How Dietary Supplements Reduce Health Care Costs

How Dietary Supplements Reduce Health Care Costs

Dietary supplements can be incredibly beneficial to your health if used properly, in moderation and in conjunction with a healthy and nutritional diet. Not only can you receive various benefits to your health through supplements, but it can also lead to financial savings when it comes to the cost of healthcare. This is particularly useful for those suffering from chronic illnesses, but general supplements can also improve health in an all-around manner for all consumers. Let’s take a look at some of the supplements that are particularly effective when taken correctly and that can help to reduce healthcare costs in the long term.

Phytosterol Supplements

Phytosterols are plant sterols and stanols that act as components that make up the structural integrity of biological plant membranes. Supplements and foods that contain phytosterols - such as vegetables like broccoli, corn and sprouts - can be highly beneficial when it comes to lowering cholesterol. High cholesterol is a widespread health issue, so phytosterol supplements can be a great way to lower healthcare costs. Phytosterol supplements can also work toward reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, further suggesting how helpful it can be in cutting healthcare costs and creating long-term health benefits.

Omega 3 Supplements

Omega 3 supplements, such as Omega Love, have a range of various benefits for those with certain health issues, and they also provide benefits to general health for those looking to lower healthcare costs. Omega 3 is found largely in seafood, so upping the amount of shellfish and fish that you consume can also be advantageous. There are several fish-based supplements available, such as fish oil supplements and cod liver oil. It also is available in flaxseed oil. Some of the ailments that Omega 3 supplements can aid with include rheumatoid arthritis, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and heart disease. Omega 3 supplements are useful to those suffering with chronic diseases such as arthritis and heart disease but the wide range of general health benefits that it possesses make it a highly useful supplement that could help cut down on healthcare costs.

Folic Acid Supplements

Folic acid is a supplement that is widely recommended by healthcare professionals, particularly for pregnant women. Side effects of low folic acid are wide-ranging as folate is a hugely vital element to assist with functions throughout the body. Some of these side effects include depression, anxiety, fatigue, anemia and rheumatoid arthritis. A lack of folate can also lead to birth defects such as spina bifida, so women are encouraged to up their folate significantly - usually via supplements - when expecting. Much like Omega-3, there are foods that contain folate that should be included in a healthy diet to ensure you increase your folate, such as leafy greens. However, increasing your intake with supplements can greatly assist with lowering healthcare costs in the future due to the broad range of health issues that folate can help with.

Calcium Supplements

Calcium is an essential mineral that aids with maintaining strong, healthy bones, but it also has many other health benefits. These include helping to balance imbalances with minerals in the body - such as magnesium, phosphate and potassium - as well as balancing hormones, aiding muscle function, managing premenstrual symptoms, maintaining the rhythm of the heart, decreasing the risk of diabetes and tooth disease and more. One of the main ailments that calcium supplements are used to treat is the bone disease osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to become very weak and break easily, so using calcium can greatly help avoid bone diseases such as osteoporosis in the future and lower any related healthcare costs, such as imaging for broken bones.

Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium is also a necessary mineral to aid with general health, so magnesium supplements and foods could lead to a reduction in healthcare costs in the future. Magnesium is a vital mineral in the body, and upping your calcium intake can help to balance the amount of magnesium in the body. Magnesium supplements, such as Essential Magnesium, and foods like avocados, tofu, whole grains and nuts can be incredibly useful. Magnesium has been proven to reduce blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a common infliction that can lead to significant healthcare expenses. Magnesium has also been linked to other health improvements such as a reduction of migraines, an improvement in depression, maintaining control of blood sugar by playing a part in the metabolism of insulin and glucose, and more. Therefore, magnesium supplement intake can also help to lower healthcare costs.