Supplements are tools, they are not the solution.
Supplements are tools, they are not the solution. I cannot stress this enough. I know this to be true because 1) our body prefers food sources and 2) no nutrient functions in isolation. You want to double & triple check you need a supplement before you start taking it, and more importantly, you need to ask WHY you need it. The why could keep you from doing more harm than good. When we are sucked into a supplement solution, we often create more chaos in the body. Here are common supplements I either use in practice or I see being used and why I test before recommending.
1. Magnesium. Magnesium can be a magic mineral. Magnesium is great for headaches, cramps, stress, and digestion issues. However, magnesium supplements can cause anxiety and diarrhea if you have low sodium and potassium on your HTMA mineral test.
2. Zinc. Zinc is good for acne, immunity, and digestion. Many people are low in zinc, but if you supplement when you don’t need it, it can cause major chaos with your iron levels.
3. Probiotic. I have a megaspore probiotic that I absolutely love. It helps clear H.Pylori, yeast and combats acne, but did you know that depending on your current gut health some probiotics can actually make your symptoms worse? Pay attention when you take your probiotic and see if you notice any symptoms change.
4. Vitamin D. This is actually one I typically tell people to discontinue. Vit D is so good for immunity, energy, and metabolism. Vit D also shares a receptor with Vitamin A, a very important vitamin too that many women don’t get enough of. So, when you have high levels of Vit D supplements and not enough Vitamin A, it can create problems. I see this in practice more often than you would think. Vitamin A is important for iron regulation and if iron is not regulate it can cause chronic fatigue, it feeds infections, it causes skin issues and even major brain fog.
5. Beef liver. I would say this is one of the most common supplements I recommend because it’s from organ meats (which we don’t eat anymore) and it’s so rich in nutrients. However, there are a few instances that this would not be a good choice. One would be if someone has high copper levels. Women who are postpartum can actually have high copper levels that don’t come down due to liver congestion. High copper levels can mimic similar symptoms to postpartum depression. That is not to say that your PP depression isn’t real, it just means high copper could be contributing to it.
We are in a place in time where we truly value that each person is unique and we celebrate that. I don’t think that should be any different for our health. When we understand that our body may need something different than our friend next to us at brunch, it can be worth investing money into your health (versus spending on money on supplements you may not need).
And when in doubt, turn to food to get your nutrients. You do not HAVE to invest in labs to be healthier. I always say the best time to invest in labs is when you have tried other options, programs, doctors etc. and you still feel stuck. That is a sign you need to dig deeper, and you can find a solution that is unique to you.
