Supplements...Do we need them???
Hello! and welcome to my first blog. My aim with these blogs is to offer small bitesize pieces of nutrition information. I have quite a few topics on my mind to talk about, and I think I may start with a controversial yet important topic to address first…so here goes.
SUPPLEMENTS…DO WE NEED THEM???
What comes to mind when I say supplements? Leave me a message on the blog, I would love to know. I have had many patients, friends and family ask me about this topic, especially after the news did a segment on supplements being expensive and unnecessary. 1
Now can I say first, supplements should not be self-prescribed. Hands up if you have put yourself on supplements before? Perhaps because of something you read about them being good for you in some way???
WELL, a big issue with the debate on supplements being necessary or just expensive wee is due to people self-prescribing; particularly low dose multivitamins. There have been quite a few articles reviewing the effects of supplements, along with some of the reasons to only take supplements prescribed by a qualified practitioner. 2, 3, 4
So, the main reasons NOT to self-prescribe;
1. Drug interactions: Supplements can interfere with medications you may be taking, they can also interfere with other supplements,
2. Quality: High-grade pharmaceutical/practitioner only brands. Ensuring you are benefiting and absorbing the supplement and not just weeing it out, 2
3. Supplements cannot replace a good diet: Just because you take a multivitamin does not mean you are healthy nor that you can eat what you please. Supplements alone can only get you so far, a good diet is essential,
4. Medical requirement: Does your body require the supplement you are taking?
5. Dosage irregularities: You may be overdosing or underdosing,
6. Save money: Don’t buy into the supplement industry, save your money and only buy the supplements you are prescribed. Practitioners can also prescribe a product that combine supplements, so instead of taking several individual supplements, there may be one product we have that will do the job of those.
Qualified practitioners are just that: qualified. We are trained extensively and practice evidence-based medicine to assess your signs and symptoms, review your blood tests and determine what your body actually needs.
Okay, I could go on and on about this topic, but I won’t bore you all. So that sums up this bite size talk on supplements. Let me know your thoughts. Hopefully you enjoyed this piece, I will be writing my next blog on food and acne.
Remember, nothing can replace a well-balanced diet and lifestyle.
Love, nourish and care for your body.
Morgan x
Reference:
2. Lentjes MA. The balance between food and dietary supplements in the general population. Proc Nutr Soc [Internet]. 2019 Feb;78(1):97-109. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366563/
3. Schwab U, Pihlajamaki J. Are dietary supplements necessary for a healthy person?. Duodecim [Internet]. 2016; 132(24):2329-34. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29199792
4. Anders S, Schroeter C. The impact of nutritional supplement intake on behaviour and obesity outcomes. Available from: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185258#sec008