Weight management is all about adopting healthful eating habits, so don’t overlook the role of nutritional supplements in your diet. Your body requires small but vital amounts of vitamins and minerals, called micronutrients, to promote the biochemical reactions in your body that contribute to feelings of energy and well-being.

While it is always preferable to get vitamins and minerals from food since it contains many other nutrients that the body needs, this is not always possible. Dietitians have found that even non-dieters are likely to fall short of vitamins A, B 12 and C, folate, calcium, iron, and zinc, even though their food intake is greater than that of a dieter.

On a calorie-restricted diet, vitamin and mineral supplements can be a useful support. When you are eating less than you normally would of whole grains, fruits and vegetables–the mainstays of a healthy maintenance diet–you simply cannot get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. This is one reason why meal replacement products are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.

Many other nutrients
Not only does the body need certain nutrients to prevent deficiency diseases such as scurvy (caused by a lack of vitamin C), but these vitamins and minerals can actually help promote health. In addition to the daily-recommended amounts, many nutritionists now believe a second set of recommendations should be established for the promotion of health and the prevention of disease!

Take additional amounts separately
To maintain health, the body keeps a constant amount of micronutrients circulating in the bloodstream. It is not necessary, nor is it advisable, to take “mega” amounts of vitamins and minerals when your dietary intake is restricted. It is difficult to predict the nutrient interactions that may occur when a single nutrient is taken to excess, since the effect can differ from one individual to another.

Choose a basic multivitamin and mineral supplement based on the recommended daily intakes, or geared to your age and/or activity level. Then take additional amounts of individual vitamins or minerals as necessary, on the advice of your health practitioner.

“Natural source” is your best guarantee that a supplement adheres closely to the natural state of vitamins and/or minerals, and remains free of additives such as artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. Studies in nutritional science have already demonstrated that the natural form of vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol), and organic selenium and chromium are better absorbed by the body, which makes them more biologically active.

Never ingest two or three multis to get more of one vitamin or mineral. If you require extra calcium, take a calcium supplement, preferably one balanced with magnesium and vitamin D to enhance absorption. If you need extra vitamin B6 during monthly hormonal changes, take a vitamin B6 supplement.

To sort out any confusion you feel, speak to a dietitian or health practitioner. They can help work out a program that’s right for you, and might recommend nutrients that are easily overlooked. For instance, nutritional scientists recently learned that the natural pigments that give foods their colour play an important role in the body. Fruits, berries and wine, for instance, contain red and blue pigments called polyphenols. These substances are powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols are just a few of the newly identified food constituents that have been made available in supplement form.

Expert advice
If you remain wary about taking vitamin and mineral supplements under any circumstances, it pays to remember this advice from the experts: Small amounts can’t hurt and, in fact, are more likely to help.

Don’t fall short of these
Here is a brief list of some important nutrients, and a few reasons why you need them.

Vitamin A : for vision and cell development
Vitamin C: for healthy connective tissue and skin
Vitamin E : for antioxidant protection against damaging free radicals and other waste products.
B complex : for energy metabolism and red blood cell formation. The B vitamins also regulate the nervous system, which affects your mood. The Bs influence your response to stress, which can make it easier for you to cope.
Vitamin D and calcium : for bone formation.
Iron : for oxygen-rich blood.
Folic acid : to prevent neural birth defects.
Zinc : to promote healing and a healthy immune system.
Other major nutrients : phosphorus, magnesium, chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, potassium and sodium.

Watching out for your nutritional health by taking supplements is one more way that you can take responsibility for your own health.