Does eating a healthy balanced diet alone provide all of the nutrients that the human body needs to function correctly?

There are many different types and brands of nutritional supplements available to the consumer, but what are the benefits of using these products?

These are just some of the questions people may have regarding nutritional supplementation and the purpose of this article is to answer these questions.

There are many different types of nutritional products available in the shops today and the health and wellness industry is one of the fastest growing industries at the present time. This is due to many factors including the huge increase in obesity and the increasing numbers of individuals being diagnosed with degenerative disease.

It is commonly believed (especially amongst older generations) that eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly is sufficient to maintain good health, but there is also the conflicting argument that without supplementation, many people's intake of vital nutrients falls far short of their body's requirements.

Before I discuss these issues, I would first like to give a brief overview of some of the vital nutrients that the human body needs to function correctly:

Firstly there are the macronutrients. Macronutrients include Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats. At the most simplified level, carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy, proteins are responsible for building and repairing muscle tissue and fats provide additional energy reserves and allow for the transportation of micronutrients around the body and are also necessary for the production of many hormones.

Secondly there are micronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins (also known as anti-oxidants) and minerals. Each vitamin (A, B12, C, D, E, K, etc.) and mineral (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, etc.) serves a specific function within the body and all of them are required for good bodily function. Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals have been identified as one of the primary factors in the development of degenerative disease, as vitamins in particular are responsible for the removal of free radicals within the body.

Free radicals are harmful molecules, which are produced by chemical reactions within the human body, as well as by factors in our external environment. They attack healthy cells causing them to break down (degenerate), in the long term potentially leading to the development of degenerative disease.

It has been suggested that in order to maintain human cells in a state of optimum health that 400 IU (International Units) of vitamin E should be consumed on a daily basis. This value is higher the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for a number of reasons:

Firstly, RDAs were established in the 1940s and were guidelines to prevent diseases such as scurvy and rickets and are considered to be considerably out of date. In addition, the external environment in which we live today contains higher levels of pollutants, radiation and other harmful substances, which significantly increases our need for anti-oxidants.

It is known that the levels of vitamins in fresh fruit and vegetables depletes over time, so in order to get the best anti-oxidative defence from our food, we would have to consume them immediately after they were picked. This is very difficult due to the nature of how supermarkets distribute their produce and the shelf lives of these products.

In addition, the process of cooking also reduces the levels of micronutrients in these particular foods.

Vitamin E is the most powerful anti-oxidant and is present in many vegetables, nuts, pulses, etc. To put this into context, an individual would have to consume 14.5 kg of spinach each day to achieve this dosage. Alternatively, 1kg or almonds would provide the optimum protection to the human cells. This example should highlight that it is very difficult to consume 400 IU of vitamin E without incorporating nutritional supplementation.

In summary, I would recommend that almost all individuals use a multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplement in order to ensure that adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals are consumed. This can assist with correct body function and elevate energy levels throughout the day, but will also reduce free radical damage and cellular degeneration within the body.

Macronutrient supplements (i.e. proteins, meal replacements and healthy snacking options), also serve a purpose to many individuals:

An example would be for vegetarians who generally find it difficult to consume sufficient quantities of protein. In this instance, I would strongly recommend supplementing with a Soy Protein supplement. Soy protein does not contain animal products and can provide all of the essential amino acids that the body requires for building and repairing bodily tissues.

For individuals looking to manage their weight, meal replacements can provide the correct balance of nutrients in a low calorie supplement. I would not recommend that someone rely solely on meal replacements as it is important to also consume whole foods, but meal replacements can be convenient for people with busy lives.

Healthy snacking options also provide an excellent means for receiving a good balance of nutrients with little or no preparation. It would generally be much more beneficial to an individuals health to consume a high quality healthy snack bar than to purchase a snack from a convenience store.

Therefore, the use of macronutrient snack depends on an individual's health goals and personal dietary requirements.