Eating a healthy and varied diet can provide the ideal mixture of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your brain requires. However, even people with the best intentions sometimes fall short of their nutritional needs. Today, the definition of dietary supplements covers vitamins, minerals, fiber, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids, concentrates, and extracts. The body more readily absorbs nutrients when they come from the foods we eat so, ideally, it is best to get all of your necessary nutrients from your diet. Nevertheless, some people do need assistance to receive their required daily allowances. If you’re going to take a supplement to help improve your brain health, choose the product that is right for you. The following tips can help you choose a dietary supplement:
- Pick a supplement that contains at least twenty vitamins and minerals essential for good health and no more than 150 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for each nutrient.
- Choose a supplement tailored to your needs, whether it is age, gender, or medical status.
- Check the expiration date on the bottle. Vitamins are especially perishable. After the expiration date, they are probably not very potent.
- Take the supplement only as directed on the bottle or as prescribed by your doctor.
- Keep all supplements out of the reach of children.