Are Supplements a Scam?! Learn NOW.

(Disclaimer: The suggestions I make in this article are derived from current research of expert recommendations in the field of health & medicine. For any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me). 

Powders and potions and pills, oh my!

Supplements are all the hype these days. They are found in every grocery shop, corner store, and gas station. Half of us take them each and every day.

The caveat?

Supplements are a scam…..unless you know how to approach them the right way. This article provides TWO TIPS to ensure your safety, health, and satisfaction with a product.

A recent New York Times article detailed an investigation of herbal supplements sold at Walmart, GNC, Target, and Walgreens. The result? 80% of the products tested contained NONE of the alleged ingredients, most replaced with cheap rice and garlic extract. 

According to another New York Times article, 1 in 5 liver injuries are from the result of these cheap, fake, harmful supplements. This is an outrage.

Does this mean we should avoid supplements at all costs? Not so fast. I’ve spent countless hours researching herbal supplements, vitamins, and nutrient deficiencies–everyone can benefit tremendously from the right ones. So what does it come down to?

Step 1) Credibility. 

As the top picture in this article shows, I am a supplement junkie. I love to experiment, all in the quest to better my health, well-being, and help out those around me with recommendations. Am I stupid? Crazy? Insane?

Perhaps. But I make sure to do my research first. The credibility behind a company trumps all other factors when deciding on a particular vitamin or supplement to purchase. Most common store-bought brands are indeed worthless, and may do more harm than good.

Below is a short list of companies you can trust: 

–Gaia Herbs

–Bulletproof Executive

–New Chapter

–Perfect Supplements

–Onnit

–Thorne

–Designs for Health

–Primal Blueprint

–Life Extension

–Shaklee

–Garden of Life

–Jarrow Formulas

–Green Pasture

–Source Naturals

–NOW

Step 2) Get educated. Know your dosage and timing. 

Micronutrient Deficiencies in the US have been written about in peer-reviewed journals for decades. In an ideal world, we would receive all of our nutritional needs from diet alone. Instead, we are overfed and undernourished, susceptible to chronic illness, disease, and medical conditions that are linked directly to our underconsumption of vital vitamins and minerals.

This is why I believe it is critical for everyone to supplement with several vitamins that are hard to meet the recommended daily allowance (RDA) through food alone (with links attached to amazon, and recommended timing/dosage):

–Vitamin D: 1000-8000IU/day (AM)

–Fish/Krill oil: See bottle, with food (AM or PM)

–Magnesium citrate: 200mg+/day (PM)

–B12 or B-complex: See bottle, (AM)–especially for vegetarians/vegans who often lack B-12 in their diet

–Vitamin K (unless you eat a ton of veggies/leafy greens!): 2000mcg/day (AM or PM)

-A trusted Probiotic for gut health: 1-2, with food (Ignore label in this case) (PM)

Why no multivitamin? This is a controversial topic in the field of nutrition and medicine. There is evidence linking multi-vitamin supplementation to increased liklihood of mortality,  as well as increased risk of skin cancer in one study. While these minor correlations have been blown out of proportion by the media, my POV is this: 

We can acquire most of these vitamins and minerals from diet alone. Save your money. Instead, take the supplements that are far harder to come by through nutrition, and cause the most deficiencies or health problems in America today (see the above list).

Each day, you have the amazing opportunity to nourish and support the complex systems of your body. Embrace this chance. Eat, move, laugh, sleep, socialize, and live to maximize your health.