Are Supplements Good For You?

How do I know if I need to supplement? And really, are supplements good for you anyway? I make sure that my clients know exactly why a supplement may or may not be helpful.

Reasons to Take Supplements

Nutrition supplements, when used safely and appropriately, can be an effective strategy to complement dietary and lifestyle changes. For my clients with PCOS or gut health conditions, I always make sure that we first focus on implementing the most supportive nutrition and lifestyle changes. However, changing behaviors can be difficult to do. So one reason to take supplements is to support progress in the early stages while my clients are still learning to form new habits.

Another reason to take supplements is that some conditions require more potent support than nutrition and lifestyle changes alone can provide. For example, women with intense period paid can experience significant relief with supplementation of good, high dose fish oil, but they might find it hard to get a high enough dose through diet alone.

Lastly, some medications can deplete essential nutrients. With medication use, nutritional supplementation can help replete insufficient levels of nutrients in the body. For example, common medications prescribed to women with PCOS may include hormonal birth control or Metformin, both of which can deplete nutrients and would be a reason to take supplements.

While there are many reasons to take nutritional supplements, choosing the right ones for your health needs is key.

How to Supplement Smartly

Three important criteria I use when choosing supplements for my clients include efficacy, quality and dose. Personalized care from a nutrition or health professional trained in safe and effective supplement use is essential.

Supplement Efficacy

Supplements must have proven effectiveness for my client’s specific needs. If a supplement has not been proven effective through well-conducted research, then I suggest avoiding that supplement until further research can prove otherwise. I focus on supplements that provide the most benefit for my client’s biggest health needs. This enables my clients to get more bang for their buck and lessen the burden of taking too many supplements.

For example, there are many supplements that have proven benefits for women with PCOS. However, I recommend just enough supplements for my clients with PCOS to provide the most needed support (like supporting insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation). I take into account my client’s budget and how realistic is the total number of supplements. Even if they may be physically beneficial, an unrealistic amount of supplements is not worth the frustration.

Supplement Quality

The quality of supplements is key. While there are a lot of supplements on the market nowadays at varying prices, quality is essential for the health and safety of my clients. I only use supplement brands that have a high degree of quality assurance standards and testing.

Another aspect of supplement quality is the chemical form of ingredients. Vitamin B12, for example, is best taken as methylcobalamin, the best bioavailable form, whereas cyanocobalamin, often in cheaper supplements, is less bioavailable to the body. The right form can matter for clinical efficacy.

Supplement Dose

Once I establish efficacy and quality, the last criterion I focus on is proper supplement dose. For example, probiotics are generally considered beneficial for gut health and even for leaky gut. But the amount and types of strains of probiotic bacteria are essential factors for having a meaningful clinical effect. Dosing matters immensely.

Another factor of supplement dosing is looking critically at the amounts of specific ingredients rather than just what is advertised on the front of the bottle. An example of this is fish oil supplementation. The EPA and DHA fat in fish oil are what specifically gives fish oil its anti-inflammatory effects. However, many brands will report, for example, 1200mg fish oil on the front of the bottle. But upon analysis of the Supplement Facts on the back of the bottle, one would see something different. The total amount of EPA + DHA components dose may be closer to 500mg, a much less clinically effective dose. While the bottle information may be truthful, it many be misleading and lead many people to taking supplements without noticeable benefit.

Where to Buy the Best Supplements

Buying supplements online can be confusing, expensive, and potentially unsafe. You want to make sure the supplements you consume are high quality and that you are getting the best price. That’s why I use Fullscript.com as my online supplement dispensary where my clients can purchase the professional grade supplements from the best brands and at unbeatable prices.

Bottom Line

Are supplements good for you? This depends on your health needs, your nutrition and lifestyle behaviors, and budget.

Get help with choosing which supplements are good for you!

I am a registered dietitian who helps people struggling with weight loss resistance, PCOS, and gut health conditions overcome chronic conditions and thrive through a functional nutrition approach. I utilize nutrition supplements effectively and also provide functional lab testing when needed.

Schedule a FREE discovery call to discuss your particular health needs and see how I can help you on your health journey.

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