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I constantly see massive confusion and outlandish money being spent on dietary supplements with little benefit and sometimes, significant risk. Check out this post from our Dietitian Becca for a quick read on 5 common myths. —Dina
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I recently gave a “Supplements 101” talk to a broad audience for an employee wellness educational event. Since the audience wasn’t my usual sports and performance-based crowd, it was a good chance to go back to the basics around dietary supplements.
A recent survey from the Council for Responsible Nutrition showed 70% of US adults take one or more supplements. As this number continues to rise, I wanted to bust a few common myths around supplements. In the next part, I’ll share the top 5 commonly used dietary supplements and discuss their benefits, food sources, and whether a supplement should be considered for each.
Here’s my top 5 myths:
Supplements are necessary. Fact: Most people with balanced diets don’t need dietary supplements. They should be used to correct deficiencies for specific nutrients and should be considered for individuals with dietary restrictions or food exclusions. We’ll look at certain nutrients that may be helpful to supplement in order to achieve optimal levels in the next post.
Natural means safe. Fact: Natural substances can still be harmful if consumed in large amounts and can negatively interact with medications or other supplements and cause harmful side effects.
More is better. Fact: High doses of supplements can be toxic and can limit the body’s ability to absorb other key nutrients. An example is fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K since our body has a storage capacity for these unlike water-soluble vitamins that are mostly excreted when consumed in excess.
Brand doesn’t matter. Fact: The products you choose should be 3rd party tested to ensure safety and purity – meaning what is on the label matches what is in the bottle.
If it’s on the shelf, it’s safe because the FDA tests and approves before go-to-market. Fact: The FDA does not approve supplements. Supplements are regulated like food and not medication or drugs, so FDA testing does not take place prior to a supplement showing up on the shelf and only occurs after consumer complaints warrant investigation.
Given the complex nature of the supplement industry, I highly recommend doing your research before popping any pills (or invest in a consultation with us to get expert guidance). A few resources to get you started:
3rd party testing agencies:
Consumer-facing education:
What’s a top question you have about dietary supplements? Let us know so we can help you better!
-Becca
P.S. Ready for help to figure out what dietary supplements you really need? Email me and we’ll get a session scheduled.