Everything You Need To Know About Supplements, A Functional Medicine Perspective

Judging supplements - exactly what to look for

If you are looking to start taking supplements, chances are a Google search is your first stop. But Dr. Google is a fickle thing. On one hand, it’s a great way to get information at your fingertips but on the other hand, it’s full of conflicting information - especially when it comes to supplements. And with so many brands and types of supplements on the market, how do you know where to start and what is worth your time? 

This process is two-fold. First, you need to take into consideration what is best for you. Not everyone is going to benefit from every supplement known to man, since your individual biochemistry is unique to you. Secondly, you need to look at the brand itself and how it stacks up against others in a few key areas. This is the process I recommend my patients go about vetting supplements:

     1. Your starting point

The very first thing to consider is the status of your health before taking any supplements. For example, a person with a severe nutrient deficiency is going to require more than someone who is just slightly deficient. A functional medicine practitioner can run labs and help you determine your base levels.

     2. Dosage

This is where your starting point comes into play. If you don’t know your deficiencies you won’t know how much to take to make a difference. This leaves many people taking the right supplements at lower doses than they require so they don’t end up feeling any better. If they were taking enough they would see an improvement. This is why it’s important to work with a qualified practitioner who can determine the right dose for your particular health case so you don’t waste your time.

     3. Your personal needs

Every person’s health case is unique and will have different requirements for healing. Even if two people have the same diagnosis their bodies may respond differently to the same treatment. While I may sound like a broken record by now, this is another reason why it is so important to work with a practitioner who has experience taking underlying dysfunctions into account when recommending supplements for each individual.

     4. Absorption rate

An often overlooked factor to consider is how well your body is able to absorb the nutrients in a supplement. Chronic inflammation and underlying gut problems can inhibit cellular absorption of these much-needed nutrients. Without first addressing these underlying problems, it can make the benefits of supplementation very minimal or even non-existent. Again, a qualified practitioner can determine the best plan of action to address these before - or in conjunction - with supplements.

     5. Quality

Once you’ve narrowed down the type of supplement that is best for you, it’s time to choose what brand you should take. Make sure to examine the label to uncover any hidden inflammatory ingredients such as grains or sugar, as well as any artificial colors and fillers as a lot of these added ingredients can negate the benefits of why you are taking a supplement in the first place.

     6. Transparency

I like to approach choosing a supplement like hiring a new employee – vet your options and do a thorough background check. When you look up a brand, they should be completely transparent about the quality of their ingredients, where they source them from, their manufacturing process, and even include science-backed research supporting the benefits of their supplements.

Next Steps

At the end of the day, working with a qualified practitioner is going to be the best first step at helping you choose what supplements are right for you. However, there are a few supplements that most everyone can benefit from. That’s why I created The Collection - 9 essential supplements personally curated from the Earth’s finest ingredients. Each supplement is designed to work synergistically together to support your optimal wellness.

• The Probiotic: Supports a healthy gut
• The Methylator: Supports detoxification pathways
• The Omega+: Supports brain and hormone health
• The Brain-Adrenal Balancer: Supports healthy cortisol levels, energy levels, and mental clarity
• The Magnesium: Supports better sleep and mental clarity
• The Curcumin: Supports healthy inflammation levels
• Protect: Supports detoxification pathways
• The Antioxidant: Supports healthy aging and cellular health
• The D3-K2: Supports overall health

I wanted to cut the confusion and provide high quality supplements to everyday people without the need for endless hours researching.

If you are looking to start taking supplements, shop The Collection here.

And if you want to learn more about what supplements would work best for you, ​​as one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.