Are you looking for the right vitamins & supplements to be and feel your best and you’re just not sure which to take?
When you go down the vitamins & supplements aisle in your local vitamin shop you get lost in a sea of vitamins, supplements and dietary add ons so it can become confusing on what you should be taking.
I have a lot of people reach out to me about vitamins & supplements and which ones they should be taking and this should be taken a little more seriously.
Did you know that the USFDA does not have any regulation on dietary supplements and doesn’t pass the same standards as our food and drugs do?
Today I’m going to share with you the basics and what you should or shouldn’t be looking for when it comes to supplementing.
VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS
My workout partner Taylor sent me a link recently of this beautifully marketed multivitamin for women. She wanted my thoughts on it as she sat in the light of her computer screen with her credit card in hand ready to pounce on the order now button.
I messaged her back one word.
WHY?
Confused, she picked up the phone and gave me a buzz. When I answered, she skipped the hello and went straight to, “well, don’t I need it? Shouldn’t I be taking something?” I asked her questions to run through a quick assessment of her overall stellar health report. (As my workout partner I knew her health status, I just enjoyed putting her through the exercise… sometimes the mad scientist in me likes to watch others in mental gymnastics)
She is picture-perfect health. She’s a typical ‘foodie’ and varies her nutrients like changing her underwear. She runs a high-level training life, her energy is great, proper rest days, sleeps well, menstrual cycle is textbook, digestion better than a goat, and has daily bowel movements. She didn’t have recent bloodwork, so we had nothing to go off of there.
After this convo, she was able to return to her normal productivity level at work, safely holster her credit card and close that tab in her browser.
There are plenty of viable reasons you should consider taking supplements, and if you’ve deemed this to be ideal for you then you may be faced with sorting through hundreds of options to find the highest quality — and safest — choice for your personal wellness, it can be overwhelming.
VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS – SAFETY FIRST
Prior to adding any supplement to your regimen, speak to a qualified healthcare professional. Why? Well, your body & its need are unique. Things like family history, bloodwork, your current health conditions, prescription medications, along with other things are key factors that should be carefully considered before hopping on anything new. Even if you consider it to be super safe.
Once you feel cleared from your healthcare professional, it’s important to know that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration does not ensure the safety of dietary supplements before they go to market, as it does for other food and drug products. Simply meaning that the quality and consistency of these items isn’t monitored. This translates to some products just not meeting the claims made (normally diet or youth promising products) while others could be harmful. This puts more responsibility in the consumer’s hands to ensure they’re making smart choices. Thankfully, there are a few easy ways to tell if a product is worth your investment.
Here are what I believe to be the Supplement 101 guide:
MULTIVITAMIN TO FIX YOUR MOJO
You have to be honest with yourself, if most of your nutrition is coming from packaged or convenient food then it is likely that your diet is lacking in daily basic nutrients. You should always aim to make food your primary source of micronutrients, and vitamins. However, multivitamins can help infill and bridge gaps to protect you from nutritional deficiencies.
Similar to everything else in life, there is no true one-size-fits-all formula. Many multi formulas try to target needs like senior, prenatal, teen boy, etc. target men’s needs, while others are better suited for women. These are helpful, but remember there is no substitute for quality food.
Important to state upfront that Vitamin A is fat-soluble, which means you accumulate it and can get too much of it and that’s hazardous to your health.
Some of the best known Vitamin A benefits include:
- Supports a healthy Immune System
- Lowers risk for some skin cancers
- Supports Bone Health
- It champions for protecting Eye Health and Age-related decline.
- It also prevents against acne
- In some cases, it is documented to lower obesity.
Vitamin B is water-soluble so what your body doesn’t use right you’re your body gets rid of which is always noted in B vitamins by the bright yellow-orange urine.
Vitamin B Complex actually consists of 8 distinct different nutrients that all carry out different missions inside the body. However, it is safe to say that B’s get their great reputation for a few key things like:
- Maintaining a healthy metabolism
- Energy levels
- Healthy Brain Function
- Cell health, proper nerve function, and growth of RBC’s
- And also loved for growing and maintaining beautiful hair
Think of vitamin C as “The Avengers” of the body! Its very own natural surveillance system, ready to kick butt if it finds anything potentially harmful. This Vitamin has some mighty potential to boost the immune system, helping the body fight off potentially harmful germs & bacteria.
