Food supplements 

Choosing a food supplement in a pharmacy is not intended to replace a common diet but to supplement it and provide it with the vitamins, minerals and other active ingredients necessary for its health. Vitamins A, E, C, trace elements… These nutrients are all essential for the proper functioning of our body. Food supplements are real allies in the event of a decline in the body's tone.

Food supplements can be useful in different stages of life such as growth, menopause or even aging. They are also useful for people with a particular diet, such as vegetarians, as well as for people with special living conditions, such as athletes. Food supplements are also intended for people with small temporary inconveniences such as digestive disorders, fatigue, sleep, stress, etc.

Buy your natural food supplements in your pharmacy

A dietary supplement aims to supplement an insufficient diet . It can be composed of vitamins, minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron but also plants with beneficial properties on health . The use of plants for health purposes has been known since antiquity. Through cultures, man has learned to use this or that plant for the properties it possesses.

Today you will find food supplements with various galenics such as tablets, capsules, liquids or powders. The dosage was not chosen at random, the form of food supplements plays on the speed and duration of absorption by the body. For example, for food supplements intended for intestinal comfort, they are mainly found in the form of gastro-resistant tablets so that the active ingredients are not destroyed before their arrival in the intestine.

Soin et Nature, your organic pharmacy specializing in online alternative medicine offers you its new range of food supplements : fight effectively against your physiological or dietary deficiencies, using our 100% natural remedies of nutritherapy and micronutrition . Our pharmacy doctors have selected probiotics , vitamins , minerals, trace elements or plants of very high pharmaceutical quality.

These natural food supplements are intended to correct your essential nutrient imbalances. The products that we offer in our online bio pharmacy come from pharmaceutical laboratories recognized in the parapharmacy and the pharmacy.

The benefits of food supplements for your health

A plant-based food supplement is not intended to replace a common diet, but to supplement it and provide it with the necessary vitamins, minerals and other active ingredients. Our body to function will use what we ingest as fuel both for organs such as muscles and the heart, but also for our brain.

Natural food supplements in the form of capsules, tablets, ampoules and capsules… They contain vitamins, nutrients, plants. They are intended for people who may have transient nutritional deficiencies (special diet, pregnancy, winter fatigue). They have few contraindications, apart from allergies to certain plants and the possible interactions between the plants present in the supplements and the basic treatments.

For example, for people wishing to improve their digestion our certified naturopaths offer you a selection of food supplements specific to digestive comfort for a good functioning of your transit.

Royal jelly is also a rare and precious commodity, made by bees to feed the queen. Naturally, this food has an exceptional power since it allows the latter to live for about 5 years while the other bees do not exceed 45 days. Royal jelly as a food supplement constitutes, in fact, a very rich nutrient concentrate which stimulates the body to help it overcome temporary fatigue, promote intellectual effort or strengthen the natural defenses .

Choose organic food supplements

Non-organic food supplements often contain ingredients from petrochemicals (or synthetic ingredients). These synthetic ingredients can be harmful to health. It is better to turn to organic food supplements recognized as AB or Ecocert . These labels guarantee a quality nutritional supplement with environmentally friendly manufacturing with 95% to 100% of ingredients from organic farming. We advise you to choose food supplements manufactured and controlled in France. Indeed, French regulations are one of the strictest. It is not recommended to combine several food supplements (especially with the same ingredients) in order to avoid the risk of overdose.

What information must the labels of food supplements bear?

It is essential to be aware of the statements on the outer packaging of food supplements to avoid confusion.

The mandatory indications on the labeling of food supplements are as follows:

the name of the categories of nutrients or substances characterizing the product or an indication relating to the nature of these nutrients or substances
the daily portion of product recommended for consumption
a warning against exceeding the indicated daily dose
a statement to prevent food supplements from being used as a substitute for a varied diet
a warning that the products should be kept out of the reach of children .

A dietary supplement should not claim the prevention or treatment of diseases.

On the other hand, the labels of dietary supplements may contain health claims. A health claim is defined as any message or representation "which affirms, suggests or implies the existence of a relationship between, on the one hand, a category of food, a food or one of its components, and 'on the other hand, health'. A health claim is a statement used on the label that the consumption of a particular food or one of its nutrients - such as, for example, vitamins and minerals or fiber can have health benefits. Only authorized claims can be mentioned. Any company can use them as long as it complies with the conditions of use attached to it.

(Source: https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/sante-et-environnement/denrees-alimentaires/article/complements-alimentaires )

Food supplements are not drugs

No, food supplements are not drugs. Even if they are presented in the form of capsules, lozenges, tablets, and other forms of liquid or powder preparations intended to be taken in measured units of small quantities, they are in no way an alternative to drugs prescribed by a doctor and / or issued by a pharmacist. The substances constituting food supplements do not exert therapeutic action and are not intended to prevent or cure a disease.

