10 Benefits of Supplements from Anti-Aging to Brain Health

According to research, over 94.3% of the American population currently suffers from at least one vitamin deficiency. Vitamin deficiency is a serious concern and can lead to problems such as depression, muscle weakness, hormonal imbalances, and vital organ malfunctions. 

The problem is, with vitamin deficiency being so prevalent, how can you ensure you are getting adequate nutrition? Thankfully, there are endless benefits of supplements that can help to ensure your body stays strong and healthy. This is why over 114 million Americans take at least one daily supplement.

The benefits of supplements range from lowering symptoms of aging and improving athletic performance, to boosting brain power and nourishing every cell of your body. 

So how do vitamins work, exactly? And, what are all the best benefits of daily supplementation?  

Thankfully, we’ve decided to create this extensive guide to teach you everything you need to know about the benefits of supplements. Keep on reading to learn more.

What Are Supplements? 

Supplements, also known as dietary or nutritional supplements, are external sources consumed to enrich your daily diet. Supplements usually come in the form of capsules, powder, soft gels, tablets, or liquid form. To be called a supplement, these dietary additions must be taken orally. 

Some of the most common types of nutritional supplements are:

Vitamins

Vitamins should be sourced from natural ingredients, typically as an extract. Vitamins include the “letter” vitamins such as A, B complexes, C, D, E, K, etc. These are all organic compounds that the body already produces, and may need more of. 

Unfortunately due to high demand and mass production, many vitamins are now made in a lab from synthetic ingredients. You must do your research to ensure you are consuming vitamins from a whole food source. 

Minerals

Minerals, unlike vitamins, are inorganic compounds. This means that the body does not need them, yet they are essential for your body’s functions and survival. For example, magnesium is an essential mineral, yet 75% of people are deficient. Other essential minerals are calcium, copper, and iron. 

Amino Acids

Amino acids are another compound that is not naturally made by the body, yet it is an essential building block for all proteins. This means that you must get amino acids from your diet. There are 20 essential amino acids for proper body functions and only 8 of them cannot be manufactured in the cells in your body, without dietary assistance.

Enzymes

Enzymes are biological catalysts that promote chemical reactions in the body. For example, the stomach uses enzymes to break down food so that it can be converted into energy and nourishment. Enzymes also help your body to absorb the benefits of supplements. 

Botanicals

Botanicals are a type of supplement that is a pure extract from either a root, bark, leaf, seed, plant, or flower. Each one has a different benefit or reason to take them and is also in many anti-aging supplements. 

Why Take Supplements? 

Now that you know the benefits of supplements, you may be wondering why you need to even need to take supplements in the first place. Even if you have the “ideal” diet, dietary supplements are highly recommended as our food supply is not what it used to be.

According to an article by Scientific American, modern agricultural methods have stripped our fruits and vegetables of their nutrient density. Because of this demand for mass production and common pesticide use, our soils are now depleted of magnesium, zinc, vitamin B, and vitamin E. 

Another study done by the British Food Journal tested over 20 vegetables in their nutrient content, in comparison to 50 years ago. They discovered that the levels of calcium, iron, copper, potassium, and magnesium have significantly dropped over the years.  

Another reason to take nutritional supplements is your lifestyle. While you may eat nutritious foods, you could also be exercising a lot which requires extra nourishment to help support your muscles, bones, and cardiovascular system. 

1. The Benefits of Anti Aging Supplements 

Let’s face it, nobody wants to age, and when they are, they want to hide it as much as possible. As of 2020, the global anti-aging market reached a total value of $58.5 billion. Everyone and their grandmother are investing in the latest anti-aging skincare trends, yet many of them don’t seem to work.

This is because most anti-aging skincare does not get to the root of the problem. You must know what causes aging before you try and change the process. The main causes of aging are:

• General wear and tear
• Genetic instability
• Telomere shortening
• Oxidative damage

Thankfully, many anti-aging supplements get right to the root cause of the aging process.

Curcumin Capsules

Curcumin is a root that has numerous anti-aging benefits. It has been studied on its ability to fight cellular damage, and improve the lifespan of mice, worms, and fruit flies. It also activates AMP-activated protein kinase which delays cellular aging and promotes longevity. 

It can also help to delay aging in the brain and has been known to help patients who are experiencing a mental decline with aging.

When taking turmeric, you have to combine it with other ingredients such as Bioperine, black pepper, and coconut oil to increase the bioavailability of the anti-inflammatory compounds. 

Collagen Powder

As we age, our bodies begin to produce 1% less collagen every year starting at the young age of 20. This is why collagen supplements have been nicknamed the “fountain of youth” in the supplement industry. 

In one study, scientists treated 110 women with collagen peptides for eight weeks. They discovered that each woman had fewer eye wrinkles, more skin elasticity, and higher skin collagen levels.

When shopping for collagen supplements, make sure it is hydrolyzed marine collagen. This is because it is more easily absorbed than other forms of collagen, and helps your body to produce more of its own collagen. 

Astralagus Powder 

Astralagus is an herb that is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has been used for nearly 200 years as a remedy for improving the immune system, reducing oxidative stress, and fighting cellular damage. 

Astralagus also contains Astragalosides, which are an antioxidant that fights damage of the respiratory tract. This helps with exercise in older adults so that they can maintain a higher breathing rate without stress. 

