6 Common Supplement Mistakes To Avoid, According to a Dietitian

Although dietary supplements give off an *all pure* aura—and may be helpful in sure instances—there are actual dangers concerned with blindly popping a capsule you heard about on TikTok. Beneath, six widespread 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 advocate 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 except your bloodwork signifies that you just’re poor in vitamin B12.

Fortunately B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, which signifies that any extra you eat might be faraway from the physique by means of your urine. So unnecessarily supplementing B12 will principally simply lead to 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 really makes any sense.

Taking pointless dietary supplements isn’t all the time low danger, 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 high blood levels over time. And that may have critical penalties: A 2022 case research revealed within the BMJ: Case Reports 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.

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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 figuring out 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 scorching flash is a scorching 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 really useful or reviewed by my health-care supplier?
• For those who’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?

Take into account getting up to date labs performed 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 shoppers of their 30s inform me they’re nonetheless taking a complement their physician really useful to them at age 17. Probably, that’s now not mandatory.

2. Taking a dose that is senseless

Would you quite choke down 10 fiber drugs daily, 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 type of complement errors I see on a regular basis in my apply. Tons of individuals pop dietary supplements with out an consciousness of the dose they’re taking or whether or not that dosage really makes any sense. Generally it’s comically low, different occasions it’s frighteningly excessive.

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

3. Taking the unsuitable type of a complement

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

The precise kind a nutrient is available in may also affect how a lot of it’s absorbed by the physique and the way seemingly it’s to trigger unintended effects. As an example, iron dietary supplements are infamous for inducing GI misery, however some studies show³ that sure types of iron, similar to ferrous bisglycinate, could also be much less prone 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:

Because of this in the event you’re taking any prescription remedy, it is best to all the time, all the time ask your physician or pharmacist about dietary supplements earlier than attempting them.

5. Taking dietary supplements with an extreme ingredient checklist

I want to take a minimalist strategy in the case of complement formulations. When a model sells a product that purportedly comprises 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 purple flag: Dietary supplements constructed from proprietary blends that go away shoppers at midnight in regards to the actual components and dosages contained inside the product. I’m not anti-supplements, I’m simply pro-transparency.

6. Doubling up on components

Probably the most widespread complement errors is to unknowingly double or triple up on the identical vitamins. This occurs typically when individuals are taking a number of merchandise. Taking a hair, pores and skin, and nails complement that comprises biotin, plus a B advanced for low vitality ranges, plus a prenatal all of sudden will imply you’re getting the identical B nutritional vitamins from three completely different sources.

On the subject of dietary supplements, extra isn’t all the time higher. Work with a credentialed supplier to streamline your routine, and save your hard-earned cash.