What do food supplements contain?

Food supplements may contain nutrients (vitamins and minerals), plants (plants intended for exclusively therapeutic use are excluded from this framework), substances for nutritional or physiological purposes (chemically defined substances, with the exception of pharmacological substances. ), traditional ingredients (eg: royal jelly, etc.), additives, flavorings and processing aids (additive carrier) authorized for use in human food.

The chemicals used as sources of vitamins and minerals in the manufacture of food supplements must be safe . These substances are listed by the order of May 9, 2006 relating to nutrients that can be used in the manufacture of food supplements resulting from decree n ° 2006-352 . The fibers, amino acids and incorporated plants must be authorized by the minister responsible for consumption, after consulting the French Agency for Food, Occupational and Environmental Health Safety (Anses). A draft order including a list of plants that can be incorporated into food was notified to the European Commission in September 2012 and is currently the subject of discussions between the European Commission and the French authorities. It will become applicable at the end of the procedure provided for by Directive 98/32.

How to choose a food supplement online?

The choice of a suitable food supplement passes above all by determining the real needs of his body. Indeed, nutritional needs are different from one individual to another. They depend on many factors, such as age, sex, state of health or even lifestyle. An athlete will not have the same needs as a sedentary person, just as a pregnant woman will not have the same needs as a woman who is breastfeeding or entering the menopause phase.

As the choice of a dietary supplement has a direct impact on our health, it is absolutely necessary to see the interactions with the drugs and the current treatments and to check the compatibility of the dietary supplement with the state of vitamin deficiency . Specialists often recommend doing a health check, on the one hand to personalize multivitamin food supplements to have a more targeted effect on deficiencies and on the other hand, to avoid taking unnecessary risks.

Choosing the right food supplement in pharmacies

For over-the-counter products, without a prescription, it is much better to buy them at a drugstore.

• The packaging and the label of the food supplement : Pay attention to the condition of the packaging and the label as well as to everything mentioned therein. Poorly written or imprecise labeling is often a sign of poor quality. Take the time to check the information on the label. The latter must include:
• the name and content of the categories of nutrients and substances in the product,
• the recommended daily dosage,
• a warning concerning compliance with the indicated dose,
• a statement that aims to combine the supplement with a balanced diet and to avoid the use of the food supplement as a substitute for a diet,
• a warning concerning the precautions for use , in particular keeping out of reach of children, taking for pregnant or breastfeeding women, etc.

• The composition of your nutritional supplement : Learn about the ingredients that make up the food supplement. It is strongly recommended to opt for products that contain the best natural ingredients, vitamin C, D, E, trace elements, minerals, especially magnesium, taking care to avoid magnesium chloride.

Make sure the dietary supplement is made from organically grown plants, without additives. Generally, synthetic products are not tolerated by the body and are dangerous for health. Vitamins and beta-carotenes must be natural.

The different food supplements from your pharmacy

Food supplements have been designed to meet the needs of the body and the well-being of everyone. In general, they are able to fill the gap in the body thanks to the nutritional values they provide.

Recommended Dietary Intakes: Official Dietary Intakes are referred to by different names in different countries and their standards may vary. They make it possible to indicate, according to age and sex, what quantities of nutrients are necessary for the maintenance of good health.

Find the European regulations on food supplements .

The therapeutic value of a plant depends on the preservation of the active principle at the origin of this virtue. This is why each form of food supplement can have its advantages and disadvantages:

• For water-soluble molecules, food supplements in the form of herbal teas and decoctions are the most appropriate. However, a very large amount is needed to fully benefit from all the active ingredients.
• Mother tinctures are also of interest, however, their use is contraindicated in certain groups of individuals due to the high presence of alcohol.
• Food supplements in capsules prepared from the roots are convenient and of good quality, but they do not keep well.
• Food supplements in tablets are simple and convenient, but take time to work.
• Food supplements in capsules are also convenient, but their longevity is limited and it takes a long time to feel the benefits.
• Aromatherapy and food supplements: Essential oils are ideal, however their use requires great care.
• Delay-release microbeads are by far the best food supplements, however, very expensive, very few people can acquire them.
• Fluid extracts are excellent in terms of the concentration of active ingredients, however they are unavailable and their use remains confidential.

In order to regain restful sleep, we invite you to discover our selection of food supplements to regain sleep , with plants and active ingredients that will be beneficial and conducive to serene sleep and peaceful nights.

Also find all our advice on our blog on how to choose your health food supplements . Discover the benefits of activated vegetable charcoal to treat your digestive disorders. The reasons why it is important to choose an organic food supplement . Or how to choose nutritional supplements to lose weight this summer.

Take advantage of our certified naturopaths and our advice to choose the best treatment adapted to your disorders and your personal situation. For more information, do not hesitate to ask us for advice on our secure form .