Can too many supplements be harmful?

Share This Post

People who love wellness often immerse themselves in finding the best way to optimize their health. Their health journey invariably can lead to what we affectionately refer to as “the supplement graveyard.” You know, that cabinet filled with all the vitamins, powders, and potions that accumulate, leaving many to wonder what the heck to even take.

So is there such a thing as too many supplements and vitamins? Let me go over exactly what you need to know when deciding which supplements to take. There are so many to choose from, and constructing an effective—yet manageable—supplement routine is more of an art than a science. Here’s how to hit that sweet spot:

1. Know your goals.

Do you want to bring down inflammation and heal your gut? Increase your energy levels, balance your hormones, optimize your nutrient levels—or all of the above? The first question you should ask yourself is what you are trying to achieve with your supplement regimen. This way you can fine-tune and focus your efforts.

2. Get a baseline.

If you want to make sure you’re not spinning your wheels and taking unnecessary supplements, go see a functional medicine practitioner and get some lab work done. Tests for vitamin D, B vitamins, iron, selenium, and magnesium are very simple and can all be done through basic conventional blood tests. We can also run more comprehensive labs that test for underlying factors such as microbiome health, hormonal imbalances, or toxicity; these can provide a lot of direction when it comes to your health and what supplements would be a wise addition to your routine.

3. Track your food intake.

For at least one week, log your typical food intake in a food tracking app like MyFitnessPal. In these programs you can see what you’re lacking as far as micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and even macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates). Based on this information, you can optimize the foods you eat and decide whether or not you need a supplement to target what you are not getting through food alone.

Many functional medicine doctors, with the best of intentions, will recommend a number of supplements depending on your case. Personally I always use food as medicine primarily for a strong foundation and use supplements based on labs to keep it targeted and organized. Some people do well with phasing in their supplements every few days to see how they respond while others are perfectly suited to start them all at once. Depending on what you are taking, sometimes it is appropriate to spread supplements out over the day to maximize nutrient absorption.

spot_img

Related Articles

How to acquire Health Insurance and Manage Adult ADHD (or ADD)?

Finding affordable health insurance plans can be challenging. Here are some tips for getting coverage, so that both you and your Adult ADHD are...

How to get started with dance workouts: A complete beginner’s guide

How to get started with dance workouts: A complete beginner's guide No matter what dance style you choose, whether it's African dance, TikTok, Latin fusion...

Achieving Weight Loss Success in a Flexible Lifestyle: Tips for Consistency

As someone who lost over 50 pounds while working in the corporate world, I can relate to many struggling with this problem. Trying to...

How to prepare for your first electric muscle stimulation workout

What exactly is electrical muscle stimulation? You may have used EMS Electrical Muscle Stimulation Workout to loosen tight muscles and allow them to heal. These...

A Beginner’s Guide to Dance Workouts

A Beginner's Guide to Dance Workouts You can choose from African dance, TikTok dancing parties, Latin Fusion, or any other dance style. It will be...

TOP 10 GYM ETIQUETTE ROLES

Ten rules to avoid being "that" person at the gym 1. Always ask Ask if you can help if someone is using a gym etiquette roles...

Practically win-win sports betting with minimal risk – tips for beginners

A sports betting strategy is an algorithm of actions for making profits with betting over a notional period of time. For example, increase the...

Tips for improving your mental well-being

The state of your mind is crucial to healthy living. We provide suggestions and tips to help you manage daily stress and issues. Mental health...

Are there any disadvantages to Tooth Implants

Are there any disadvantages to Tooth Implants Tooth Implants in the last decade have seen a huge increase in demand. New composites have come out,...

Subscribe

1,000FansLike
1,000FollowersFollow
1,000FollowersFollow

How Effective Are The Alternatives Of Phentermine Prescription Pills?

You know that phentermine is an excellent appetite suppressor....

Find Out Why You Should Be Taking Vitamins

Our parents gave us vitamins to take even those...

Probiotic Information

Probiotics are good germs. The body is an ecosystem...

How Single Males Can Get Into The Swinger Lifestyle

More to swinging than partner swapping Swinger lifestyle practises include...

Generic Cialis Enhances Sexual Performances for the Better

Cialis is an impotence treatment drug to let a...
error: Content is protected !!