Please Click Here for a list of supplements that I recommend
Do We Need Them?
Everyone has their own opinion on whether we should take supplements or if diet alone can supply needed nutrients. Physicians are now starting to realize that yes, supplements can be important. As a Medical Psychologist and herbalist I see the results of insufficient nutrition and its effect on mind and body. I use vitamin, mineral, amino acid and enzyme supplements in treating my patients (and in maintaining my own health!).
Health Science provides evidence that the majority of Americans are significantly lacking in many of the important nutrients from diet alone to maintain health.
The USDA, in conjunction with the CDC runs an ongoing survey that tracks dietary adequacy of key nutrients. They publish an annual report (link) What We Eat in America that clearly demonstrates the facts!The current report reveals the facts about the need for supplements. For example, of healthy, non-smoking women age 51-70,
- Over 97% do not get enough vitamin D from diet,
- 86% are deficient in vitamin E,
- 76% of these women are deficient in calcium,
- 49% deficient in magnesium,
- 40% don’t get enough vitamin C,
- 19% are deficient in zinc,
- 11% do not have enough Vitamin B12,
- and surprisingly, fewer that 3% do not get an adequate iron, despite advertising claims!
Please Click Here for a list of supplements that I recommend
We all have different needs
- Besides special nutrient needs due to your medical situation,
- Genetics play a large part in determining if a person needs an extra amount of a particular nutrient. We all absorb and metabolize differently.
- Nutrient levels in our food has been steadily decreasing (yes, hard science! see the the journal article from (link) The American College of Nutrition
- The drugs we take and the timing of when we take them can have a profound influence on nutrient needs. For example, wait at least an hour before having coffee after taking your thyroid meds!
- Many drugs decrease nutrient absorption or interfere with their utilization and several increase demand for certain nutrients. Acid blockers are notorious for blocking B12 absorption!
- Check your meds against a list available from Oregon State University at https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/drug-nutrient-interactions This guide is available as an Apple App or Google Play App
- Your lifestyle and level of stress can create additional nutrient need by releasing cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine; nutrients, and particularly B vitamins are needed to neutralize these in your body.
Why is it so difficult to get factual supplement recommendations?
The FDA polices and will prosecute supplement advertising to prevent unproven claims. That is why you will see words like “supports…” rather than “helps reduce…” or “treats…” Supplement claims of benefits must be separated by a certain number of pages or “clicks” from actual offers for sale (to buy).
The FDA tries to be very strict when it comes to supplements, although they often give a “wink” to off-label prescribing of pharmaceuticals.
The FTC regulates advertising claims for supplements, while the FDA oversees labeling claims. All claims must be truthful, not misleading, and substantiated with scientific evidence.
The transportation of dietary supplements falls under FDA regulations established by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994.
- Labeling Requirements: All supplements transported across state lines must comply with FDA labeling requirements. The label must include:
- Identity of the product
- Net quantity of contents
- Ingredient list (including active and inactive ingredients)
- Name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor
- Supplement Facts panel with serving size and nutrient details
- Prohibited Claims: Products cannot be marketed as curing, treating, or preventing specific diseases. Doing so would classify them as drugs, requiring FDA approval.
- Health Claims:
- Describe the relationship between a supplement and reducing the risk of disease (e.g., “calcium reduces the risk of osteoporosis”).
- Requires FDA pre-approval and significant scientific agreement.
- Structure/Function Claims:
- Describe how a supplement affects the body’s structure or function (e.g., “supports immune health”).
- No pre-approval is needed, but manufacturers must notify the FDA within 30 days of marketing the claim.
- Must include a disclaimer: “This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
- Claims that lack evidence or exaggerate benefits are considered deceptive and can lead to fines, product recalls, or injunctions.
Prior to 1995 transporting supplements was regulated by the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission). They required 2 human studies showing positive results for supplement claims. This no longer applies, and FDA compliance can cost many thousands of dollars (paid to the FDA for the process!)
My recommendations are based on hard science and follow this ICC standard for peer reviewed human studies. Still, to avoid problems, I and other holistic practitioners, will continue to use words like “supports…”
How trustworthy are supplement brands?
I have found that for the most part, vitamins, minerals and amino acids from most companies are quite reliable. Paying more does not necessarily mean you get more; often the more talked about brands have inflated prices (advertising has a cost!).
- A caution: Not all forms of a vitamin or mineral are equally absorbed, despite claims. There is plenty of hard science to demonstrate this.
- I always prefer natural rather than chemistry set forms–which you usually find in multivitamin-mineral products.
- I am generally skeptical about combination formulas for particular health issues; companies will often take one or two ingredients that have proven science and add filler nutrients to be able to claim they have a “special formula”.
What about herbs?
Herbs are quite a different story. Without having your own “clean room” to test, we are at the mercy of herbal suppliers when it comes to claims about purity and potency. The problem seems to lie at the wholesale herb level; most brands get their herbs from a handful of major suppliers.
- Some of these suppliers just run a warehouse business and do not do their own analysis.
- Counterfeiting herbs is so pervasive that I trust only a handful of brands, and over the years have leaned more toward using Traditional Chinese herbs over western preparations. It is hard to fool a practitioner who knows what an herb looks like, tastes like, and feels like!
- Only use brands that following standards of current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO). Check the label or their website for this!
- Verify that the the herbs have been tested for authenticity via advanced laboratory equipment and that pesticide, heavy metal, fungus, mold and bacteria tests are performed to ensure purity and safety.