Has it ever happened to you that you take a supplement for a long time but notice no effect from it at all?
Well, chances are you haven't been misled – you simply aren't taking it the way it's meant to be taken. In this article we'll look at some of the main reasons why you might not be feeling the effect of the supplements you're taking.
You're Taking the Supplement the Wrong Way…or at the Wrong Time
Sometimes the problem lies in the timing you've chosen. Our body has its own rhythm and carries out different processes at different phases of the day and night. Did you know that pure water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B and C are best taken without food, while fat-soluble ones, including A, D, E and K, are more effective when taken with food? Other supplements, meanwhile, are better absorbed on an empty stomach, so they don't mix with other substances. In one of our previous articles we discussed why collagen absorbs well when taken on an empty stomach, and what the benefits are of taking it in the evening.
Our advice: Read thoroughly which time of day is best for the specific supplement, and even more importantly – determine the ideal time for you based on how you feel. Your comfort and health come first.
You're Not Supplying the Cofactors for Absorbing the Supplement
Most vitamins and minerals you include in your daily routine have cofactors. These are other substances that interact with the main one to help it be absorbed better and more effectively. When you know which vitamins and minerals „pair well“ with your supplement, you can naturally support its synthesis. Among collagen's cofactors are vitamin C, zinc, copper and iron – if you get enough of these through a balanced diet, the collagen you take is most likely to be well absorbed.
Our advice: Pay attention when choosing what you eat and what combination of supplements you take. It's good to know whether your choice is a „formula“ for a successful effect. RealFood Collagen Complex we created with the core idea of bringing collagen together with its cofactors in one place, to make it convenient and easy for everyone who is in a hurry or doesn't have a varied diet every day.
You're Not Consistent With Taking It
One of the things we always tell our customers, whether we meet them at an event or on social media, is that the expected effect of collagen depends a great deal on how consistent a person is. If it's not taken exactly according to the manufacturer's or a specialist's recommendations, the supplement simply cannot deliver 100% of the effect we've read about.
Our advice: Find out the recommended daily dose from the packaging or from a specialist and try to stick to it. You can set an alarm, or tie the intake to something you do every day. We often show RealFood Hydrolyzed Collagen together with coffee ("CoffeeGen"), because if you drink coffee every day anyway, you can easily take your collagen at the same time. These substances are natural products that work cumulatively, so it's important not to skip your daily dose.
You Get Sick Often
Often, when a person gets sick, this new state can affect the proper absorption of supplements as a whole, including vitamins, minerals and other active ingredients. During a cold or a virus, the body sharply changes its metabolic needs and processes, which can increase the consumption of certain substances and make it harder to synthesize the ones taken externally. Various inflammations and digestive disturbances, including diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, can reduce the effectiveness of supplements, since this represents a kind of imbalance for the immune system.
Separately, taking supportive substances such as antibiotics, corticosteroids or diuretics further interferes with and hinders the active ingredients from supplements reaching the bloodstream and cells. A drop in immunity can also come from stress, which likewise becomes an „enemy“ of beneficial substances, including those already stored in the body. Numerous studies present evidence showing that high stress levels cause faster depletion and breakdown of beneficial levels of minerals such as magnesium and zinc, as well as vitamins such as vitamin C, the B-group vitamins and others.
Our advice: In order to improve the effect of supplements during a virus or a cold, it's important for the body to be supplied daily with vitamins and minerals from food, and to choose supplements with a formula that is more easily absorbed (with high bioavailability).
You're Not Taking the Right Form of the Supplement
As we mentioned above, the form and formula of the substance itself is key to its effectiveness for our health. Sometimes plain supplements – without any protective, enriched formula, and those without data from clinical studies – don't deliver an optimal result, even after a long period of use. Today the supplement market is saturated with all kinds of formulations and variations.
Our advice: Whatever you choose, it's important to check its origin, whether there are studies done on the raw material, and in what form the supplement is offered. For example, RealFood's collagen is hydrolyzed – this means its molecule has been broken down to allow easier and more effective absorption of the active ingredient. Thanks to this quality, the product can offer high bioavailability and better results compared to regular collagen.
Another example of an improved composition is liposomal technology in supplements. Popular in recent years, liposomal supplements offer something extra – in them, the active substance is protected in a shell made of multiple phospholipids, which help it reach the cells without being destroyed by stomach acid and other external factors. One such product is RealFood Liposomal Magnesium, whose absorption rate is up to 20 times higher than regular supplements containing this mineral.
Before adding a new supplement to your routine, it's good to know not only what it's for but also how to take it, so you can see the effect as quickly as possible. Every substance has its own particularities, and if you take them into account, your body will thank you.
Your Genetics Don't Allow for Absorption
Different people have different genetic traits. In some of us, it's “built in” that certain substances are absorbed with more difficulty, or that the body can't take them up at all. Sometimes genetic predisposition has a big influence on which supplements are good for us to take and which to avoid. Each of us has our own bodily specifics, and the fact that something works for one person doesn't mean it will give a good result for another.
Our advice: Keep an eye on the RealFood blog, because we're planning to explore genetic predisposition in supplement absorption as a topic soon. Don't miss it.
