To take or not to take supplements?

Foundation Nutrients

To take or not to take supplements?  This is a long debated question for which there are studies supporting both positions.  Some studies suggest optimal wellness cannot be achieved without them, other studies suggest they are money wasted.

Women often ask, what supplements should I take?  This question can be tough to answer because there is no end to the nutrients that may be beneficial!  The emphasis here should be on the word supplement:  Supplements are intended to be supplemental to a high-quality diet.  We can not experience optimal wellness on supplements alone.

Nutrient deficiencies can be the root cause of a variety of ailments.  Rickets and scurvy were two of the earliest diseases identified as the result of vitamin D and C deficiencies, respectively.  Recent research correlates B-vitamin deficiencies with fatigue, D-vitamin deficiencies with seasonal affect disorder, and magnesium deficiencies with difficulty sleeping or constipation, to name a few.   

Taking high-quality supplements can prevent a variety of health issues stemming from nutrient deficiencies.  The key is purchasing high-quality supplements.  The supplement industry is unregulated which means there is no guarantee that what is advertised on the label is actually in the bottle.  Conversely, things you don’t want in the supplement, like allergens, additives, or heavy metals, may be added.  

Ideally, purchase supplements through a licensed professional, theoretically ensuring that what you are purchasing is of high quality.  The next best option is to purchase supplements from a pharmacy that stocks pharmaceutical-grade supplements.  The next, next best option is to go to a local health food store and purchase the highest quality supplements you can afford.  

For foundation nutrients, I generally recommend:

  • Multivitamin - Ensures we get the vitamins and minerals we need in case they are missing from our diet or are depleted by other medications we take

  • Fish oil -  Anti-inflammatory, good for hair/skin/nails, good for brain function

  • Vitamin D3 with K in oil - Supports mood, energy, thyroid function, and has been shown to protect against breast cancer

  • Probiotic - Ensures we have good bacteria in our intestines, strengthening our immune system 

For women over the age of 50, I also recommend:

  • B complex (methylated if necessary) -  To counter the physiologic effects of stress, protect against falling, and maintain good digestion

  • Glutathione - An antioxidant involved in tissue building and repair, making necessary substances in the body, and immune system function

Early in my career practicing functional medicine, I approached an herbalist working with one of the first and most prominent pharmaceutical-grade supplement companies and asked her, “Do you think we really need to take supplements?”  Her response to me was, “Why not meet the stress of the time with the science of the time?”  I heard her reason and since then, I routinely recommend foundation nutrients.  It’s like putting toner in the copy machine, doing what we can to ensure we are able to print on demand.  

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