2. Supplements Help With Athletic Performance

Sports supplements are an essential component of every nutritional and exercise maintenance routine. As we work out, we put our bodies through additional stress, which sometimes is not easily replaced in our diet. 

Sports supplements are especially important to reach specific health and fitness goals such as weight loss, muscle gain, more energy, and muscle recovery. 

Branch Chained Amino Acids (BCAAs)

BCAA’s are a great addition to any weightlifter’s or athlete’s nutritional program, as they help to prevent the breakdown of muscles. They do this by keeping you in an anabolic state, which means “muscle preserving”. Without BCAAs, you may be using your hard-earned muscle for energy instead of your nutrition, which is called a catabolic state, which means, “muscle wasting”.  

Spirulina

Spirulina is an excellent source of nourishment for any avid exerciser. Not only is it full of essential vitamins and minerals, but it is also high in protein. Protein is a key element to any nutritional program, as it helps to rebuild your muscles after workouts. 

Blue spirulina is full of antioxidants, high in protein, and has little to no taste. Try adding it to your protein shakes for a colorful and nutritious addition. 

Other benefits of sports nutrition are electrolytes to keep your body hydrated, caffeine for an energy boost, and SARMS or peptides for more muscle gain. 

3. Boosts Brain Power

Perhaps one of the best benefits of supplements is their ability to boost brainpower. One category of supplements, in particular, is nootropics, which are notoriously known for their ability to boost brainpower. 

These supplements can do anything from reducing brain fatigue to improving cognitive capacity. Other benefits of nootropics include:

• Reduce anxiety
• Improve coordination
• Increase mind-muscle connection
• Improve memory
• Improve decision making
• Enhance learning
• Reduce chances of neurodegenerative disorders
• Reduces stress
• Boosts mental clarity
• Lowers Symptoms of depression and PTSD
• Helps those who have ADD/ADHD

As you can see, the mental health benefits of nootropics are incredible. Do your research and ensure you are purchasing from a high-quality supplier before you invest in the supplements. 

4. The Benefits of Fiber Supplements 

Fiber is an essential component of a healthy diet, yet unfortunately, many people do not consume enough fiber. Fiber helps with healthy digestion and also improves heart health. It also helps the body to remove waste, by improving the efficiency of bowel movements. 

Supplements such as shitake mushrooms extract are loaded with essential fiber, and also boost immune function, reduces cholesterol, and strengthens adrenal function. 

5. Supports Adrenal Function

With such fast-paced busy lives, many people turn to energy supplements such as caffeine to survive their day. Unfortunately, this only makes matters worse, as this puts a lot of stress on the adrenal system which eventually leads to a crash.

This crash is otherwise known as adrenal fatigue, which happens when the adrenal system cannot keep up with the demands of a busy lifestyle. To fix this, you need to get to the root cause and rebuild the adrenal system, similar to rebuilding muscles after a workout. 

Thankfully, supplements such as medicinal mushrooms help to support and rebuild the adrenal system to keep it strong and healthy. Look for a mushroom complex that contains a range of medicinal mushrooms that contains Maitake Mushrooms, Chaga Mushroom, Turkey Tail, and more. 

6. Boosts Immune Function 

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were taking supplements to ensure they have a healthy and strong immune system. A lowered immune system makes you more susceptible to viruses, and can also put you at risk for oxidative stress. 

Certain supplements such as vitamin C help to reduce oxidative stress and boost your immune system function. Look for a daily multivitamin that contains vitamin C and other essential vitamins to help boost your immune system. 

7. Lowers Bad Cholesterol

Contrary to typical belief, not all cholesterol is considered bad. In fact, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is essential for removing LDL (low-density lipoproteins) from your bloodstream. 

Supplements such as Krill oil are excellent for raising your levels of good cholesterol, as well as improving cognitive function and improve heart health. 

8. Reduces Depression

Depression is a serious problem in the US, the experience is nearly crippling and can take over one’s quality of life. Unfortunately, many people stick to anti-depressants and have not realized the power of nutritional supplements to help reduce their symptoms.

Supplements such as St. John’s Wort are notoriously known for improving the mood and overall well-being of people with depression. It has been used for centuries in Chinese Medicine to combat symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also improve the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

Make sure you consult with your physician before starting this supplement, as it has contraindications with specific medications. 

9. Supports Healthy Skin

Nutrient deficiencies can have a horrible effect on skin health, which can lead to dry, dull, pale, and irritated skin. Supplements such as vitamin E, or botanicals that contain vitamin E are excellent for improving skin health. 

Vitamin E reduces oxidative stress and free radicals in the body, as well as reduces the symptoms of skin conditions. This includes psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. 

10. Improves Sleep

Not only does sleep give our bodies time to rest and repair, but it is also essential for reducing depression, and boosting your immune function. 

Many people suffer from a poor night’s sleep, and thankfully, some supplements can help support that. Supplements such as a daily multivitamin that includes vitamin D are known to help improve sleep function. 

Learn More About the Benefits of Supplements

Now that you know more about the benefits of supplements, you are probably wondering where you can find some high-quality supplements online. Make sure you check with your physician before starting any supplement routine, to ensure you will not encounter any contraindications. 

Check out our article that explains how to safely purchase supplements online to learn more!