Doctors advise against using these four common supplements, and recommend these ones instead.

 It might be challenging to distinguish between supplements that live up to the hype and those that are overrated when it comes to supplements. Although vitamins and minerals are essential for our general health, taking them as supplements might have negative effects on your health, especially if you combine too many.

Here is a guide to understanding which supplements, in the opinion of specialists, are worth trying and which ones to avoid.

When Is It Beneficial to Take Supplements?

A general rule of thumb is to think of food as the best medication.

Nowadays, a lot of the food we eat, particularly processed and packaged meals, lacks essential nutrients yet is nevertheless readily available in supermarkets. Yale Medicine allergy-immunologist Dr. Gary Soffer and explains an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine. It seems obvious that food should be the primary source of vitamins and nutrients as the majority of supplements are sourced from dietary sources. Supplements ought to be just what their name implies—they should be "supplemental." This implies that you should add them to your diet as a supplement if you are unable to include it in your diet. Dr. Soffer continues that vitamin D, which has a very small number of food sources, is the ideal illustration of this. According to Dr. Jacob Hascalovici, MD, PhD, the Chief Medical Officer of Clearing, "the majority of people can acquire the vitamins and minerals they require directly from their food (which emphasizes the importance of having a balanced, complete diet)." "Having said that, some individuals might want to think about taking dietary supplements."

For instance, it's crucial to get adequate folic acid if you're attempting to get pregnant or are currently pregnant (vitamin B9). Vegetarians who may not be taking vitamin B12 can benefit from enough of it, of course. In addition, age increases the risk of osteoporosis and nutritional imbalances; therefore, if you are over 50, you might want to think about taking vitamin D and calcium, advises Dr. Hascalovici. Because everyone has different nutritional demands, there isn't truly a vitamin that fits everyone.