Health supplements are not the same as vitamins or minerals. A health supplement is simply a manufactured, over-the-counter product meant to augment oneҳ daily diet by Taking a pill, tablet, capsule, or powder. A supplement may offer nutrients either naturally extracted from plant sources or which are synthetically produced to boost the amount of the intake. The benefits of health supplements are varied and many, but many of these supplements are used for weight loss. When people try to lose weight, they are most likely to decrease their caloric intake or to increase the amount of exercise that they do. This is where health supplements enter the picture. These products help to fortify the body with certain vitamins and minerals it requires for weight loss. Examples of the commonly used ingredients in weight loss supplements are vitamins A, C, E, and K, which are commonly taken as vitamins by most people. While diet and exercise programs are good for weight loss, sometimes these strategies are not enough to reach the ultimate goal. For those who want to lose weight and keep it off, taking health supplements is the best way to achieve this goal. For those who already have a slim and trim figure, adding some health supplements to the diet may be beneficial too. In addition to using regular meals as snacks, going on a diet may be a challenge. Having healthy and nutritious meals at appropriate times may be much easier to accomplish. Vitamins and minerals can be found in a number of everyday foods. It may be difficult, however, to get all of the needed vitamins and minerals from foods alone. Some of the vitamins and minerals are fat soluble, such as A, D, and E, and some are water soluble, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Health supplements contain all of these vitamins and minerals. The average diet contains about seventy-five percent of the recommended daily allowance of some vitamins and minerals. To get the remaining fifteen percent, most people need to take a health supplements. Since each vitamin and mineral has its own profile, and because they are used up quickly by the body, a person may not get all of the required nutrients from the diet. For example, a diet high in vitamin c, found in fruits and vegetables, would not provide enough of the vitamin for someone who was trying to lose a pound a day. When a person needs more of the vitamin, he may take a health supplements that contain that vitamin. Calcium, potassium, and magnesium are found in health supplements that help the body with its various functions. Magnesium and calcium both are involved in muscle building and metabolism, respectively. Potassium helps regulate nerve and blood vessels, and calcium helps in bone health. Because each of these vitamins and minerals has their own profile of how much is needed, and how fast the body can absorb them, health supplements can help an individual get only what he or she needs for a particular activity. This allows an individual to lose weight without loading his or her system with too many vitamins and minerals, which could be harmful. Health supplements that contain vitamins and minerals are usually not filled with additives like sugar, starch, salt, artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives, although these items are available. Most people find that using natural substances in their health supplements, rather than chemical compounds, makes them more effective. Chemical additives can alter the chemical makeup of the vitamins and minerals, resulting in a product that does not have the same benefits as when they are pure. Health supplement use has become common in the United States. There are many studies showing that healthcare professionals, patients and researchers understand the potential benefits of health supplements and how they benefit the body. They know that they should be considered when making decisions about diet and exercise, but they also understand that health supplements can provide many of the things they need. As consumers, we have the right to choose what goes into our bodies and we must make wise decisions about what supplements we take and how often. Our healthcare providers and researchers are always exploring new ways to provide people with the highest quality health supplements and to improve healthcare practices overall.