Micronutrients while taking medication: What you need to know.
Medications cannot always be avoided - when blood pressure rises, the stomach produces too much acid, the head hurts frequently, or one is plagued by allergies. However, what many unfortunately do not know is that taking medication is not only annoying, but can also have further consequences. Because medications can disrupt our micronutrient balance. The result is an increased need for vitamins and trace elements, which many are not aware of.
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The reasons for the increased demand for micronutrients
Medications can disrupt micronutrient balance in two main ways:
Certain medications can affect the absorption and utilization of micronutrients.
Medications can lead to increased excretion of micronutrients.
The consequence for us: While the complaints may subside, we may still feel tired, lacking in drive, exhausted, or otherwise unwell. "Especially when the body needs more micronutrients due to medication, it is advisable to ensure daily micronutrient coverage and improve it with additional micronutrients," advises micronutrient expert and author Uwe Gröber.
The role of micronutrients in medication intake
Short-term, within days:
Excess excreted micronutrients are replenished immediately.
"Nutrient gaps" are avoided.
The metabolism can access all essential micronutrients at any time to function properly.
Every day, new cells are formed in our body. With a good nutrient base, you provide them with the best conditions.
Long-term:
Fewer side effects due to unrecognized gaps in micronutrient balance.
More well-being and stress resistance, because our body can draw from full micronutrient stores.
A stable micronutrient network: All micronutrients work together in the complex metabolism and complement each other. With a good foundation, we are better positioned in the long term and can prevent issues.
Illnesses lead to an increased need for micronutrients. Well-filled micronutrient stores help to keep our metabolism in balance.
Well taken care of despite medication: What you can do
Nutrient-rich meals as often as possible:
A healthy diet is even more important when the micronutrient requirements are increased. Try to prepare at least one meal daily using fresh, seasonal foods. Aim to include vegetables with every other meal and combine them with nutrient-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, millet, buckwheat, legumes, high-quality oils, and fresh fruits.
Tip: Different colors mean different nutrients. Try to combine colorful, fresh vegetables and fruits to support your body with a variety of vitamins and valuable phytochemicals.
Daily support:
Do not supplement individual vitamins and trace elements, but rather ensure a balanced intake of all important ones. Each micronutrient has its specific functions, yet they are all interdependent. Experts refer to this as "synergistic effect". Some micronutrients are, for example, part of enzymes that influence the utilization of other micronutrients in the body. Therefore, ensure basic supply of all essential micronutrients.
Tip:
When taking medication, hardly anyone relies solely on the effect of high-dose individual vitamins anymore. Because to effectively support the body, it is less about individual substances. Rather, a micronutrient network is important for protection - the interaction of many different individual substances.
How about my medication?
You may be wondering if your medication also belongs to those that cause an increased need for nutrients? Unfortunately, there are hardly any medications that reduce symptoms without affecting other metabolic processes. In addition, not only older people often take several medications at the same time, further diversely affecting the body. Therefore, it is important to take care of your micronutrient balance early on to prevent deficiencies. Many are surprised that even common medications such as the pill, over-the-counter acid blockers, or regular painkillers can have a significant impact. In the following PDF we provide for you an overview of the most commonly used medications that affect our micronutrient balance - the list could be continued indefinitely.
All micronutrients work together in our complex metabolism and complement each other. When medications are added, they can affect a variety of micronutrients and thus our metabolism. This can become a problem for our body. For example, a deficiency in vitamin C impairs iron absorption, while copper affects iron metabolism and vitamin D influences calcium absorption. Therefore, the advice from experts is: with a good foundation and daily balanced micronutrient supply, you are better positioned in the long run - and on the safe side.
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