enhanced absorption come from Nelsons, the United Kingdom’s largest manufacturer of natural health care products. Further Facts Learn more at www.purabsorb. com or (800) 319-9151.