Should I Take Vitamins?
The best nutrition starts with whole foods. (You knew I’d say that!) These include quality proteins, colorful vegetables, healthy fats, berries, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, and … let’s throw a little dark chocolate into the mix.
These foods are “nutrient-dense,” meaning that each bite packs a lot of good stuff your body needs. Nutrients in whole foods work together and amount to more than the sum of their parts. So, eating an apple does more for you than swallowing a pill with the exact same nutrients.
It’s basic science mixed with the art of Mother Nature.
Unfortunately, even if you eat a nutrient-dense diet most of the time, you likely could benefit from some vitamins.
If this disappoints you, I get it. It disappoints me, too. But here we are. I can help.
Much of our food today contains fewer nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, fiber, polyphenols and others) than what our great-grandparents ate.
Mostly large-scale farming operations have depleted soils of important microbes, and of minerals that plants take up with their roots. We eat those plants, and we eat the animals that eat those plants. As such, the state of soils makes a big difference in our nutrition and health. (On a related note, regenerative agriculture is making great strides for improving soil health, nutrition and climate.)
Another reality of our food system is that much of what we eat is grown far away. When food travels days and weeks from field or ocean to your grocery store, and then to your plate, the nutrient content can diminish significantly.
In my practice, I can help you prioritize food routines, then add vitamins into the mix, based on what you eat, your age, gender, health conditions and goals.
On a tight budget? Take a high-quality supplement at half the dose.
If you already take vitamins, I will help you sort out which may be more or less helpful.
I often learn that a client is taking too much of a certain nutrient, which can be harmful, or that they don’t remember why they’re taking some supplement their buddy swore by years and hundreds of dollars ago.
I’ll show you how to source products from manufacturers that use high-quality raw ingredients and conduct third-party testing for safety and quality.
In the meantime, here are my top thoughts and suggestions about using supplements*:
Ask a pharmacist for interactions among your supplements and medications. (I also help my clients check for interactions)
Talk to your doctor about the supplements you take
Nutritional supplements are technically not unregulated, but oversight is pretty limited. FDA steps in only after a complaint is filed against a product maker
Quality products carry the NSF seal and other third-party testing certifications (type varies by supplement)
High-quality brands source nutrients from food and other natural compounds
Poor-quality supplements are often made from synthetic ingredients. These are not well-absorbed and potentially harmful. As such, they’re generally a waste of money
Poor-quality supplements may contain harmful contaminants like heavy metals, including arsenic and lead
Omega-3 fish oils, probiotics and other delicate compounds may be ineffective if they were stored at high temperatures for long periods.
At home, refrigerate omega-3s and other oil-based supplements and probiotics
Consumer groups that test popular supplements often discover products contain less of the active ingredients than stated on the label
Buy vitamins through a qualified health professional (like me!) or health foods store. Some companies sell counterfeit and expired products. I advise clients against purchasing supplements through Amazon
When budget is an issue, opt for high-quality, then take half the dosage (vs. purchasing a lower quality brand)
The body only absorbs so much of a given nutrient at once. If the dosage is 2 pills/day, take them several hours apart to increase total absorption
The right dosage depends on the person. Many nutrients have a “tolerable upper limit.” Above that, toxicity may occur with harmful side effects. Also, taking too many supplements can be hard on your liver. A vitamin holiday of 2-3 weeks may be a good idea
Don’t take a supplement indefinitely. Ask the provider who recommended it when and if you should reduce the dosage or stop taking it. For example, vitamin D (which most people in Colorado need to supplement!) accumulates in our tissues. I often suggest clients take a higher amount for 6 months to correct a deficiency, then reduce to a maintenance dosage
*None of the statements or views expressed in this article constitute medical advice.
