The Do's and Don'ts of Dietary Supplements

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I’m going to talk about something that I think has a lot of people confused. Supplementation. Is there a right way to #supplement? Can taking 10 different health supplements actually make me less healthy? You may be surprised to learn that the answer to both of these questions is: YES!

I think everyone knows what supplementing means. But here’s a quick little explanation if you’re unsure of the specifics. Dietary supplementation is the act of taking #healthsupplements that are intended to complement one’s diet. In other words, it’s not supposed to be your primary source of anything (*cough*protein*cough*). The food you eat is supposed to do that.

Dietary supplements provide #nutrients to your body that are either extracted from food sources, primarily plants, or are synthetic nutrients created in a lab (sometimes referred to as “isolates”). According to the CDC, in 2017, it was estimated that 63.8% of women and 50.8% of men reported using dietary supplements (this is pre-COVID data, so you can only imagine those numbers went up). The CDC also reported that this number increased with age for both sexes. However, the American Osteopathic Association states that only about 24% of those taking vitamins or supplements actually received a test result indicating that they are nutrient deficient.

Here’s what most people don’t know about dietary supplements: the industry is HIGHLY unregulated. ZERO dietary supplements are approved by the #FDA because the FDA views them as food products, not medicine. So then why have we started treating them as medicine? The supplement industry is actually so highly unregulated that there is an independent organization that tests, audits, and certifies products or services. According to their website, “The NSF mark assures consumers, retailers, and regulators that certified products have been rigorously tested to comply with all standard requirements… Products bearing an NSF certification mark meet all standards requirements, including product testing and regular inspections to verify products continue to comply with the standard.” Of the many requirements a product must adhere to in order to receive an NSF mark and the one I find the most jarring (and the most important) is that “the NSF mark confirms that product labeling claims have been objectively verified by a trusted third party.”

In other words, unless a product has an #NSFCertified mark, there is literally no way of knowing that what is on the label is actually in the supplement you are taking.

So why the fuck isn’t this talked about more?!

But let’s say you did know that already and the supplements you take are all NSF certified. Good for you. So then why is it bad to take one supplement to improve your energy, one for better sleep, another for workout recovery, another for clearer skin or period cramps, one for your daily multivitamin, one to boost your immunity, not to mention your protein shake… I hope you see where I’m going with this.

Firstly, let me remind you that less than a quarter of all people taking supplements actually have any kind of nutrient deficiency. Let’s put it this way- if you knew someone who was taking statins to control their cholesterol and blood pressure medication and beta-blockers and Ambien for sleep and stimulants t wake up, all without ever consulting a doctor, you would think they were CRAZY. That’s called self-medicating and everyone knows it’s a big no-no because of the potential health risks associated with combining all of these different medications (most that probably aren’t even necessary).

So then why do we do it with products labeled as dietary supplements? Probably because the assumption is that they’re supposed to improve our health, not make it worse (news flash, so are the meds prescribed by doctors, but that doesn’t always mean they do).

Now before you start thinking I’m against supplements, think again. I take supplements daily. I tell my fiance to take supplements. I even recommend supplements to all of my clients. So then how can I be so critical of dietary supplements but still take them without being a total hypocrite?

If you want my advice, here it is:

1. Stop buying supplements that make health claims. They’re likely bogus and, legally, they can’t even make those claims. Just ask Gwenyth Paltrow who just paid $145,000 to settle a false advertising lawsuit for health claims for three items listed on her Goop website, or ask any of these 15 companies who were sued for making bogus health claims – yes, we’re looking at you, Sketchers Shape-Ups. (And if you’re wondering if that big price tag stopped dear old Gwenyth from making other false health claims on her Goop website, spoiler alert, it didn’t.)

2. Don’t buy supplements with ingredients that are unrecognizable. My personal rule of thumb is don’t buy anything with ingredients that you can’t buy in a grocery store. For instance, take a look at Alani Nu’s Balance Capsules that claims to be an “All Natural Women’s Supplement” but has a list of ingredients like folate, chromium, myo-inositol, Setria® L-glutathione, 3,3-diindolylmethane, sodium R-alpha lipoic acid, hypromellose, silica, ascorbyl palmitate, and titanium dioxide (the same ingredient no longer considered safe in Europe). Don’t get me wrong, we need some of these things to stay healthy, but there is NOTHING natural about this product. How about getting your folate from something that’s actually natural, like asparagus, eggs, or legumes?

3. Stop buying supplements that don’t carry an NSF Certified mark. Frankly, it’s just lazy for you, as a consumer, to buy something that may or may not even have in it the things it claims to have. It’s like if you went to an IHOP and wanted pancakes but they gave you an omelet, only you can’t be mad about it because you never told the server you wanted pancakes in the first place. (That's a terrible analogy, but you get my point.) There's a reason that the only products that Olympic, collegiate, and professional athletes can take are NSF Certified products and that's because they know exactly what's in them.

4. Do your research! There are a lot of REALLY great products out there that are doing it right. There are supplements that are made from organically farmed whole foods, foods that you would recognize at the grocery store, whose sole purpose is to flood your body with nutrients found in nature. No isolating vitamins or minerals, no synthesizing ingredients in a lab, no lying about what’s on the label, no unnecessary bullshit.

Don’t get caught up in the hype of the wellness industry. Our bodies are designed to course correct in order to keep us healthy. Our bodies can heal broken bones, grow humans, and even regenerate a liver after over 90% has been removed! Supplements can be a great addition to your daily routine, but what they shouldn’t do is make it harder for your body to do its job. Don’t overcomplicate things. Supplements should be more of what your body already gets: fruits, veggies, and fiber. All of the fancy stuff like Vitamins A, E, C, D, all of the B vitamins like niacin and riboflavin and biotin (yup, bet you didn’t know Biotin was Vitamin B7) comes from the fruits and veggies, and if they’re listed on their own on a label, you might just be better off steering clear unless directed by otherwise by a medical professional.

If you’re looking to ditch and switch your current supplement routine (which is really just expensive pee) with something made from whole foods and ethically sourced ingredients, here are my professional recommendations.

• These affordable capsules are a blend of 33+ different fruits, veggies, and berries picked at the peak of ripeness in Collierville, TN. They’ve been on the market for over 27 years without a single recall and they are the most widely tested supplement on the market with over 40 published peer-reviewed studies. They’re also vegan and gluten-free, including the capsule.

• These products combine 5,000 years of Traditional Chinese Medicine practices with 21st-century problems, like poor sleep, low energy, and even cutting back on alcohol. Their goal is “to keep toxins out, not bring them in” with the belief that “through plant-based medicine, we have the ability to unite the mind, body, and soul into balance.” Their products are Certified USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and Non-GMO, and all but two products are vegan (their Collagen and You Dew You blends).