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The world of supplements is a very confusing one. There are lots of claims online about this thing for this concern; how this form of this nutrient is the best or worst, you won’t absorb this if you’re not also taking that, and you can’t take these two things at the same time…It’s a lot!

Some patients come into my office taking 20 different things, while others have no idea where to start and are taking nothing even though they’ve been told they have a nutrient deficiency.

Interestingly, the most common supplements I see people taking are a multi, vitamin c, and biotin. None of these are my first go-to option for most people or most health concerns.

So, should you take a supplement and what should you take?

Let’s break some things down over the next couple of weeks…

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A SUPPLEMENT?

Supplements are meant to just be that. A supplement. You can’t out-do your diet.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GREENS POWDER:

A greens powder or an antioxidant combination is not the same thing as eating fruits and vegetables. We get so much more than antioxidants from fruits and vegetables and the whole thing is where we see their benefit!

A lot of times, the research for specific supplements comes from the fact that subgroups of people might be eating more of a nutrient and seeing certain benefits we want! But in many cases, if we actually give people that in a supplement form, we don't see those same benefits.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A MULTIVITAMIN?

A multivitamin generally contains a tiny dose of a number of different nutrients. There may be certain subtypes of the population that might benefit from the small doses of nutrients (pregnant people and elderly especially), but for most people, the amounts of those nutrients they get from their food is going to greatly exceed what a multi has.

WHAT ACTUALLY HELPS:

I like to get much more specific and get better doses. If someone is actually low in a nutrient, they’ll usually need a lot more than a multi may content.

Nutrients such as Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, and calcium are ones that SOME may need.

If we don't need these, adding more in is likely not going to provide benefit. It’s just more for your body to process, another thing for you to remember, and another thing for you to spend $ on. However if we need one of these nutrients, we might see mass benefits.

Bloodwork and a dietary recall can be great ways to determine if supplementation of these are needed!

In Canada, you are almost guaranteed to have a Vitamin D deficiency in the winter if you're not supplementing as we get Vitamin D from the sun.

I see this every day in bloodwork that I order!

For most healthy people, if we can eat a whole foods, omnivorous, colorful diet, we can get most of what we need from our nutrition.

However, we ARE going to have greater needs if we are not eating certain food groups (dairy, meat, eggs, fruit/veg, grains..), if we’re not eating enough in general (a concern on its own), or if we are on medication that impacts absorption of nutrients.

And then of course we DO have good research on the benefits of certain nutrients for certain health concerns.

These things are tricky though. Is the research done in humans? In your gender and demographic? What’s the benefit? How long do we take it for? How much provides that benefit? How do we know if you’re getting benefit? Do we take it forever?

This is not something that you should be figuring out on your own! This is going to depend on your personal goals, family history, personal history, mental capacity, finances, nutrition, etc.!

This is something I’ll go through with every patient in our visits.

Summary:

Almost all of the time nutrition is going to play more of an impact than supplements unless you have a specific deficiency. Your needs are unique depending on your nutritional habits, family history, goals, medications…

Supplements should be created with an individualized approach and may change in different phases and stages of life and depend on your baseline health foundation, values, finances and many things.

Stay tuned for next week for HOW TO BUY SUPPLEMENTS

If you’re looking for support in finding what supplements could work for you, book a visit today!

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Disclaimer:

This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, naturopathic doctor, or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or health concern. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.

Hi, I’m Dr. Janine, ND

I’m a Naturopathic Doctor currently practicing in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
I truly believe that our enjoyment of life is closely tied to how we feel physically. When we’re healthy, we can take on anything. But when we feel off, even the simplest tasks become overwhelming. I’ve been through hormonal shifts, sleepless nights as a parent, and the stress of balancing everything. But I also know that with the right strategy, we can go from surviving to thriving—and create a healthy, thriving family in the process.
I look forward to meeting you soon.
***- Dr. Janine, ND***