Vitamins and supplements like melatonin and fish oil offer health benefits but can cause side effects if misused. Learn about the impact of saw palmetto on blood pressure and find the best multivitamins for young women and adults over 50.
When you are pregnant you have to be careful about what kinds of medications and herbal supplements you take. Even compounds that are normally safe can potentially be dangerous for your baby and increase the risk of pregnancy complications or birth defects.
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Sodium is an important mineral for the body because it is an electrolyte, which means that it has an electrical charge when dissolved in water. Unusually high levels of sodium in your body can raise your blood pressure and result in a condition known as hypernatremia, resulting in cellular dysfunction.
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Flaxseed oil and fish oil are two different supplements that contain a type of unsaturated fat known as omega-3 fatty acids. These supplements are often used to reduce patients' risk of developing cardiovascular problems, but they may also be used to reduce inflammation.
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Probiotics are microorganisms that can improve your health when you take them in the right amounts, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine explains. Most probiotics are bacteria, because the body naturally contains bacteria in the intestines.
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Potassium is a mineral that plays an important role in the body, which carefully regulates potassium levels due to the importance of this mineral for the function of all cells, including muscle cells within the heart. Having too much potassium in your blood can disrupt the heart's ability to pump properly.
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Vitamins are substances that the body needs in small quantities so that specialized proteins, known as enzymes, can work properly. Enzymes speed up the chemical reactions needed for the body to work properly. Taking vitamin supplements can help you avoid vitamin deficiencies and can be taken with milk.
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Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest species of trees, and supplements that contain ginkgo are some of the most commonly used herbal supplements in the United States and Europe. Ginkgo biloba supplements are often used to help improve circulation and to help with memory.
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Drug interactions are a major concern if you are taking a new medication, such as an antibiotic. Drug interactions are the result of different medications affecting the absorption or metabolism of each other that may reduce efficacy or intensify side effects.
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