It is important that fruits and vegetables are present on our table every day for the contribution of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, we should preferably choose them at km 0 and in season, ripened according to their own times and under the sunlight, and often varying the colors to enjoy all the benefits.
Unfortunately, however, despite a correct eating style, due to the impoverishment of the cultivation media, the continuous refining processes and the inadequate conservation and cooking methods, often the foods are depleted of nutritional elements and we do not always manage to cover the In support of a "balanced diet, food supplements could be of help. The use of supplementation is also useful in response to the increased demands in the various stages of life such as growth, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause or old age."
food products are defined by sector legislation (Directive 2002/46 / EC, implemented with Legislative Decree 21 May 2004, n. 169) "food products intended to supplement the common diet and which constitute concentrated sources of nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, or other substances having a nutritional or physiological effect, in particular, but not exclusively, amino acids, essential fatty acids, fibers and extracts of vegetable origin, both single and multi-compound, in pre-dosed forms ". They are not intended as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and should not be considered as medicines.), increases the daily requirement or the risk of nutrient deficiency specifically depending on the situation.
In infants, in the first year of life, the micronutrient to be supplemented is vitamin D for bone remineralization.
In children, starting from the assumption that a healthy, varied and balanced diet is sufficient to guarantee the needs of all the nutrients related to growth, supplementation could be resorted to on some specific occasions only after careful clinical control:
- if yes you practice an "agonist or pre-agonist" activity it is important to assess that there are no nutritional deficiencies of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn). To provide greater metabolic support to performance, the possibility of an integration could be evaluated.
- when following a vegan or vegetarian diet, to avoid some deficiencies it would be good to integrate vitamin B12, and you can benefit from iron and vitamin D supplementation.
- If the child eat few vegetables: this could lead to the risk of not getting enough vitamins and minerals. In this case, the integration with a multivitamin in the appropriate dose and period could be evaluated together with the pediatrician.
In women, the right integration must be chosen according to the phase:
- Pregnant: the national and international guidelines recommend the intake of 400 μg / day of folic acid at least thirty days before conception and up to at least three months of gestation essential in the prevention of some congenital malformations.
- Breastfeeding, above all, if fish are not consumed, the nurse should take 100-200 mg of DHA daily, which is essential for the brain development of the baby. A "daily intake of 290 μg / day of iodine is also recommended.
In this phase, again as indicated in the SIGO guidelines, micronutrient deficiencies may occur due to increased needs, for example vitamin C, folate, some B vitamins, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin D.
- In menopause, supplementation with vitamin D and calcium is generally recommended.
- Vegetarian and vegan women: where the introduction of foods reinforced with B12 and iron is not able to guarantee their daily needs, there is a need for an eventual supplementation.
To learn more: Nutrition and Physical Activity: Advice for those in menopause per day for each kilogram of body weight for both men and women. As the years go by, our body composition changes, we tend to gain fat mass and begin to lose muscle mass. Integration must therefore be inserted within the physiological aging process. The anabolic processes, in fact, become less efficient and protein catabolism increases in the muscles. This leads to a greater need for proteins and above all for high quality proteins.
Therefore, it may be necessary to counteract such biological mechanisms, such as the loss of muscle strength, by supplementing the diet with proteins of high biological value such as whey proteins from milk. Their supplementation helps to ensure a sufficient supply of high biological value proteins. and branched chain amino acids such as leucine.
- Vitamin C, useful for the normal function of cartilage for its role in collagen synthesis, as well as being a powerful antioxidant.
- Magnesium is important for normal muscle function and protein synthesis.
- Vitamin D and Calcium contribute to the well-being of the bones, for the transmission of the nerve impulse, for the contraction and relaxation of the muscle cells.
.jpg)
