Should you Supplement?
The Good
Supplements can help prevent illnesses brought on by deficiencies, they can help support regrowth of tissue due to exercise or injury, and they can provide a higher quality of life to those that benefit. Additionally, they’re often geographically accessible to the majority of the US population as well as fully accessible to anyone with a mailing address who has access to online stores.
The Bad
Supplements are often over-priced, under-tested⁴, and wrongfully touted as a cure for fatigue, plateaus, and weight gain. With limited research or miscommunicated findings, supplements crop up to make money from unknowing consumers. What’s worse is that the lack of clear information makes it difficult to accurately research without experience or expertise doing so.
The Ugly
The dietary, botanical, and sports supplement industries are cumulatively worth ~$138 billion¹²³. With that market size, you’ve undoubtedly tried a supplement in your lifetime. Even more shocking is the lack of transparency and oversight required to control and verify such a massive and ever-growing market. In 1994, lobbyists within the supplement industry successfully helped pass the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) which now regulates the dietary supplement industries. With this act, dietary supplements were considered akin to food and not to medication thus reducing the regulatory burden on the FDA and increasing the deceit now often found in supplements and on their labels.
The Recommendation
If you’re deficient in a nutrient or don’t receive enough of that nutrient naturally and cannot, then supplementation is right for you. If you’re unsure whether or not you’re deficient, schedule a visit with your general practitioner, a naturopath, or another licensed health provider who can provide you with the tests necessary to determine deficiencies. Are you unsure if you need to supplement? Then schedule a Nutrition Coaching Single Session to speak with me about what route is best for you and how to navigate the difficult world of supplementation.
-Kyler | kyler@ballardhealthclub.com
Cert. Nutrition Coach, CPT
Source(s):
¹Botanical Supplement 2022 Market Worth
²Sports Nutrition Supplement 2022 Market Worth