Are Supplements a Waste of Money?

Not all supplements are the same. Let’s say we have two different multivitamin supplements sitting next to each other on the counter. Looking at the ingredient label, they both list the same nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Are the supplements the same? The answer is NO.

Here’s why: as the case is with just about any supplement, there can be MAJOR differences regarding the sources, quality, quantity, and processing involved in the production of the supplement. Regarding the source of supplements, buying one that is organic and whole food based is essential. Any animal derived ingredients should be sourced from healthy, sustainably raised animals. This helps ensure optimal quality and uptake by your body.

Many supplements are synthetic based, meaning they are artificially produced in a laboratory. Synthetically produced supplements are not utilized properly by the body and can often cause problems. Your body is less able to absorb them and does not recognize artificial ingredients. So, although a label may claim to have a certain amount of a specific nutrient, your body may not even be absorbing and utilizing it properly.

When it comes to quantity, more is not always better. When looking at a nutrition label, the daily value percentages can be misleading. Synthetically produced supplements can often yield a higher percent daily value, but very little is absorbed by the body. What is absorbed is not utilized properly and can often cause more harm than good.

Whole food based supplements are much better absorbed by your body, and once absorbed, efficiently utilized to improve, fortify, and strengthen your body’s cells, tissues, organs, and overall structure. Thus, it is much more important to look at the quality of nutritional supplements, rather than simply looking at daily value percentages, or quantity.

Another important point to consider when purchasing a supplement is to look at the process involved in making it. This would involve contacting the manufacturer and asking them what the production process involves. Many supplement manufacturers use high heat, chemicals, fillers, and other processing methods that destroy the delicate enzymes, vitamins, minerals, probiotics, oils and other goodies found in a high-quality supplement.

As you can see, deciding which supplements you should buy can be complicated. The first step is knowing what to look for, and hopefully you are now aware of what that involves. In our practice, we only utilize the highest quality, whole food based supplements. I have personally toured the facilities used to produce many of the supplements we carry and can attest to the high quality and standards of production.

You will not find our supplements in stores, as they can only be carried by licensed health care professionals. Are the supplements we carry more expensive than what you’d find at a warehouse club, department store, or supplement store? Absolutely. We will never apologize for carrying quality products.

So, are supplements a waste of money? If they are synthetic and improperly produced, yes. If they are high quality, whole food based supplements, the answer is NO.