Tips for taking supplements to boost your energy

While supplements should never replace healthy eating, there are times when you may need an additional energy boost. Always check with your doctor before taking any supplement.

• During pregnancy, after an illness or following a stressful episode.
• If you're feeling your years (no matter what your age). Consider taking a daily multivitamin supplement if you're over fifty.
• To provide maximum protection against cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease in adults.
• To help alleviate marginal nutritional deficiencies, which make their presence felt only through vague symptoms such as lethargy and tiredness.
• To allow you to get enough nutrients if you're on a restricted diet. Vegans and vegetarians, for example, may not be getting enough iron, vitamin B12 and calcium from their food.
• If you suspect you may have a food intolerance and as a result have cut whole food groups out of your diet.

• Buy supplements from a natural therapy clinic, a pharmacist that specializes in health supplements or a health food shop. That way you'll have experts on hand to advise you on the right formulation.
• Compare the number of equivalent dosage tablets in the container across several brands to get the best value.
• Check the nutrient dose on the packaging. It's usually prefixed by the abbreviation 'Equiv'. For example, one g(1/4 tsp.) of the supplement calcium carbonate might give you the equivalent of 400 mL of calcium whereas one g (1/4 tsp.) of oyster shell supplement may only supply 350 mL.
• A high-potency multivitamin and mineral formulation gives you the maximum benefit. While these high-potency brands can be quite expensive, you are paying for therapeutic doses and the proper balance of complementary – and quality – nutrients.
• The most economical way to take vitamin C is in the powdered form.
• Try to purchase natural forms of vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol), as they may be more effective – although more expensive – than the synthetic form (dl-alpha-tocopherol). For best results, look for a brand of natural vitamin E that contains mixed tocopherols.
• When buying liquid herbal extracts, ask a qualified herbalist or pharmacist to make up a formula rather than purchasing an off-the-shelf proprietary brand. In most cases it will be cheaper.
• Consider purchasing your nutritional supplements online. It's possible to save up to 50 per cent of the recommended retail price.