Dietary supplements ... this is what I think of them...

Last week, when I went home, an elder family member offered me a botanical dietary supplement. I guess it was the way the elders in my family reacted to the soaring of COVID-19 cases in the country. Anyway, when she handed me the herbal extract mixture, she claimed that it could effectively decrease bacteria in the mouth. I did not have a chance to read the indications on the spot. Then, today I took out the extract and studied the label carefully. To my utter confusion, it says nothing about antibacterial effects. There are only a few vague words about how it can boost your metabolism and make your stay healthy if you take it regularly.

The above incident probably sums up my general impression of dietary supplements. When the friends and family around me who take dietary supplements on a daily basis try to recommend a dietary supplement to me, most of them either provide me incorrect information about the purpose and use, or can only give me an unclear account of its medicinal properties. Because I have never been able to get a clear picture of the medicinal advantages of a dietary supplement product, I have never taken any of it voluntarily. 

That being said, I am not against dietary supplements or object people to taking them to enhance health. My take in this matter is that these products are made to "supplement" our diets. That is, we take them only when the body suffers from a lack of certain nutrients. For example, a vegan may consider taking these dietary products given their unique plant-based diets. Or, it could be necessary for patients who need to follow strict dietary guidelines to seek the assistance of these supplements. In other words, if I can get all the nutrition that I need from everyday foods, I will opt for fresh ingredients rather than choose the synthetic forms of these nutrients.

In short, when there are no special dietary needs or specific medical conditions, I would prefer to obtain the essential nutrients that the body needs directly from meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, etc. However, I am 100% open to dietary supplements if a doctor suggests or instructs me to take them.