It doesn’t stop there though it has antioxidants and helps free radicals that could otherwise damage your DNA and lead to chronic illness. Kinda fancy, huh?
There’s a lot more to know about this important vitamin, and it’s definitely one you should consider bumping to the top of your list of at least assess your diet for making sure you’re measuring up in the C department! (and BTW, no, it can’t actually prevent the common cold)
Fun fact: Did ya know that vitamin D is actually a hormone. Vitamin D is a massive immune booster. It champions for building strong teeth & bones, and muscle function.
Research has even linked a long-term lack of D to a higher risk for heart attack and stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Since increasing concerns for sun exposure and sun damage to our skin, we are seeing more and more vitamin D deficiency, this is easily checked by bloodwork.
VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS FOR ENERGY
What happens when your get-up-and-go, got up and left. Occasionally, our energy levels drop and just aren’t what they used to be. If you’re on the hunt for a natural alternative to the amp-you-up beverages (which can be okay as long as you’re Starbucks bill isn’t rivaling your mortgage) There are a lot of potential culprits when it comes to sluggish energy levels, but since this blog is about vitamins lets keep our convo there for now. Getting the right amount of nutrients is an excellent place to start.
The key culprits for draining your energy are being low in B-complex vitamins, vitamin D and iron. This trio plays a lead role in fighting fatigue. Most folks can typically find these nutrients in abundance in their diets, supplementation may be necessary for others.
SKINNY PILLS PLEASE
If you’re trying to lose weight, you may be tempted to peruse down the pill aisle at your local GNC just to see what hops into your buggy! There is no shortage on magic powders or pills that make strong claims at speeding your results.
However, truth bomb here, unfortunately, there’s no MAGIC supplement in the world that melts away body fat. I know, I am sad about it too! The solution is always better nutrition and more exercise.
These supplements work by increasing your heart rate (exercise) and or lowering your appetite (nutrition) to help you get a result. If your heart is healthy, then there is no problem in short term use of these items.
However, if you’re not getting enough of a few critical vitamins and minerals — which can certainly happen when you’re following a reduced-calorie diet — it can make weight loss all the more challenging.
Since the human body can’t produce its own omega 3s, these fats are referred to as essential fats, meaning they must come from your diet. Even the (WHO) World Health Organization recommends that you consume 2 servings of oily fish per week. Omega 3’s are made of EPA, DHA, and ALA. Let’s take a superficial look at their function:
EPA: It vital in reducing inflammation in the body as well as reducing signs of depression.
DHA: 8% of our brain’s weight is DHA! Therefore it’s no surprise that it is vital for brain development and normal function
ALA: Is mainly used as energy in the body.
Omega 3’s are a crucial part of human cell function, and their benefits extend to:
- Improving Heart Health,
- Supporting Mental Health
- Reducing Waist Size
- Preventing Dementia
- Promoting Bone Health
- Preventing asthma
- And the list goes on and on…
Omega 6’s are also vital and must be obtained from your diet, but are pro-inflammatory. So when shopping for a supplement make sure that it’s tilted toward higher Omega 3’s.
What’s Cooler Then Fish Oil?!? Nothing… But Collagen is coming in HOT!!
Of all the dietary supplements out there, collagen seems to be stealing the limelight most often these days (don’t worry fishy You will still get a blurb).
The protein, which is naturally made by our bodies, has gotten a lot of attention in the beauty world for its potential to help us age backward, pump out better hair and glowing complexion, but those benefits only scratch the surface.
Collagen is vital when it comes to muscle tissue repair, maintaining healthy cartilage & bones, as well as maintaining great joint mobility as we age. Collagen is the most bioavailable form of protein and can be super beneficial for active lifestyles.
That’s a Wrap!!
This concludes our superficial overview of the ABCD’s of common supplements. Hopefully, this gives you some groundwork to make informed decisions for your health and wellness.
If you would like to know my absolute favorite vitamins & supplements you can click the button below.
Also, if you have questions specifically about your personal health and would like me to go over your bloodwork, schedule an appointment with me by clicking the button below:
As always, if you’ve found value, please ‘like’ and share with your friends.
Questions? Drop them below. 💚