Choosing Quality Supplements

Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson discusses the risks of buying low quality supplements and how to choose higher quality, safe products on the Holistic Health Bites podcast

Choosing Quality Supplements:

Episode Details:

The supplement industry is a nearly $200billion global market. And with any major market like this, you get a wide range of quality, benefit, and risks. Today, I want to walk through some ways to keep yourself safe, not taking more than you need, and getting the best quality, most bioavailable products possible.

Supplements have a great place in achieving health goals - from improving fitness, rebalancing nutrient deficiencies, eliminating bad microbes, calming or stimulating neurotransmitters…so many great things. However, they aren’t the ‘cure-all’ any more than medications are. I use supplements in my practice and in my own personal life, in a very strategic way. My ultimate goal is to get OFF of as many as possible, having the body operate ideally without extra supports.

It’s important to choose supplements properly. There are many risks with low quality supplements - that not only don’t help your health, but can cause serious harm.

There are two major types of supplements: consumer grade and pharmaceutical grade.

Consumer grade supplements are what you’d find in your local grocery store, pharmacy shop, or big box store. These often contain “proprietary” blends, synthetic versions of nutrients, a lot of fillers, and hidden ingredients. Many of these have been repeatedly shown to not live up to their claims, not contain the ingredients that are listed, having more or less active ingredients than reported, have inconsistent quality from batch to batch or even dose to dose. And they are usually only guaranteed to be effective through manufacturing, not through expiration. They can be contaminated with heavy metals, mold, pesticides, or other harmful byproducts or contaminants. They may not be in a form that can be readily absorbed or utilized. Most have not been independently tested by a certified third party.

Pharmaceutical grade supplements are generally only sold through quality suppliers, have precise sourcing of their ingredients, verified accurate dosing between batches and individual doses, have been tested for heavy metals, toxins, and contaminants, and are independently tested by third party labs. These manufacturers test the soil of their ingredients, they check the water that is used to grow the plant, they test at every stage of the manufacturing process to ensure the final product is contaminant free, bioactive, and exactly what they report it to be. These products are sold through practitioners or high quality dispensaries because of their potency and medicinal uses. The rigorous testing, sourcing, and manufacturing does cost more which is why these products are often more expensive.

When buying from an online store, be sure you know exactly who you’re buying from. Many counterfeit products have been found on retail sites like Amazon, even with a quality brand-name label. Buy directly from the manufacturer or a supplier who verified they get it from the manufacturer directly.

Common third party certifications include: certified gluten-free, certified organic, certified vegan, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), Non-GMO Project Verified, and US PHarmacopeia.

Quality supplements should be looked at much like medications - take only when necessary, for as short of duration and dose as needed. They come in a variety of types: nutrients (like vitamin D, magnesium, or omega-3s), herbs for antimicrobial, antioxidant, or immune modulating benefits), and hormones (like DHEA, pregnenolone).

Supplements, contrary to popular belief, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the US. They are regulated differently than medications, but rather, are regulated as food. They are not designed to treat or “cure” any disease or ailment, but rather support the body to heal itself. They can be useful in eradicating infections, reducing pain, preventing infections, balancing blood sugars, lowering inflammation, and addressing digestive dysfunctions and symptoms.

If you’d like to check out the online stores I use and recommend, check out the links below. You can create free accounts and check out their offerings.

Fullscript: quality supplements, personal care products, and nutritional foods (check out my favorites inside the store)

Unicity: natural GLP-1 stimulating and gut repair food products

Questions? Schedule a free consultation call with me.