Supplement 101 - How, What, When & Why?

Everything you need to know to find the right supplements for you. The right intake and combinations of nutrients.

Supplements are generally not a novelty. Hundreds of years ago, people were already supplementing themselves with nutrients that they could not absorb through their normal diet. What is new, however, is the multitude of offerings on the market and the overwhelming variety of different ingredients. There are numerous reasons for the growing number of supplements on the market. For example, many people are developing an awareness of a healthy lifestyle. However, there is an increase in ruthless companies profiting from vague legal regulations and huge profit margins.

If you want to start taking supplements, you should familiarise yourself with some facts. We've put together a guide to ensure you have a good starting point.

Why take supplements at all?

Yes, it is possible to meet all of your nutritional needs through a balanced diet alone. The first thing to understand is that supplements are not a substitute for a balanced diet and should never replace it. 

But that aside: How good is our diet? If we are honest, it is not that easy to maintain a balanced diet every day. We don't want to sound like moralisers here, but there are so many factors that play an important role. From the time available to us, our convenience, the cost to our mental state. Who among us actually manages to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day (We'll keep the example short at this point. But one thing is clear: this would not even cover our entire nutrient balance).

Once you realise that it's almost impossible to get the minerals and vitamins you need on a daily basis to feel vital and energetic. Then there is something you can do about it - that is where supplements come in. 

Nutrition is a complicated matter. We think about it a lot, at least in terms of calorie count, carbohydrate intake and processed foods. But we don't tend to think about the tangible benefits it brings. For many people, it is a chore with no reward. But it shouldn't be. Because if you eat the right nutrients in the right amounts on a regular basis, you can feel better every day.

The problem with most multivitamins

Walk into a pharmacy and you'll find a huge selection of multivitamins. Rows and rows of plastic bottles (don't even get us started on sustainability here) with thousands of promised benefits. The choice can be overwhelming and it can be hard to decide what to buy. And that's before you realise that many of these multivitamin supplements are less than ideal. They may contain questionable ingredients, fillers, magnesium stearate and nutrients in useless dosages and combinations. Before someone puts a multivitamin on the market, it doesn't have to be scientifically tested; some manufacturers just add vitamins to make promotional claims. That's why you should look at nutrient reference values (NRVs) and nutrient bioavailability.

What do Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) mean? 

In the EU, there are specified amounts of nutrients for vitamins and minerals, which is primarily intended to make it easier to compare food supplements. This is mainly to ensure that a certain minimum amount of the advertised nutrient is contained and that no false health claims are made. This is a good and transparent way to make an initial purchase decision, but it cannot be relied upon. For example, one supplement may contain ten times as much vitamin C as another, but both are allowed to claim that they contain vitamin C. And this can be used to mislead the consumer. In fact, this can be used to lower the cost of the ingredients and increase the profit margin, especially if the bioavailability of the ingredients is not very high.

Bioavaibility 101 

Quantity is not the only important factor you should pay attention to. It doesn't matter how much vitamin E or vitamin A you take if your body can't absorb it properly. Most nutrients can be made up of several components, and the specific compounds vary. The names of these compounds are unfortunately often very complex and hard to pronounce, hey DL-α-tocopheryl acetate ✌️, but unfortunately they are quite important. Because the difference in the amount of the key nutrient you can take in is huge. 

On top of that, other nutrients, such as magnesium, can also affect bioavailability.

5 things your supplement should not contain:

• Fillers: Talcum powder and chalk, for example, are used to fill the empty cavity in capsules. This often disguises how tiny the amounts of active ingredients are in individual capsules.🤯 
• Binders and emulsifiers: These are used to hold the ingredients together and to prevent them from clogging the machines. 🤨
• Coatings: Capsules are often coated with gelatine to make them easier to swallow. This is a no-go not only for vegans and vegetarians. 😲
• Heavy metals: Some food supplements have been shown to be contaminated with toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and even arsenic. 😤

• Flavourings and sweeteners: Artificial flavourings are often added to change the taste of the tablets and make them more palatable. 😐

What time of day should you take supplements?

Actually, it is logical to take nutrients at the right times. After all, we don't drink 2 cups of coffee before going to bed, right?

B-vitamins, for example, often help you feel energetic, so it makes sense to take them in the morning. That's why you should take our NOUMEN Skin and NOUMEN Brain supplement in the morning, and ideally in combination, as they support each other in absorbing the nutrients. Magnesium, for example, tends to inhibit the absorption of other nutrients, so it should not be mixed with other nutrients. For this reason, magnesium is not included in NOUMEN supplements.

The benefits of NOUMEN supplements

At NOUMEN, we care about scientific innovation. Our products are based on the latest research findings. For this reason, all of our NOUMEN supplements have the highest bioavailability and combine nutrients that complement each other, making it easier for you to absorb them.

Obviously, we do not use fillers, binders, emulsifiers, coatings, heavy metals, flavourings or sweeteners. We are therefore able to provide you with the highest quality products and help you become the best version of yourself. ✌️