Supplements Explained - Part 1
Supplements to Consider
Walking into a vitamin section of a health food store can be pretty darn daunting. Honestly, I was afraid to even walk into a health food store until I started working in the industry and had a bit more confidence.
The 10,000+ supplements stocked in most stores can be helpful for some…but you CAN take too many!
The key is taking what YOU need, not what an article, blog post, or health expert has recommended. It can be really easy to slowly increase your supplement cupboard until it’s overflowing!
The truth is, ideally, your body prefers to get all of its nutrients from food. But, sometimes, usually through some processed food that can sneak into even the best diets, we develop some nutrient deficiencies that are hard to balance with just food.
For example:
Take magnesium (a very common deficiency). All dairy products contain lots and lots of calcium, but very little magnesium. For some reason, cows don’t need as much magnesium as humans do.
Add to that the constant stresses in our lives. Our body burns through a lot of magnesium when we’re under stress. This combo can lead to a magnesium deficiency.
Our body’s desperate need for more magnesium triggers a craving for food with lots of magnesium…chocolate. But, chocolate doesn’t have enough magnesium to balance out the imbalance, so the chocolate craving isn’t satiated. Our body is still looking for more.
THIS is where a supplement can come in handy. It can provide a big boost of magnesium to balance out the years of imbalance, while we balance out our diet.
Eventually, we won’t need a supplement…unless the drivers of the imbalance are still there (dairy and stress).
In this section, you’ll see that most supplements I’ve recommended are either ones that we get out of balance due to how we live or they’re ones that are low in most diets.
Universal Deficiencies (in N. America & Europe)
These are nutrients that most people in Westernized countries are deficient in, so they’re the most important ones to consider.
Probiotics –
This might be one of the most important supplements for us right now. Due to our wonderfully clean water and great sanitation (2 things I don’t want to lose), our guts are starving for more bacteria. In the past, we used to interact with bacteria every day. It would be on our food, our hands, and in our water.
Research is finding that there’s a link between our clean lifestyles and immune imbalances, specifically auto-immune conditions.
But! The good news is, we can fix our bacteria deficiency AND keep our lovely clean water and flushing toilets :).
Supplementing -
If you’ve had antibiotics in the recent past (1 round in the last 2 years, or 2+ in the last 5 years), or if you deal with any digestive issues, adding a daily probiotic for about 6 – 12 months can really help reseed your gut and create a new and balanced ecosystem.
(new gut ecosystems can take some time to become stable, this is why you need a daily probiotic for a while).
If you’re feeling pretty good, then I believe* that taking a probiotic supplement about once a week plus a daily dose of fermented food is the best way to keep your gut bacteria balanced.
Fermented food is really important, but it doesn’t contain the bifido bacteria we would have gotten in our dirty water. A probiotic supplement will bring in wider variety of strains than are found in fermented foods.
Look for a multi-strain, human-strain probiotic supplement that contains at least 20% bifido bacteria.
*This recommendation is based on my research and my personal opinion…there isn’t any research re: taking a weekly probiotic, it just makes rational sense to me. I wanted to be upfront with you that this is my opinion, I don’t have any research to back it up.
Omega 3
This nutrient plays a really important role in our immune system. It helps to create factors that calm down inflammation after an infection or injury is healed. We used to get our dose of omega-3s through wild fish, grass-fed beef and butter, and through some nuts and seeds.
Unfortunately, our cows are fed grains instead of grass, and our farmed fish are fed an improper diet, so these foods no longer contain the right balance of omega-3 anymore (they’re MUCH higher in pro-inflammatory omega-6s).
It’s not surprising that we have a chronic inflammation problem since our body isn’t receiving the right nutrients to calm that inflammation down. So, most of us will need to supplement.
Dietary sources of omega-3 –
4oz of wild salmon (cooked under 350 degrees) 3x a week or 2 tbsp of cold-pressed flax oil each day will supply a good amount of omega-3s to your diet. Flax seeds and chia seeds are also sources of omega-3s, but we don’t quite know how much you need to take to get the right dose at this time. They’re a rich fiber source, which is good for your colon but that may block the absorption of the omega-3s.
Supplementing –
Fish oil – this depends on your body’s size. For a 150lb person, take at least 1000mg of EPA/DHA per day. If you’re dealing with any chronic inflammation, aim for an EPA-rich supplement, with 1000mg EPA and as little DHA as you can find.
Vegetarian sources – 2 tbsp of a good quality flax oil or 2 – 3 tbsp of Udo’s oil (available in N. America) will cover your Omega-3 needs <3
Algae oils (vegetarian/vegan) - these are new-ish on the market and provides fully-formed DHA. Some also have lower amounts of EPA. This is a good option if you prefer a vegetarian form.
Vitamin D –
Everyone in Canada, most people in the northern half of the US, and 60% of people in Europe are deficient in Vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiencies are linked to auto-immune conditions (like MS), cancer, and other immune system issues. Happily, this is a very cheap and easy supplement to take :)
Supplementing –
The official guideline in Canada is 1000IUs per day in the summer and 2000IUs in the winter. From my experience with people testing their blood levels, this is a minimum dose. Research has found up to 10,000IUs per day is safe (but that’s usually higher than most need).
