Supplements 101
While supplements should be consumed in tandem with a well-balanced, nutrient rich diet, it is important that you are choosing the best quality supplements to support your needs. The supplement industry spans far and wide and unfortunately, not all supplements are created equal. The integrity of a large percentage of the supplement industry must be called into question as research demonstrates some supplements may not even contain TRACES of the vitamin/nutrient/mineral it claims to contain or even further, supplements containing fillers and/or ingredients that are not listed outright on the label.
One important consideration to keep in mind is the concept of RDI. Recommended Daily Intake signifies the minimum amount necessary to avoid deficiency, NOT the amount for optimal health. Furthermore, these are not specific to each individual, simply the generalized estimate. That said, your specific brain and body may require adjustments in dosages of supplementation and it is important to investigate for your own needs.
Consider the following tips when purchasing your next supplement.
Questions to ask to ensure you’re purchasing from a trusted source:
Is there human clinical research on the supplement? After all, the most clinically relevant research is that which is tested on humans.
Does the type/amount of the listed supplement ingredient correlate with the research? Is the dosage relevant to clinical results?
Will one bottle be enough for customers to experience results?
For example, I had a magnesium glycinate supplement I was taking that offer 50mg/serving. To the naive consumer, I may consider this sufficient. However, this is only covering a fraction of what my brain and body need to optimally function. The more you know!
Is the product organic? Not essential but a plus.
Is 3rd party documentation available to support the health claims on the supplement label?
This one is BIG. Be sure it is 3rd party tested by identifying the designated logo on the label itself.
Additives are typically listed under “other ingredients” and it is imperative that you take these into consideration upon purchase. Consider excipients. Excipients are inactive ingredients that are used when manufacturing a dietary supplement that stabilizes the active ingredient. Excipients may be used as binders, to color/flavor the supplement, or to support a time release response. Examples include hydroxypropyl cellulose, stearic acid, sorbitol, and talc.
Talc and/or magnesium silicate have repercussions of their own. Magnesium silicate is similar in composition to asbestos and has been found to cause lung problem upon inhalation and talc is not currently considered food grade by the FDA. Talc and magnesium silicate can be included in supplements in order to inhibit potential caking and/or in order to aid in their shape. Titanium dioxide influences lung inflammation and/or potential damage. Titanium dioxide is an FDA approved food coloring agent commonly added to pills to make them white. Be mindful of these ingredients added into your supplements of choice.
Avoid supplements that claim to ‘prevent’ disease or ‘prevent’ a certain condition. These terms are reserved only for approved drugs and are not authorized to be use on dietary supplements. Qualified health claims, such as ‘reduces the risk of…,’ describe a relationship between the supplement and its effect on a condition. This labeling is required to be approved by the FDA and supported by evidence. Currently, these supplements contain approved health claims: calcium, vitamin D, folic acid, soy protein, and plant sterols/stanols.
Supplement Recommendations from a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Certified Dietary Supplement Professional:
Take a high quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement (multivitamin)
Think of it as daily insurance. While the ideal is consuming all the necessary nutrition from the foods we eat from day to day, this is entirely too unrealistic. Even those who choose the most health sustaining foods can be at risk for deficiencies as the quality of our food has tremendously declined over the past several decades. Be aware that multivitamins may not contain sufficient amounts of essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, etc. so evaluate whether or not additional supplementation in that regard may be necessary.
2. Take a high quality, diverse probiotic.
Choosing a probiotic supplement:
Brand quality — looked for brands that are certified organic (recommended Garden of Life, Megafood, and Axe Naturals)
High CFU (colony forming units) count - purchase a probiotic brand that has a higher number of probiotics - ranging from 15 billion to a hundred billion
Strain diversity - ten or more strains and contains not only probiotics but also SBOs, yeasts, fungi, and algae (if possible) - ideal 10-30 strains
Survivability - strains like bacillus coagulans, saccharomyces boulardii, bacillus subtitles, lactobacillus rhamnosus, and other cultures/formulates that ensure probiotics make it it to the gut and are able to colonize
Choose probiotics with bifidobacterium and lactobacillus strains for mental health related benefits
3. Take a high-quality fish oil product to provide 1,000 EPA + DHA per day
Quality is especially important to ensure the products free from heavy metals like lead and mercury, pesticides, lipid peroxides, and other contaminants. Metals can make their way into fish oil supplements since fish high on the food chain can accumulate mercury, lead, and other contaminants. The recommended general dosage is 1,000 mg of EPA + DHA per day — read the label carefully as it is not 1,000 mg fish oil it is 1,000 mg of EPA + DHA (typically collectively totaling 1,000 mg between both). For therapeutic dosage, choose 3,000 EPA + DHA if possible.
4. Take a vitamin D (typically 2,000 to 4,000 IU per day)
Vitamin D deficiency is omnipresent within the general population. Vitamin D deficiency may be the most common medical condition in the world and vitamin D supplementation may be the most cost-effective strategy to improve health, reduce disease, and improve your quality of life. Those deficient in vitamin D have twice the rate of death and doubling risk for many diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune.
5. Take a magnesium supplement.
Nearly 70% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. This is astounding considering it plays a role in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including a powerful role in mental health and neurotransmitter production. There are a multitude of problems that can evolve due to a magnesium deficiency and oftentimes, we have a hard time securing enough magnesium through diet alone. Magnesium chelated with amino acids (magnesium glycinate or magnesium aspartate) or organic acids (magnesium citrate, magnesium fumarate, magnesium gluconate, magnesium lactate, and magnesium carbonate) is likely the most absorbable form. As always, do your research on which form is most appropriate for you.
Additional supplementation may be necessary based on your personal needs. However, offering your body a solid and consistent nutritional foundation can make a huge difference in your health. Additional considerations may be as follows: a quality B-Complex (especially in relation to brain health/depression/anxiety OR if you follow a vegan/vegetarian diet), additional mineral supplementation as many multivitamins fall short in the mineral category, a high quality glutamine for gut health/gut lining, or a high quality blend for adrenal health.
Brands of Supplements that I Trust (in no particular order):
Garden of Life
Megafood
RenewLife
Dr. Axe (Ancient Nutrition)
Gaia Herbs
Please consult your healthcare provider before integrating any new supplement into your routine.
