Food Supplements: Chemical Aspects and Applications of Macro and Micronutrients

Abstract

Food is a fundamental foundation for the proper functioning of the body, ensuring an adequate supply of macro and micronutrients. The difficulty of consuming such nutrients in adequate amounts, together with the excessive intake of processed foods, has made more and more people to look for supplementation as an alternative. Food supplements are used to make up for nutritional deficiencies, help to prevent diseases and, in some cases, improve the individual's performance. Like any source of nutrients, their indiscriminate consumption can cause harm to health, for example, overloading the liver and kidneys and, in view of this, they must be used carefully with adequate monitoring. In this review, an analysis of food supplements and their main aspects will be discussed, with emphasis on their chemical structures and effects of micronutrients on the body, allowing a chemical view of the subject.