Supplements 101
With the numerous amount of products available, it seems like there is a supplement for everything! As the consumer, it can be overwhelming to figure out which supplements actually provide what they claim as well as which ones are worth the money! How can you be sure what you buy is effective, and most importantly, safe? Let’s dive a bit deeper into the topic of supplementation, so you can come away with insight into determining if a supplement is right for you.
Quality Control
As you may or may not know, supplements are not tightly regulated like pharmaceuticals. Most of the supplements that you can purchase at the grocery store have a high likelihood of having added dyes and fillers as well as being contaminated with heavy metals. Unfortunately, most of these products end up being a waste of money. Medical-grade or pharmaceutical grade supplements are brands that have been tested for quality by a third-party. There are some OTC (over the counter) brands that are better quality, but you will typically find them at health food stores. When choosing a supplement, it is very important to consider the quality if you want to get the most for your money!
Supplement #1: Magnesium
I present magnesium first, because I believe (and research has shown) that many women consume insufficient amounts of magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that is found in nuts, seeds, certain vegetables, legumes, and seafood. Unfortunately, even if you are eating these foods on a daily basis, you probably still are not consuming enough of this magic mineral to meet the demands of our stressful world, especially as a woman.
Magnesium is one of my front line supplements for period pain, PMS, anxiety, joint pain, muscle pain, and poor sleep. Magnesium soothes and calms your nervous system and is improves thyroid function and insulin response. It is anti-inflammatory and helps with the production of progesterone! I typically recommend magnesium for:
- Muscle cramps/muscle stiffness/muscle soreness
- Heavy bleeding or cramping
- To improve sleep quality
- Premenstrual symptoms
- Constipation (magnesium citrate)
- Headaches
- Individuals who are sweating heavily, losing magnesium through their sweat
- Anxiety
Magnesium can come in multiple forms (chelate, oxide, citrate, glycinate, etc.) How do you know which one to choose? Again, just like quality, form of magnesium will also be very important. For anything other than constipation, I recommend magnesium glycinate, which is a high quality, highly absorbable form of magnesium. If someone is dealing with constipation, I recommend magnesium citrate, because it will naturally loosen stools.
I recommend starting off with 300-400mg of magnesium at bedtime. During times of high stress, leading up to your menstrual cycle, and if recovering from an intense workout, amounts up to 1000mg can be taken in divided doses.
Supplement #2
Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin” is necessary for bone health, hormone production, mood, and immune health. Unfortunately, vitamin D is very difficult to get from food unless you are eating a lot of egg yolks or mackerel. We get the largest amount of vitamin D through exposure to the sun. It is very rare to find someone that is not deficient in vitamin D. During the summer time, vitamin D deficiency may not be as much of an issue due to individuals spending more time outdoors, but during the winter months, you are more likely to get low on your vitamin D stores, due to less sun exposure. Our bodies cannot make sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone) without vitamin D. I typically recommend vitamin D supplementation to all of my clients.
I recommend taking 5,000 IU Vitamin D3 daily as a maintenance dose.
Supplement #3: Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3’s are essential, anti-inflammatory fatty acids, which means that they are essential for the health of our body. These essential fatty acids are especially important for hormone regulation, lowering inflammation associated with period pain and heavy bleeding, as well as lowering inflammation associated with exercise. Food sources of omega-3’s include salmon, cod liver oil, sardines, herring, walnuts, hemp seeds, and smaller amounts in pastured eggs, spinach, and chia seeds.
Individuals on blood thinners should talk with their doctor before supplementing with fish oil due to its natural blood thinning affect.
If you suffer from painful periods, PMS symptoms, heavy bleeding, or hormonal acne, supplementing with a quality fish oil could be very beneficial. Omega-3’s are also extremely beneficial for reducing inflammation associated with exercise.
Quality of fish oil is very important due to the high chance of it being contaminated with heavy metals like mercury. Getting fish oil from a reputable brand that tests their products for heavy metals is vital.
I suggest taking between 1-3g of a QUALITY fish oil. Again, quality is very important here.
Supplement #4: Multivitamin
Our soil has been depleted of quality nutrients, and modern food processing strips nutrients even further. Even if someone is eating a completely organic, heavily plant based diet, they still are probably lacking in certain nutrients. If someone is not eating a healthy diet, then even more reason to supplement with quality supplements. At the very least, I would recommend a good quality multivitamin to fill in the gaps of what might be lacking in your diet.
