A core concept to understand in maximising health is that our bodies are constantly managing supply and demand.

We have evolved to expect continual change and be ready for both the best and the worst which requires the ability to predict future demand. This is as true for energy as it is for other nutrients like vitamins and minerals. All nutrients are dangerous in too high a quantity and our bodies are designed to store and use them within certain limits. Thus a fine balance is what it aims for along with the ability to manage the situation if too much or too little is taken up. These cases require buffer systems to ensure no major problems occur.

The impact of this was highlighted to me when I learnt about a study that looked into the effects of both supply and demand on nutrients. In this case it was vitamin D.

The overall concept is about balance. Creating demand within the body is critical for it to make proper use of the supply. Good supply is not enough it even risks flooding your body with nutrients it’s unable to properly manage. Leading to damage and side effects.

References

• Problems of regulation: problems with regulation and the diseases they cause
• Health Science: finding facts from correlations
• Does retirement mean retiring your body?