Do I REALLY Need To Take Supplements? A Naturopathic Perspective
Recently, a client asked me if supplements are really necessary. The deciding which to take, finding good quality brands, purchasing them, remembering how and when to take them, not running out.
Is it worth the effort - gosh do we REALLY need them?! ✨”Previous generations got along fine without them, my grandmother lived till 99 and never took any ...”
I get it. I had the same wonderings … and what I came to recognize and admit to myself is that we live in a much different world and they can be a very supportive piece in making sure our amazing bodies have the nutrients she needs to run all her incredible pathways and processes that give us the experience of having good energy, memory, focus and clear thinking, balanced hormones, resilience, strength and all the other ways we feel our vitality and wellness.
Ideally, our food would provide all the nutrients our bodies need to thrive but the reality is that even a diet rich in whole, organic foods often falls short of meeting essential nutritional requirements. Why? Three of the top contributors to this are: 1.soil depletion, 2. environmental toxins, and 3. nutritional needs exceeding what diet alone provides.
Here’s a bit more on each of these … ✨
1. Soil Depletion✔️
One of the key reasons for taking nutritional supplements is the depletion of nutrients in our soils. Due to modern agricultural practices such as monocropping (growing a single crop in the same area repeatedly) and the use of chemical fertilizers, the natural nutrient content of soil has significantly diminished over the past century. These practices contribute to the erosion of topsoil and a reduction in the essential minerals including calcium, magnesium, selenium, chromium, manganese and zinc.
Studies have shown that the mineral content in veg, fruit and grains has dropped by up to 40% over the last 50 years. While eating organically grown foods can help - especially from farms where they are taking care to bring in practices that are regenerative - it often isn’t enough to counteract the effects of soil depletion. Nutritional supplements, can provide a reliable source of the essential nutrients that are harder to obtain through food alone, supporting our bodies in ways the current food system cannot.
2. Environmental Toxins✔️
Our exposure to environmental toxins has dramatically increased in the past century, from industrial pollutants to household chemicals and pesticides. Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, along with other toxins, have become prevalent in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we consume. These toxins place a burden on our detoxification systems, primarily the liver and kidneys, contributing to nutrient deficiencies.
Many essential nutrients, like vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidants, are required in higher amounts to help our bodies detoxify and neutralize free radicals produced by these toxic exposures. Naturopathic Doctors recognize that in order to support these natural detoxification processes, supplements can be beneficial. Nutrients such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), glutathione, and B-complex vitamins are particularly useful in this regard, enhancing our resilience against environmental pollutants and supporting overall health.
3. Nutritional Needs Beyond the Diet✔️
Diet is a cornerstone of good health and nutritional needs can exceed what even the healthiest diet can provide.
Some reasons for this are:
Increased Nutrient Demand: Various life stages and conditions create increased nutrient demands. For instance, pregnant women, athletes, and people under chronic stress require more nutrients. Heavy periods can lead to iron deficiency. People with health conditions, like digestive issues or chronic inflammation, may not absorb nutrients efficiently, leaving them more susceptible to deficiencies as well.
Digestive Health and Nutrient Absorption: Poor gut health can inhibit nutrient absorption. Conditions such as leaky gut syndrome, IBS, or low stomach acid reduce the body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals from food. In these cases, targeted supplements such as probiotics, digestive enzymes, or specific vitamins (e.g., B12 or iron) can support digestion and absorption.
Diversity in Nutritional Needs: Each person has unique nutritional needs based on their genetics, lifestyle, and health history. For example, some individuals have genetic variations that increase their requirement for folate, magnesium, or other nutrients and supplements can address these so the pathways in the body that need them can still run and create wellness in our bodies.
Medication-Induced Deficiencies: Whatever medication you are taking replenishing any nutrients that are depleted is supportive to your overall health. During my time in naturopathic school two pharmacists had written a book for physicians that was a compilation of info on pharmaceutical drugs + the deficiencies that using it are known to cause. Super helpful! That information can be accessed easily on the net now if you know you can look for it or you can ask me at our next visit. Two examples are CoQ10 being depleted by Cholesterol Medication and B12 + the Bs by the Birth Control Pill.
Key Supplements to Consider
These are the 6 top supplements that I find most clients need and have reported benefit from (less symptoms, better health):
Multivitamin: A high-quality multivitamin can fill in the gaps left by modern dietary limitations.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3s are often deficient in the modern diet but are essential for reducing inflammation, supporting brain health, and enhancing heart health.
Vitamin D (in emulsified form): Vital for immune health, bone density, hormone balance and mood regulation. 5,000 iu per day is what I recommend during the winter months. D-Mulsion by Genestra is my favourite for my clients as it’s in a very absorbable and 2 drops gets you to your daily. Simple. 🥳
Magnesium: Critical for hundreds of bodily processes, yet depleted from soil and commonly lacking in food, magnesium supplements support relaxation, muscle function, and energy production.
Probiotics: Gut health directly affects nutrient absorption and immunity. Probiotics can help restore healthy gut bacteria, enhancing digestion and nutrient uptake.
Adrenal supportive supplement: Since stress has such a huge impact on our bodies taking a supplement that nourishes the adrenals with adrenal specific nutrients and herbs is in my experience essential for supporting a woman’s thriving especially in motherhood, midlife or during any time of transition or stress.
Quality absolutely makes a difference with supplements. The form of the nutrient in a supplement impacts the amount of the supplement that can be absorbed. Many people aren’t aware that there are quality grades of each nutrient that companies choose to create their product with. I have clients come to me all the time that report they are taking supplements but not seeing any results/benefits and then are amazed at the impact of a high quality, professional product of the same nutrient. I find quality especially key with probiotics and fish oils where an inferior source can actually subtract from health (due to not uncommon contamination or low but present levels of toxicity).
Supplementation as a Complement, Not a Substitute
From a naturopathic viewpoint, I want to emphasize that supplements should complement, not replace, a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. A food sensitivity-free -whole-food diet, regular hormone savvy exercise, stress management, connection time with friends and family, quality sleep and time for play are foundations of health. Incorporating nutritional supplements thoughtfully can create a more balanced, well-rounded approach to wellness and be supportive in boosting overall wellness, enhancing energy, and improving resilience and longevity.
If you need help fine-tuning or simplifying your supplements bring what you are taking in to your next naturopathic visit and we can take a look at them together. 🙌
To you and your family feeing your best ❤️! xo, Dr. Monika🦋
Are you a heart centred woman whose energy is often focussed on supporting others to thrive? Is it easier for you to care for others than yourself at the deepest level? Do you have dreams you aren’t realizing yet?
I. am . here. to. support .you! ♥️ I am a naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, mother, nutritionist, midlife and motherhood health transformation life coach with training in feminine power facilitation and somatics for awakening women. I work holistically with caring, wise , successful women like yourself so you can lead your life from your most authentic self and continue to do the beautiful, important work you are here to do while feeling your absolute best physically, somatically, mentally and emotionally. Midlife (peri-menopause and menopause: healthy metabolism and weight, poor sleep, restlessness, low energy, brain health) and motherhood (burning out, PMS, low energy, low libido, low mood, low patience, conscious parenting) are my areas of specialty (and passion)! These were big portals of evolution and expansion for me and the shifting of my health and I wish I had someone who really understood these times hormonally and on all the other levels.
We can’t become our whole thriving selves by ourself. I am here to support you in recharging and reseting and fostering an unshakeable connection with your truest self so you can share your unique gifts and shine your light with joy, energy, confidence and without burning out. I work holistically at the physical, emotional, mental and soul levels of wellness as needed.
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