Top tips for health, fitness enthusiasts alert! Buying supplements, immunity boosters? Must not ignore these key things

As 2020 comes to an end and we usher in the New Year with lessons learnt from COVID 19, overall well-being and health will be the key take away going forward. The pandemic has taught us how critical it is to build a strong immune system through well-balanced and nutritious meals, daily exercise and the right immunity boosters and supplements to fight infections.

With immunity becoming the buzz-word this year, immunity boosters mushroomed in India with many brands adding the word ‘immunity’ and ‘Vitamin C’ to any and every product. The recent fake supplement scam that rocked the country, highlighted an important aspect: Which brands are genuine and what are the best supplements that are safe for consumption? Varun Khanna, Co-Founder, Fast&Up, shares knowledge on 'things to keep in mind while buying supplements and immunity boosters':-

Varun Khanna suggests, "As the New Year approaches with health and fitness resolutions underway, we need to be aware of what we buy over the counter and what is best for our health and immunity." Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing any supplement, electrolyte or Vitamin:-

1) Be label conscious- India is becoming a health conscious society and people want to know what goes into every product. Read the label of the supplement carefully to check for ingredients that are used in it. If there is some ingredient that sounds unfamiliar or you do not recognize, make sure to research well before buying the supplement. Check the fact chart and the dosage quantity. Many low quality immunity boosters and vitamins have additives like sugar, artificial colouring and GMOs (Genetically modified organisms). If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, do watch out for this.

2) Informed Choice Certified- Always check if the brand or product you are buying, has the informed choice quality mark on it. This is one way of knowing if the product is authentic. Informed Choice is a certification process that ensures a brand or label is manufacturing to internationally-recognized standards. This ensures that the supplement is not contaminated with substances that are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

3) High quality ingredients- Most often, companies do not manufacture their own products. This can often put a buyer at risk. Fake protein supplements have been sold with harmful mixtures with labels of top US and UK brands. A company that manufacturers its own products will always be genuine and trustworthy. Also, make sure the supplement or immunity booster you are selecting has the highest quality of ingredients that are organic and harm free. To give an example, at Fast&Up, we manufacture our own products with the best quality of ingredients, which are sourced from across the world. This gives us full control on quality.

4) A format that works for you- Today, supplements and immunity boosters come in all forms. So make sure to choose a format that is compatible with your body. Effervescent nutrition is a good way to consume your vitamins and supplements as it easily dissolvable in water and does not affect or harm the PH balance in the gut. There are many genuine brands today in the market that are also kid friendly and which do not interfere with any ongoing medication and are safe to consume for people with certain medical conditions.

"Therefore, this New Year, make a healthy and smart choice with intelligent nutrition that will make the resolution worth its while!," Varun Khanna concluded.