How to Choose the Right Supplements Vol. 2
Posted on March 02, 2020 by Jun Yun, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.
The series continues! Check the essential supplements I cover on this post.
3. Omega-3
Omega-3 eliminates inflammations and lowers the incidence of chronic illnesses. Numerous researches confirm Omega-3’s effectiveness in restraining cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and arthritis. Also, Omega-3 is distributed to brain in high concentration and has a positive effect on memory, cognitive, and behavioral functions.
There are a few things to consider when buying the right Omega-3 supplements. First is the ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6. Normally the recommended ratio is 4:1 (Omega-6 to Omega-3), but in actuality most people over-consume Omega-6, from 12:1 to 25:2. Because Omega-6 triggers inflammation, if you take in a lot of Omega-6 you should increase the relative intake of Omega-3 (of course you should decrease the amount of Omega-6 in your diet as well). Second, Omega-3 supplements contain DHA and EPA. DHA is good for brain and eye health, and EPA induces regular inflammatory responses in our bodies. The ideal ratio of DHA to EPA is 2:3. Make sure to look for these ratios when choosing your Omega-3!
Because the common source of Omega-3 is from fish, people worry about accumulation of heavy metals. Manufacturing companies request heavy metals test from third party facilities to guarantee objectivity. So you can reliably find safe Omega-3 products.
Another features to look out for: safety, purity, high bioavailability, and amount of Omega-3 per soft gel (it may contain other oils!) Because it is a type of oil, Omega-3 absorbs best after a meal/snack.
Also there are those who get Omega-3 from flaxseed oil. Understand that the Omega-3 in flaxseed oil is NOT the long-chain, but short-chain ALA which only has 1% conversion rate to DHA and EPA. That’s why currently fish is the best source of omega-3.
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4. Vitamin D
~ “Why Vitamin D supplement? I can easily get it through sunlight!” — the unenlightened ~
Vitamin D has enormous amounts of health benefits (Look out for a separate post on it soon!). Few years ago, Korean media outlets reported a shocking news that over 90% of Koreans are deficient in vitamin-D. With blood tests and raising awareness, the intake of Vitamin D has gone up since then, and no longer around are people who don’t feel the need to take it.
Nicknamed anticancer hormone, Vitamin-D is converted to hormone in our body to regulate over 50,000 chemical reactions of metabolism, tissue growth, and mood. We can now understand how much work vitamin D does for our body! In addition, it participates in strengthening our bones, heart, immune system, and preventing cancer, so vitamin D deficiency is considered a red light for carrying out bodily functions. You can test the vitamin D levels through blood tests, and if you are considered deficient, you can take an injection or supplements containing 2000–10,000 IU of Vitamin D to bring the level up to the normal range. Like Omega-3, vitamin 3 fat-soluble, so it absorbs best after a meal/snack.
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HONORABLE MENTION: Eye supplement
There’s a growing concern of protecting our vision, mainly caused by our reliance on smartphones, computers, and UV rays from air pollution, so eye supplements are also important for everyone.
To choose the right product, look for the key ingredients such as Lutein and Zeaxanthin, as well as other antioxidants. Lutein and Zeaxanthin protect eye cells by absorbing blue light and other high-energy visible (HEV) lights and destroys free oxygen radicals.
The antioxidants contained in the supplement acts as free radicals, which protects retinal cells, helps generate healthy blood vessels, and delivers nutrition to optic nerves.
Those who spend long hours looking at computer/smartphone screens, those who have had lasik, cataracts, or glaucoma surgeries would benefit greatly from eye supplements.
