Three Tips for Finding the Right Supplements

You’ve read about how a certain vitamin can support bone health, listened to a friend mention how an herb helped calm her busy mind, or watched a natural product advertised on your social media.

How do you know what, and if, what supplements (and brands) are best for the issue you want to address?

There may not be a clear cut answer as supplements run the gamut of type, ingredients, fillers, etc., however, Dr. Graves has three tips to narrowing down your search.

1. Be cautious, not all supplements are created equal.

Start with mindfulness of where you purchase your supplements. Find a reputable brick and mortar store (such as our office) or a legitimate online store.

There have been instances in our office in which a client has purchased a recommended herb from a local store but have seen no real improvement in symptoms. When we compare some of these store-bought brands to professional grade options carried in our office and certain online stores, we often find that the percentage of milligrams and other components have great variation.

For example, a store-bought supplement may have 100mg of an herb, while a professional grade supplement purchased through a licensed naturopathic doctor may have 1,000mg of that same herb.

2. Check the ingredients.

A supplement or vitamin is typically not just the herb or nutrient.

Fillers and binders (known as flow agents) are used by many manufacturers to coagulate nutrients in machines in order to form tablets and capsules. Other additives such as dyes and unhealthy oils may also be used.

The more flow agents a supplement has, the weaker it may be. Opt for ones that have the least.

Want to check this on your own? Place the supplement or vitamin in a glass of water for 5-10 minutes. If it dissolves within this time, typically the less fillers it has (unless it is time released). The longer it takes, the more fillers it probably has.

3. Be mindful of cost.

Supplements can be expensive and when there are a variety to pick from, it can be challenging to know what to spend money on and how much.
When this happens, think about cost versus benefit.

• How severe is your issue?
• Is this for healing or prevention?
• What is your budget?

Professional grade supplements can be a higher cost than those at a local health food store, but they may resolve your issue more quickly and therefore, save you money in the long run.

However, if prevention and maintenance are the goal, a less expensive option may be adequate.

The world of supplements is exponential and continuing to grow. For expert advice in finding the right ones for you, please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Graves.

The CNMA office provides naturopathic care, testing, massage, and holistic counseling to those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area.  For those outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.