The truth about food supplements

A balanced diet, lots of exercise, good sleep – is that enough to stay healthy in the long term? Which role do dietary supplements play in this? Does it make sense to supplement vitamins and nutrients or can we cover our needs through our diet alone? We get to the bottom of these questions.

What are dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements or just “supplements” are available in the form of tablets, powders or liquids. They are consumed to take in any missing nutrients, but can neither replace a balanced diet nor compensate for a generally unbalanced, unhealthy diet.
Rather, their purpose is to help covering the individual need – dependent on the lifestyle – for vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Supplements refill exhausted nutrient reserves and support the body’s functions, yet they cannot cure diseases.

Food supplements are often categorised based on two aspects:

• According to their composition: supplements of vitamins, minerals, probiotics, fatty acids, amino acids, trace elements, plant substances, enzymes or fibre
• And according to their purpose: supplements which, for example, support weight loss, strengthen the body’s immune system or ensure good vision and strong hair

When should someone take food supplements?

A large part of the necessary nutrients can be covered by a diet. However, depending on our life situation, maybe a goal in sports we are aiming for, there might be good reason to use supplements and doing so can be highly beneficial. For example, many older people need supplements because of an increased risk of vitamin D and B12 deficiency. Vegans and vegetarians, too, often lack the important vitamin B12 and pregnant women are advised to supplement vitamin D and folic acid. Furthermore, the absorption of nutrients can also be generally impaired due to intestinal and stomach diseases, so that people affected by those conditions should supplement as well. Other causes of nutrient deficiency can be an unbalanced diet or lifestyle. For example, too much alcohol or taking certain drugs can result in a lack of vitamins and minerals. Increased caffeine consumption can also cause a nutrient imbalance, as it increases the excretion of important minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Possible effects of a nutrient deficiency

If the body does not have the nutrients it needs at its disposal, it will fall into a biochemical imbalance. Vitamin deficiency in particular, or the lack of certain minerals and trace elements such as magnesium, iron and potassium, can trigger unspecific symptoms. These substances are essential for the metabolism, cell growth and the body’s immunity. Typical signs of deficiency are tiredness, increased susceptibility to infections and a lack of energy.

However, the large number of different supplements on the market are not making the search for the “right” supplement easy. Because even if no nutrient deficiency or increased nutrient requirements have been diagnosed, there are always situations in life in which our body needs a little help (in the form of dietary supplements): Maybe you want to achieve a certain goal in sports and are currently putting your body under a lot of stress and need support with regeneration. You might also want to assist the immune system like many others at the beginning of autumn or need nutrients to strengthen your skin, hair and nails.

In general, five supplements can be highlighted for a healthy lifestyle. These include Omega 3, magnesium, vitamins D and C as well as zinc. Omega 3 is important for a healthy brain and heart and prevents inflammatory reactions in muscles and joints. Magnesium supports regeneration and ensures a balanced level of muscular activity and is considered a universal remedy for fatigue and lack of strength. Vitamin D is indispensable for humans, since it strengthens the immune system, the bones and the muscles. Due to insufficient sunshine, especially in winter, it is advisable in most countries to take additional vitamin D through supplements. Vitamin C supports the body’s own immune system very intensively and thus ensures better resistance against harmful viruses in the body. And zinc is part of numerous metabolic processes and has an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effect.

With this knowledge and the demand for the highest quality and digestibility, we started the development of Lanserhof Supplements.
With our “Glow” supplement, we aim to combat dry and stressed skin with a selected mix of micronutrients. The vegetarian capsules also activate the metabolism of the skin and are excellent for treating acne disorders with the support of borage oil, which can be effective for inflammatory skin diseases. The Q10 contained in the capsules also supports the immune system. In addition, the contained bamboo shoot extract has an antioxidant and regenerating effect and quercetin has a positive effect on general inflammation parameters, allergic reactions, blood circulation and wound healing.

Problems such as inner restlessness, stress or sleeping disorders can also be counteracted with the right combination of active ingredients. Discover our anti-stress package “Never mind”, whose
A combination of active ingredients, including magnesium and various B vitamins, reduces signs of exhaustion and stress during the day and relaxes the nerves in the evening with the help of lemon balm, hops and melatonin, among others, and thus ensures a restful night.
We can also strengthen our immune system with the right food supplements. As the body is confronted with harmful environmental influences every day, it needs some support from time to time. The “Don’t stop me now” package contains a day and night combination of active ingredients that can strengthen the body’s immune system and support regeneration during the night.

Here you will find our current supplement range, more will follow in the next few days.

In general, it is advisable to consult your family doctor when using supplements, since their sensible application, dosage and use can be very individual.

When you are a guest at Lanserhof, our highest principle is the holistic approach. After a comprehensive analysis of your lifestyle and a blood test, our doctors can carry out a targeted orthomolecular therapy, during which high doses can be supplemented as required. Especially when the intestine is damaged and has problems in absorbing nutrients, we have the possibility to work parenterally on site and can bypass the disturbed gastrointestinal tract with the help of infusions, so that the active ingredients can reach the cells directly through the bloodstream.