I’m an RD and I’m Begging You To Stop Making These All-Too-Common Mistakes With Your Supplements

Although dietary supplements give off an *all pure* aura—and might be helpful in sure instances—there are actual dangers concerned with blindly popping a tablet you heard about on TikTok. Beneath, six frequent complement errors I see as a registered dietitian.

What to not do when taking dietary supplements

1. Taking one thing with out confirming whether or not you want it

Ever heard the phrase: “Check, don’t guess?” The mantra is a pleasant reminder that suppliers want information earlier than they will suggest focused medical or dietary interventions.

The identical thought applies to dietary supplements. Tons of individuals come to me taking a vitamin B12 complement “for vitality,” however a B12 complement gained’t do you a lot good until your bloodwork signifies that you just’re poor in vitamin B12.

Fortunately B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, which implies that any extra you eat shall be faraway from the physique by way of your urine. So unnecessarily supplementing B12 will principally simply end in you pissing away your cash. (Sorry, I needed to.)

Tons of individuals pop dietary supplements with out an consciousness of the dose they’re taking or whether or not that dosage truly makes any sense.

Taking pointless dietary supplements isn’t at all times low threat, although. Different vitamins, like vitamin D, aren’t routinely escorted out of the physique when consumed in extra, so supplementing them with out motive—particularly at excessive doses—might result in dangerously excessive blood ranges over time. And that may have critical penalties: A 2022 case examine revealed within the BMJ: Case Studies discovered {that a} man was hospitalized for eight days with excessive signs (together with fixed vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive thirst) after taking extraordinarily excessive doses of vitamin D dietary supplements.

One other instance: Taking a buzzy “hormone balancing” complement with out confirming that you just even have a hormonal imbalance. Utilizing a complement for estrogen dominance with out realizing whether or not you even have elevated estrogen ranges might go away you feeling worse, not higher. (The one factor extra annoying than a real sizzling flash is a sizzling flash you gave your self.)

I like to recommend getting clear on why you’re taking a complement by asking your self these questions:

• Do I’ve a transparent and confirmed motive for taking this complement?
• Was this complement beneficial or reviewed by my health-care supplier?
• In case you’re taking a singular nutrient, like vitamin D or iron, for a deficiency: Have I rechecked my blood ranges to see how this complement has affected them?

Think about getting up to date labs finished each three to 6 months to find out whether or not or not your ranges have normalized in the event you’re taking a complement to deal with a nutrient deficiency.

I’ve had purchasers of their 30s inform me they’re nonetheless taking a complement their physician beneficial to them at age 17. More than likely, that’s now not vital.

2. Taking a dose that is not sensible

Would you relatively choke down 10 fiber tablets day by day, or add a spoonful of chia seeds to your breakfast? I ask as a result of swallowing 10 (10!) Metamucil fiber capsules will provide you with 4 grams of fiber, the identical quantity you’d get from consuming simply 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. To not point out you’ll additionally get a small quantity of calcium and omega-3s from the chia.

That is a kind of complement errors I see on a regular basis in my observe. Tons of individuals pop dietary supplements with out an consciousness of the dose they’re taking or whether or not that dosage truly makes any sense. Generally it’s comically low, different instances it’s frighteningly excessive.

When you’ve confirmed that you just’d profit from a sure complement, discuss to your supplier in regards to the right dosage for you. Even compounds that our our bodies naturally produce, like melatonin, have higher limits when taken in complement type.

3. Taking the flawed type of a complement

Completely different types of the identical nutrient can have vastly totally different results on the physique. Take magnesium, for instance. Magnesium glycinate dietary supplements could also be useful for nighttime leisure, whereas magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide dietary supplements act as laxatives². By accident taking magnesium oxide earlier than spending the night time together with your new boo will actually be the other of enjoyable, so be sure you choose the suitable type of a nutrient to attain your required outcomes.

The precise type a nutrient is available in also can affect how a lot of it’s absorbed by the physique and the way probably it’s to trigger uncomfortable side effects. As an illustration, iron dietary supplements are infamous for inducing GI misery, however some research present³ that sure types of iron, corresponding to ferrous bisglycinate, could also be much less more likely to trigger nausea and constipation than others, like ferrous sulfate.

4. Taking dietary supplements that work together with medicines

Maybe the gravest of the complement errors is unknowingly taking one thing that may work together together with your medicines. A number of examples:

That is why in the event you’re taking any prescription medicine, you need to at all times, at all times ask your physician or pharmacist about dietary supplements earlier than making an attempt them.

5. Taking dietary supplements with an extreme ingredient record

I want to take a minimalist method with regards to complement formulations. When a model sells a product that purportedly accommodates nutritional vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics, algaes, fish oil, broccoli extracts, caffeine, and some 300 different vitamins, I get skeptical. It’s difficult to suit so many high-quality, lively components right into a single capsule or scoop of powder, so extremely complete formulations give me pause.

One other crimson flag: Dietary supplements comprised of proprietary blends that go away shoppers at midnight in regards to the precise components and dosages contained inside the product. I’m not anti-supplements, I’m simply pro-transparency.

6. Doubling up on components

Some of the frequent complement errors is to unknowingly double or triple up on the identical vitamins. This occurs usually when individuals are taking a number of merchandise. Taking a hair, pores and skin, and nails complement that accommodates biotin, plus a B advanced for low vitality ranges, plus a prenatal unexpectedly will imply you’re getting the identical B nutritional vitamins from three totally different sources.

In the case of dietary supplements, extra isn’t at all times higher. Work with a credentialed supplier to streamline your routine, and save your hard-earned cash.