My Favourite Supplements - Keeping It Simple
I often have clients come in with a bag or picture of the many and various supplements they were, are or thinking about taking. I quite enjoy this process of understanding what motivated them to buy each supplement but also explaining how they work....or why they don't work. I often ask my clients to put many aside or give away many, leaving a select few to focus on that are going to help them achieve their goals.
Now, confession time - my supplement cupboard rivals the stock levels of a small health food shop. I am always trying new things, seeing how they taste or make me feel - yes, to help myself but also so I can give clients honest feedback about efficacy, taste, etc.
There are a few that I often recommend or that I believe most people (your own circumstances, goals, medications would need to be considered to ascertain if these are suitable for you.) These are the ones that I too take most consistently, although dependent on what I am trying to achieve.
Magnesium - needed in about 600 different functions in the body and not just for sleep and relaxing tense muscles. It is great for soothing an anxious mind and detoxification. Honestly, it is the single most frequent supplement I prescribe. Interesting to see that some studies show that it can take up to 6 weeks to get the benefit of magnesium, so it is a long-term option for many. It is also the one that I most often ask clients to throw away so choosing the right one is important <Insert link to the existing blog on choosing the right magnesium.
B complex - the B vitamins liberate the energy from your food, help you handle stress better, balance your mood and help with gut motility. The B vitamins work best together so I tend to prescribe a single supplement with all the B vitamins, often in activated forms. I may also prescribe single B vitamins at higher doses for particular conditions. They are utilised heavily in periods of stress and are water-soluble so a good addition to your first meal. (Some, such as myself, may feel stimulated if they take the B vitamins later in the day.)
Turmeric - I often joke that there are not many studies that show turmeric to be ineffective for any given condition, let alone harmful. It is pretty much a powerhouse for inflammation and liver support. In this modern world, most of us need this sort of support, regardless of how clean we eat. Considering how many conditions are linked back to inflammation, this is an important supplement to support pretty much every aspect of health
Other favourites
There are a few other favourites (such as zinc, Vitamin D, digestive enzymes and the probiotic-like Saccharomyces Boullardii) but these three are a good foundational investment in your health. You can then use food or other key supplements to help you achieve your goals. As your goals change over time, so should your supplements.
When considering supplements, you need to look at the therapeutic ingredient (dose, form etc) as well as the added chemicals that help with shelf life, appearance and taste. Oftentimes, these are the ingredients that people react to, not the actual therapeutic agent.
Get professional advice
Please remember that even natural supplements have advantages and disadvantages so best to get professional advice to ensure that these are indeed the best option for you.
If you would like an opinion on your bag of supplements, please get in touch. No use spending money on low-quality supplements or those that don't help you achieve your goals. And maybe you can even simplify your supplement protocol- less is often better. Now there is a big investment in your health.