Dietary Supplements in a Fast Food World

Dietary supplements have been available for many years now, taken by people who already consume their fair share of vitamins and minerals through daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The reasoning for taking them is more as a precautionary measure than anything. But there are also consumers, like myself, who simply do not get enough of that from their daily intake due to a busy (and unhealthy) fast-food lifestyle. I used to take multi-vitamins since I felt that was an easy ‘all-in-one’ solution, but have since switched to simple vitamin c pills. Alternatively, I have made a concerted effort to have more fruits and vegetables throughout the day and eat healthier in general. In addition to eating better, I have incorporated an active lifestyle by running and biking as much as possible. However, every individual is unique with different living situations. So what works for me, may not necessarily fit for the next person.

For the longest time, I have heard of the benefits of fish oil. According to Wikipedia, fish oils “contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors of certain eicosanoids that are known to reduce inflammation throughout the body,[1][2] and are thought to have many health benefits.” I know plenty of people (young and old) that incorporate fish oils into their daily routine. What I did not know existed until recently is there is an alternative to fish oil that may be potentially more beneficial which is called krill oil. Krill breed and are caught primarily in Antarctica and consumed mainly by whales. But there are numerous benefits to krill oil over the well-known fish oil. According to various studies, krill oil absorbs faster and in a shorter period of time over fish oil. Unfortunately, the costs (per pill/mg) are significantly higher than that of fish oil pills. The reason behind that is that krill need to be processed immediately after being caught, so it’s a very expensive process and they can only be caught a couple of times/year, so they are not as readily available than that of fish oil. One thing that may help you decide between the two is that you avoid the fish ‘burp or aftertaste’ wit krill oil, which is a plus if that’s important to you. But in the end, it really depends on what you are looking for in a dietary supplement, how much you are willing to pay and how soon you need the benefits to kick in. You should always do research and consult a physician before beginning a new supplement regime.

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