How to Audit Your Supplements
Let’s talk about choosing supplements and determining the ones your body truly needs to function optimally.
As a Clinical Nutritionist, when I’m going through a new client’s intake form, I either see zero supplements or a laundry list of 10, 15, 20 different ones. Then when I ask them why they’re taking all of these supplements, they really don’t have a good answer. It’s usually, my best friend had great results or I saw someone taking it on Instagram and decided to try it too.
Supplements should be personalized to your own unique needs.
And you need to reassess their effectiveness often.
I suggest every 3 months.
Use these prompts to help determine what supplements may work best in your wellness routine.
If you’re interested in functional nutrition testing to determine your actual nutrient needs/deficiencies — schedule a consult here.
Assessing supplement needs —
Can you get the nutrient from food first?
I always start with a food first approach.
Ask yourself, is your diet varied enough that you’re getting everything your body needs.
And quite frankly, are you actually eating enough food? A diet lower than 1600 calories is typically too low for the average adult to get adequate nutrients through food to maintain optimal function.
If not, what whole food sources can you add to bridge nutrient gaps?
Think salmon and sardines for omega-3‘s, dark leafy vegetables for folate, eggs for choline, grass-fed beef for iron and B-vitamins, turmeric for inflammation support, etc.
Are you taking medications that deplete certain nutrients?
Certain medications can deplete nutrients over time.
For example —
➔ Birth control depletes B vitamins + magnesium + vitamin C & E
➔ Antidepressants deplete B vitamins + magnesium + calcium + vitamin D
➔ Anti-hypertensives deplete calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, B-vitamins, and iron
➔ Statins deplete CoQ10 + vitamin D & E + beta carotene
➔ Metformin depletes B12
➔ PPIs deplete magnesium + B12If you’ve been on any of these medications (or a combination) it’s worth getting a nutrient panel done to assess your baseline numbers and to supplement accordingly. Moreover, nutrient depletions can actually exacerbate the conditions these medications are meant to treat.
Do you have a gut disorder that inhibits absorption?
When our gut barrier is compromised, there’s increased inflammation, we’re not producing enough bile or digestive enzymes to break down our food, or there’s a microbial imbalance — we may not assimilate nutrients well, even with a healthy and diverse diet.
Conditions that may impact this include Celiac disease, IBS, IBD, Chron’s disease, SIBO, or long term PPI/antacid use.
Does your lifestyle (Or phase of life) require additional nutrientS?
Are you an athlete? Pregnant? Postpartum? Over the age of 60? Under chronic stress? Vegan?
All of these cause the body to either deplete nutrients faster, prevent absorption, or are lacking certain nutrients due to restriction - which means you need to make up for it either through diet or via supplements.
Do you live At A higher LAtitude?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a within range vitamin D level on any client without supplementation. This is especially true if you live in higher latitudes such as the Northeast or Pacific Northwest.
Are there Any redundancies?
Look at the ingredients in your current supplements. Are any of them redundant?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reviewed a supplement list from a client and they’re taking 3 different supplements that essentially do the same thing — one for hair growth, one for metabolism, and a general multi-vitamin or B-complex.
Most of these supplements contain the same/similar active ingredients, and you’re honestly wasting your money by using a spaghetti at the wall tactic vs. a personalized regimine.
Do you notice a difference?
Lastly, if you are taking supplements, ask yourself if you’ve noticed a difference.
Does this supplement give me more energy?
Is my hair growing?
Is my digestion better?
Am I sleeping more soundly?You should notice a difference within a three month period. If not, reassess and consider a different supplement or better yet — diet/lifestyle factors you may be overlooking.
Less is more. Quality matters.
The supplement industry is unregulated. Which means you have to be very selective with the brands you purchase — ensuring they take into account active ingredient formulations, product quality, little-no fillers, storage, etc.
Unfortunately, most drug store brands aren’t worth your money. They’re loaded with fillers and poor quality ingredients.
I also don’t advise ordering from Amazon as you can’t be certain of storage conditions + there have been accounts of counterfeit supplements. Yikes!
This is why I use Fullscript for all of my client protocols. And you can access them too.
Curious what supplements I reccomend?
Visit my Fullscript Dispensary and get access to practitioner-grade supplements at a 10% discount. Once you create an account, click on “CATALOG” and you’ll see a list of my favorite supplements for specific areas like women’s health, immune support, etc.
Disclaimer: Not medical advice. Please always consult your primary care physician before adding/removing supplements.
