Step away from the protein powders... 

Overwhelmed by the extraordinary range of supplements on supermarket and pharmacy shelves? Image: istock. Source: BodyAndSoul.Source:BodyAndSoul

Overwhelmed by the extraordinary range of colourful supplement bottles lined up on supermarket and pharmacy shelves? Dietitian Melissa Meier top lines the top three dietary supplements that you probably don't need to waste money on. 

I’m sure you’re not alone. With big claims that certain supplements can do anything and everything from boost your energy, to support your immune system, and even help you deal with stress, it’s easy to see why so many people think they need to be chugging supplements by the bucket load.

Now, don’t get me wrong, supplements most certainly have their time and place.

If you’re deficient in a certain nutrient because your diet is lacking or you have higher nutrient requirements because of a medical condition or your particular stage of life, supplements can really come in handy. In some cases, they’re essential.

Like what you see? Sign up to our bodyandsoul.com.au newsletter for more stories like this.

If you think you might need a supplement, you should consult your doctor and dietitian before getting started.

For the average healthy person, however, I generally wouldn’t recommend popping supplements just for the sake of it. Truth is, it’s incredibly easy to get all of the nutrition you need from a healthy, balanced diet. As the saying goes, ‘food is medicine’.

What’s more, using supplements unnecessarily can actually be dangerous, because some nutrients can build up in your body over time, which can be very problematic and even become toxic.

So, before you throw your next bottle of pills into your trolley, here are three supplements I typically wouldn’t recommend for the average Joe.

Vitamin C is not something most people need to supplement with. Image: iStockSource:BodyAndSoul

Vitamin C supports a healthy immune system, helps to boost iron absorption and plays an important role in producing collagen (a type of protein that keeps your skin healthy). It is, however, water soluble; meaning your body excretes what it doesn’t need. Hello expensive urine!

You might’ve heard that you should take vitamin C to avoid a sniffle, but science tells us vitamin C supplements don’t prevent you getting a cold. Once a cold or flu has kicked in, however, vitamin C supplements may help to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms.

Overwhelmed by the extraordinary range of supplements? Image: istock. Source: BodyAndSoul.Source:BodyAndSoul

A single pill that contains all of the nutrition your body needs sounds like a great idea...but here’s a reality check: a multivitamin cannot replace a healthy, balanced diet. If you’re eating enough fruit and veg, whole grains, lean protein and dairy or alternatives, I’d say multivitamins are simply unnecessary.

Of course, a very small, select group of people will benefit from taking one, but if you’re opting for a multi-vitamin as an insurance policy or safety net ‘just in case’ your diet isn’t enough, you’re wasting your money.

Do you ~really~ need that protein powder? Image: iStockSource:BodyAndSoul

You might be surprised to hear that protein should only account for about 25 per cent of the energy in your diet, and most people eat far more muscle-building protein than they actually need.

A far cheaper alternative to expensive protein powders is real foods like meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, legumes, nuts and seeds. By focusing on food for your protein fix over a refined protein powder, you’ll also benefit from the other nutrients in the whole food, like heart-healthy fats in salmon or gut-loving fibre from nuts and seeds.

Melissa Meier is a Sydney-based accredited practising dietitian. You can follow her on Instagram here.

Any products featured in this article are selected by our editors, who don’t play favourites. If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more.

A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Find out about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out.

bodyandsoul.com.au may receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Learn more

Nationwide News Pty Ltd Copyright © 2022. All times on this site are AEDT ().

Powered by WordPress.com VIP