Do not automatically use dietary supplements.

Thực phẩm chức năng (TPCN) là những chế phẩm bắt nguồn từ thực phẩm đã được thay đổi thành phần qua chế biến, bổ sung nhằm đưa đến tác dụng sinh lý nào đó có lợi cho sức khỏe ngoài việc cung cấp chất dinh dưỡng cơ bản.

Functional foods are products derived from foods whose ingredients have been changed through processing and supplementation to bring about certain physiological effects that are beneficial to health in addition to providing basic nutrients. copy.

Functional supplements are sold with packaging similar to medicine bottles and dosage forms are tablets and capsules that look exactly like pills but are not considered drugs. On the label and packaging of dietary supplements, it is required to clearly state: “This is not a medicine and cannot be used as a substitute for medicine.”

As for herbs, most of them are oriental medicines, which are included in the products called medicinal herbs, and medicinal herbs in general are ingredients used to make medicine that are mainly plants (herbs) but can be animals. animals (like geckos, walruses…) or minerals (borax, talc…).

In many cases, dietary supplements are intermediaries between food and medicine. Therefore, if drugs in general can cause allergies, dietary supplements can also cause this extremely adverse effect.

According to medical experts, consumers should not arbitrarily use functional foods without a doctor’s prescription. If used arbitrarily, it will cause unpredictable consequences. Not all of us can use functional foods. For people with chronic diseases, if used incorrectly, the more the disease develops, the more dangerous it becomes – loss of life and loss of life. In fact, many cases of functional food poisoning have been recorded, from mild rashes to anaphylactic shock and death. Hand-carried goods of unknown origin pose even more risks.

Advice for you when using functional foods

While using any dietary supplement, if unusual reactions occur such as: itching, hives, difficulty breathing, or feeling very uncomfortable, stop taking that medication immediately and see the doctor who prescribed the medication for a follow-up visit. physician for appropriate treatment. If you are allergic to any type of dietary supplement, absolutely do not use that type.

When going to the doctor or going to the pharmacy to buy, you must inform the doctor or pharmacist about the dietary supplements you have been allergic to in the past and the medications you are currently using. You should not buy it by hand, because it cannot be guaranteed. To ensure the origin of dietary supplements, it is difficult for anyone to take responsibility for your health when there is a problem;

You should not overuse dietary supplements as a daily supplement, and do not consider the safety of functional foods like regular foods. Instead, we should have a nutritional diet from natural food sources, ensuring adequate nutrition for our bodies, thus not only having a healthy body, lots of energy, but also avoiding the Unnecessary risks when using dietary supplements.

Things to note when choosing dietary supplements

Your purpose: On the market today, there are many functional foods sold in many forms such as tablets, liquid, and powder. Each type has different uses (skin rejuvenation, weight loss, weight gain…). You need to clearly know your purpose of use and understand what problems your body is having to choose the right product.

Check the origin: When buying any product, you should also pay attention to the origin. Especially in the market of functional foods that are widely counterfeited and sold. When you buy poor quality products, you not only suffer financial losses and your self-care needs are not met, but you also have to suffer many serious consequences that threaten your health.

Carefully check the ingredients: You need to carefully read the specifications and ingredients of the functional food. Due to some drug ingredients, your body may be allergic or have an excess. For example, B vitamins help absorb nutrients well. This will be very meaningful for people who are deficient in vitamin B levels in the body, but if there is too much, it will lead to conditions such as memory loss. , increased liver enzymes,…

Need to know how to distinguish poor quality goods: Distinguish through barcodes: You can use software to check barcodes. Just scan the UPC code of the functional food and the product information will appear clearly; Image color on the packaging: Counterfeit products are often made quite poorly, so you can distinguish them when choosing. Images are blurred, colors are faded, information printed on the packaging is blurred or has spelling errors; Has anti-counterfeit stamps: Genuine products will have additional stamps clearly stating the importer and anti-counterfeit stamps issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

Beware of the price “matrix”: Product price is an issue that you need to pay attention to, because the same components and functions have different prices in each place. A higher price does not mean the product will be better. The selling price of a functional food must be equivalent to the value it brings, especially it must be safe for your health.

Pay attention to your diet: The nutritional ingredients found in functional foods are actually present in the vast majority of everyday natural foods. According to the American Dietetic Association, a nutritious and diverse diet will help the body meet its necessary needs. If you are too busy to supplement nutrients from natural foods, using functional products will help the body strengthen the immune system, metabolism, and support the prevention or treatment of some diseases. better.