Bioavailability is a crucial factor to consider when it comes to consuming nutritional supplements. In simple terms, bioavailability determines how much of a nutrient can be effectively utilized by your body. It plays a significant role in ensuring that you get all the essential nutrients required for optimal health.
“There are several reasons why bioavailability is important in nutritional supplements,” says Dr. Dan Gubler, Chief Scientific Officer at Three International.
“Bioavailability essentially ensures that the body can efficiently absorb and utilize nutrients. The reason we take supplements to begin with is to make up for the nutrients we may be missing in our diets. However, if the supplements we take have low bioavailability, our bodies won’t absorb enough of the essential nutrients it needs.”
Dr. Dan goes on to explain that many consumers don’t realize that taking nutritional supplements with low bioavailability can also result in high concentrations of molecules localized in organs like the liver and kidneys. This may lead to adverse side effects such as toxicity. However, supplements with high bioavailability are absorbed efficiently by the body into the cell, reducing the risk of toxicity and other adverse side effects.
Conversely, supplements with high bioavailability can lead to improved health outcomes.