Why Americans Are Using More Supplements
With the ever-changing lifestyles of Americans today, health and fitness supplements will start to become more prominent in the average diet. There are several reasons that people are starting to use supplements more and more everyday, and more supplements are appearing on the market every month.
There are several reasons that people are starting to use more supplements in their normal diet.
The first is that people are becoming more health conscious. While supplements such as multivitamins cannot replace a healthy diet, they can help you get nutrients that you may be missing or not getting enough of on a daily basis. With the rise of fast food and chain restaurants in the Unites States, people are not getting complete diets like they used too. Even food at the grocery store is not as nutritious as it once was. With the industrialization of the food industry, we have moved from eating mostly local organic food to eating things that come from all over the world, and may have been created by man in a laboratory. We have been able to some great things in the food industry with modern technology, but the health benefits of some genetically engineered foods have yet to be seen. Many of the food items we find on our grocery shelves are known to be unhealthy, but they still bring in billions of dollars in revenue every month. People knowingly eat these unhealthy items and then try to make up for it by taking supplements.
The second reason that many people are starting to use supplements is the fast paced lifestyles of working Americans. People have less time to prepare food, and many pre-made foods do have all of the nutrients people need. They are then turning to supplements because they are becoming more health conscious. Protein shakes and other meal replacements are on the rise because people want the ability to have a healthy meal quickly and be able to take it on the go. Many people are using these protein supplements and meal replacements in lieu of traditional meals such as a hot breakfast, or going out to eat for lunch on weekdays. The change of pace in the past century is leading to an increase us of supplements.
Fitness enthusiasts are using supplements to help them reach new goals. Whether it be a bodybuilder looking to gain lean mass or runners looking for an aid in recovery, people with all kinds of hobbies are using supplements.
Supplement Categories
Dietary supplements come in all shapes and sizes, and are made for a variety of needs.
- Multivitamins – These are the most commonly used dietary supplements. These are the most common supplements. According to Consumer Reports, just over half of all adults in the United States are taking some kind of multivitamin. Multivitamins are intended to help people get vitamins they are missing throughout the day, or get the recommended dosage of vitamins they are consuming in small amounts.
- Amino Acids – Amino acids are the building blocks of your body. They are a crucial part of your diet and missing just a few amino acids can wreak havoc on your body.
- Sports Supplements – There is a variety of sport supplements with wide ranging benefits. One of the most popular sport supplements is protein which comes in several different forms such as whey or casein, and has several uses including recovery. Other sport supplements such as creatine are used to increase muscle mass.
- Energy Supplements – Energy supplements such as caffeine pills are widely used. There are many different kinds of energy supplements including many different energy drinks.
- Specialty Supplements – Some supplements may have a specific mix of vitamins, herbs, amino acids, and other ingredients for a very specific use. Examples include supplements intended to aid weight loss or relieve arthritis symptoms.