Honestly, since I live somewhere sunny, I didn’t think I needed to supplement…until a doctor I worked with told me that he tested farm workers in the prairies in September, and found that most of them were deficient. If people who spend 10 hours a day in the sun all summer were still deficient, then we all need to supplement.
Testing is the best way to find out what your perfect dose is. After 3 months of supplementing, your blood will be saturated at the dose you’ve been taking. If your blood level is okay, then that’s the dose you need to take to keep it there :)
Start with 1000IU – 2000IU per day. Continue for 3 months and then have your blood level tested. If you’re still low, double your dose and test again after 3 months.
This may seem tedious, but it’s the only way to know what your dose is. For some, 1000IU is all they need, while others need upwards of 8000IU per day.
Common Deficiencies
These are nutrients that many people are deficient in. They’re not totally universal…but super duper mega common.
Magnesium –
This is the most common mineral deficiency I see, much more than a calcium deficiency. You definitely want to consider adding magnesium if you’re taking calcium, otherwise calcium doesn’t absorb as well.
Otherwise, only take magnesium if you have symptoms of a deficiency. Symptoms are: tiredness, muscle tightness, twitching muscles, lots of phlegm or mucous, high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat.
Supplementing
Take 150 – 300mg of magnesium, 1 – 2x per day (dose dependant on strength of symptoms)
Forms –
Citrate – cheap and fairly absorbable. Can cause loose stools for some people
Bisglycinate – more expensive but very absorbable. Does not cause any bowel issues
Oxide – ONLY used as a laxative. NO magnesium is absorbed into the body. Watch for some amounts of oxide mixed into magnesium formulas (it’s cheap and lowers the price)
Other good forms - malate, L-threonate, glycinate, orotate
B Vitamins –
This is a very common vitamin deficiency. We need extra B vitamins when we’re under stress, and white flour and sugar steals B Vitamins from our system (they’re needed for the digestion of the sugar or flour).
There are 8 types of B vitamins, and each plays an important role in the body. For simplicity, I’m going to be talking about all of the Bs as a group, with a side-note re: B12 because it has some unique issues.
Symptoms of low B vitamins –
Fatigue, swollen tongue, cracks on the sides of the mouth, more grey hair, shortness of breath, numbness in fingers.
Supplementing -
Look for a B25 or B50 complex. This means that there are 25mg or 50mg of each type of B vitamin.
Take 1 – 2 per day with breakfast. Don’t take more than 100mg each day without the support of a medical professional.
Do you need methylated Bs?
Some of us, possibly up to 50% of us have a genetic quirk where we don’t methylate certain B vitamins very well. Methylation is a natural part of the assimilation process.
For those who have this quirk, taking a regular B complex can be harmful (non-methylated Bs can block the absorption of the ones in your diet).
How do you know if you’re affected by this? There’s a genetic test you can get. Or, see if you have any of these symptoms (https://www.biocare.co.uk/news/10-signs-you-need-methylation-support.html)
Here’s another great article about it if you’d like more info.
And lastly, yes, your urine will turn fluorescent yellow when you take a B complex. It’s not a sign that you’ve just excreted your Bs, it’s a part of the metabolism of B2.
B12 –
Vitamin B12 is a very hard vitamin to absorb, especially as we get older. It needs high stomach acid for digestion, and that gets weak as we age. Acid relux drugs, like PPIs will block the absorption of B12.
Issues for B12 aren’t just a problem for vegans and vegetarians, I’ve seen B12 deficiencies in all types of diets, including those with high meat diets.
Our body stores about 5 – 7 years of B12 in our liver, so deficiencies take time. And, a blood test you can ask for from your doctor. Check your B12 level ever few years after the age of 55 or if you have any B12 deficiency symptoms.
Symptoms of Deficiency –
Tiredness, weakness, tingling in fingers, and heart palpitations.
* Most symptoms of B12 deficiency show only when you’re REALLY deficient (tiredness can happen earlier). Testing your level is important to avoid the stronger symptoms.
Supplementing -
Take 1000mcg – 5000mcg of methycobalamin (that’s the form). Look for a sublingual supplement (under your tongue) so you can skip your stomach digestion altogether.
Multivitamins
I don’t think that everyone needs a multivitamin. Your body would rather get your nutrients from food, and it can be hard on the body to take a multi unnecessarily (especially high dose multis).
When I first started getting healthier I took a powdered high-dose multivitamin (it had 500mg of calcium, a B50 complex, it was intense). This multi made a world of difference…for awhile.
After a few years, my nutrient levels were a lot better, but I kept taking that high dose multi. I thought it was important…and then my skin started breaking out.
I started to get these really sore and painful pimples on my face. At the time I was in school for nutrition and the book I was reading talked about symptoms of over-supplementation. And my sore and painful pimples were a symptom!
I immediately stopped taking that multi and my skin cleared up in a few weeks. Since then I’ve been very VERY careful how much I supplement.
When to consider taking a multivitamin –
Sometimes your body needs more nutrients than your diet can provide. Consider a multi if you’re dealing with a chronic illness, high stress, digestive issues (including taking a PPI), and chronic pain.
Check out Part 4 for info on how to find the best multi :)
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