Health Supplements: Are They Worth The Hype?

There are a lot of supplements, but which do you really need to take? Image via Shutterstock
Nowadays, a great majority of adults, be it in the US or anywhere in the world, take one or more supplements to improve their health. If you look at pharmacies, health stores, and supermarkets, you'd find supplements for just about any health issue there is. This begs the question, are health supplement really as effective as its manufacturers claim?
What are Health Supplements?
A health supplement pertains to any product that supplies the body with various nutrients to satisfy the daily requirements and keep you healthy, or to lower your risk for certain diseases. These nutrients are either derived from natural sources such as food, created synthetically in the laboratory, or a combination of both.
Health supplements come in various forms, with the most common being pills, tablets, capsules, powders, shakes, and nutritional bars. Multivitamins are the most commonly used health supplement (source).