Do you need all those supplements?
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Walk into any health food store and it is easy to feel as though you need an entire shelf of supplements to be healthy. One product promises better energy, another supports immunity, another claims to “detox” the body, while yet another promises to fill nutritional gaps you may not even know you have.
And it's all over social media, where they try to convince you about the right type of magnesium to take, explaining why it's so important for you.
Isn't it worth asking a more important question: Do you actually need it?
Supplements can be valuable when there is a genuine nutritional need, but more is not necessarily better. In fact, taking unnecessary supplements, particularly at high doses or in combination with other products, can sometimes create new imbalances rather than correcting existing ones.
Even after the covid jab, many supplements are suggested to be "imperative" – yet unnecessary, depending on the situation (more on that later).
Not all supplements are created equal
The word “supplement” does not automatically mean high quality. Products can differ considerably in the form and dose of their nutrients, how they are manufactured and the additional ingredients they contain.
Some supplements contain fillers, binders, flavourings, sweeteners, colours or other ingredients that may have little nutritional value. You may also be paying for a long list of ingredients simply because a product looks more impressive on the label.
Quality matters so much here! A supplement should provide an appropriate amount of the nutrient in a form your body can use, while unnecessary ingredients should be kept to a minimum. Independent quality testing can provide additional reassurance about a product's identity, purity and manufacturing quality, although even a well-made supplement is not necessarily the right supplement for you.
Your body needs food first, air, and movement
The majority of your nutritional requirements should come from a varied, nutrient-dense diet. Whole foods provide much more than individual vitamins and minerals. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, quality proteins and healthy fats provide macronutrients alongside vitamins, minerals, fibre and a wide range of naturally occurring compounds that work together within the body. This is one reason we should be cautious about reducing nutrition to a collection of isolated nutrients.
A supplement can fill a nutritional gap, but it cannot recreate everything contained within a whole food, nor can it automatically make you "healthy".
Rather than adding more supplements, we often ask our clients how much time they're spending outdoors, unplugged, in direct sunlight (without sunglasses or sunscreens) daily; what does their daily exercise regiment look like; how much fresh air they're receiving and how are they minding their mental health. These are not boring, generalized questions, they are imperative to health and wellbeing – especially if you have received vaccinations!
Think balance, not individual nutrients
One of the biggest mistakes people make is looking at nutrients individually.
Your body does not operate as a collection of independent vitamins and minerals. Nutrients interact with one another, and the amount of one nutrient can influence the absorption, metabolism or function of another.
Here are some examples for magnesium:
Magnesium can be challenging for the body to store, especially when iron is already overloaded and stored in the tissue because of all those years you've been told you need to "take iron supplements". Regardless of the type of magnesium you take, your body may not assimilate it until you safely flush iron out.
Some people start taking magnesium supplements and, unknowingly, begin to have headaches and unexplained muscle stiffness. In this case, a magnesium foot bath or topical magnesium spray may be a more gentle transition.
And for some people, magnesium will balance once they deal with iron overload and increase bioavailable copper.
As you can see, this demonstrates why simply adding another supplement because you have heard that it's “good for you” may not be the best approach.
If your body is out of balance, the answer is not always to add one more supplement.
The supplement stacking problem
Supplement stacking is another issue: You might take a multivitamin in the morning, magnesium at night, a zinc supplement for immune support, vitamin D during the winter, a greens powder in your smoothie and an “immune booster” when you feel run down. Individually, each product may seem reasonable, but have you checked the labels to see whether you are taking the same nutrients repeatedly?
This is particularly important with nutrients for which excessive intake can cause problems. Before adding another supplement, look at everything you are already taking and consider what you are receiving through food as well.
Beware of fear-based supplement marketing
Unfortunately, there are people who make money by convincing you that something is wrong with your body and that another supplement is the answer.
Erroneously, you will often hear:
Leg cramps? Take magnesium.
Feeling weak? Take iron.
Losing hair? Drink borax.
Can't sleep? Take melatonin.
Supplement manufacturers are in the business of selling you products. Don't believe everything you see or hear.
The global dietary supplement market is valued at over $200 billion dollars, with vitamins and minerals holding the largest market share at roughly 34% of sales.
You may have seen claims suggesting that everyone is deficient in a particular nutrient, that you need to “detox” regularly, or that a long list of supplements is necessary to maintain optimal health. Some of these claims are based on legitimate nutritional science, while others are exaggerated, poorly supported or designed primarily to sell products.
If you are unsure about a supplement, don't rely solely on the person selling it to tell you whether you need it.
When supplements can be useful
There are many circumstances in which supplements can be appropriate and beneficial. A documented nutritional deficiency, certain dietary restrictions, increased nutritional requirements and particular health circumstances may all warrant supplementation.
The important distinction is purposeful supplementation versus indiscriminate supplementation.
Rather than asking, “What should I take?”, consider asking:
What am I trying to correct or support?
Do I have evidence that I actually need this nutrient?
How much am I already getting from food?
Am I taking the same nutrient in another supplement?
Is this the appropriate form and dose?
Could it interact with another supplement or medication?
What other ingredients are in the product?
These questions can save you money and, more importantly, help prevent unnecessary supplementation.
What about supplements to take after the Covid shot?
We often hear, "What should I use to support my body after the covid jab?"
The reality is that many people were coherced into feeling they needed to take the vaccination. For some, it was the only way to travel to see a loved one. For others, their way in to visit a dying parent at a nursing home.
Whatever the reason, there are some recommended supplements to consider, under the guidance of a professional:
Nattokinase: Shown to support blood flow to the heart and through the body. It will also help to degrade lingering viral spike proteins and break down abnormal bloodclots (not recommended for those taking blood thinners).
Bromelain: For its anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, and protein-cleansing properties. It has been shown to help reduce post-vaccine inflammation or break down residual spike proteins.
Vitamin C & Vitamin D: For immune support system. Bioavailable sources may be best for continued, ongoing support (from food and sunshine, respectively).
Omega 3 oils: Cod liver oil is the best quality and more bioavailable form of vitamin A for the body. It helps to support natural copper storage in the body.
Anti-parasitics: Repurposed medications have also been shown to be a supportive, effective detoxification strategy for those who took the jabs, as many versions had parasites and heavy metals within their compounding.
Take our poll: How many supplements are you taking at the moment?
Just a couple per day
3-10 different ones per day
10-20 different ones per day
Over 20 per day
Before you buy another bottle
Your health is not determined by the number of supplements sitting in your cupboard.
Sometimes the most beneficial step is not adding another product, but understanding what your body actually needs and addressing the underlying nutritional imbalance.
At Ezra Healing, we can help you look at your nutritional needs more holistically rather than simply adding supplements one at a time. If you're unsure about the supplements you are currently taking, or you're wondering whether you actually need everything in your cupboard, contact us before purchasing another product. We can help you determine what questions you should be asking and whether your current supplementation strategy makes sense for your individual needs.
Your body doesn't need more supplements simply because someone says it does. It needs the right nutrients, in the right amounts, for the right reasons.
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