Dietary Supplements: Need a Specialist?

Look no further than King Soopers/City Markets’ Optimum Wellness Centers.

Dietary supplement use is on the rise, with more than 50 percent of Americans taking at least one daily supplement, according to the American Journal of Epidemiology and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And for good reason: A 2013 study in JAMA Internal Medicine asserts that supplement users are more likely to report good or excellent health. The study also found that the most common supplements are multivitamin-mineral products, followed by calcium and omega-3 supplements or fish oil. Calcium is especially popular with women looking to strengthen their bones, while both men and women take omega-3 products for mind, heart and joint health.

Whether you’re addressing a known deficiency such as vitamin D or calcium, shoring up your immune system, or complementing your diet with a multivitamin, most doctors agree that supplements used in moderation and with expert guidance can help. Many experts also recommend using natural supplements and personal care products to avoid harmful chemical exposure that might occur with their conventional counterparts.

In response to this rising demand, the selection in King Soopers/City Market stores has increased. But as more natural vitamins and body care products appear on store shelves, it can be difficult to wade through the options to determine what you need. In response, King Soopers/City Market is going a step further to help consumers understand the options and make informed decisions.

Optimum Wellness Solution Centers

King Soopers/City Market now features Optimum Wellness Centers within select  stores throughout Colorado. The centers carry more than 3,600 natural vitamin and body care products, organized into these easy-to-navigate categories:

Navigating Your Store

King Soopers/City Markets’ Optimum Wellness Centers offer products in these categories:
• Omegas
• Joint/Eye/Brain/Heart Health
• Antioxidants/Energy Stress/Sleep
• Cleansing and Digestion
• Greens
• Allergy/Cold/Flu
• Herbs
• Homeopathics
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Multivitamins
• Men, Women & Children
• Sports Nutrition and Weight Control
• Probiotics and Oils (refrigerated)

The centers are also staffed with nutrition specialists, who typically have degrees in nutrition, health or exercise science. Many carry certifications, and all have ample training in natural supplements and body care products. The specialists are available seven days a week to help customers find the right natural products to support their health goals.

Play It Safe

Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, supplements are not regulated by the FDA (with the exception of homeopathics). Nutrition specialists and pharmacists can help you identify products that have quality assurance labels from agencies such as U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com or NSF International. Also, ask a pharmacist or health-care professional how the product might interact with other medicines you take. And just as you would with a medicine, make sure you adhere to the label doses and directions.

Do Your Homework

Narrow your supplement choices before you even leave home with the Dietary Supplement Label Database, a new website launched by the National Institutes of Health. The searchable site provides complete label information for thousands of products, allowing you to compare brands and ingredients before you walk the aisles. You can search the database for all the supplements that contain an ingredient you want, or you can look up specific brands. Find it here.