Every day, we are inundated with ads trying to get us to buy the next best thing for our health. This includes a multi-billion dollar supplement industry, trying to sell us health in the name of profits. “Just take this once a day and watch the fat melt away” is one I see A LOT. As if a single medication could do that. But….that’s what they want you to think. Never mind what you are taking is NOT regulated by the FDA and could even cause more harm than good. But what about vitamins and minerals, surely those are necessary as these products are accessible EVERYWHERE right?

Wrong. There is a time and place for vitamin and mineral supplementation for those who actually need it, but most healthy children and adults don’t actually NEED to supplement to be healthy. Decades of research has shown that a well-balanced diet can be adequate in meeting the daily required amounts. In the U.S., our food system is also heavily fortified with extra vitamins and minerals (think grains, packaged meals, etc.) to help fill gaps. Overall, if your child eats well, is able to maintain normal growth and is otherwise a healthy kid, then they don’t likely need any extra supplements in their daily routine. This goes for adults too.

There are those however who DO need to supplement their diet for various reasons: chronic illnesses, certain diseases, restricted diet, issues with malabsorption. A perfect example of this is individuals with pancreatic insufficient CF.

For severe deficiencies, high-dose formulations can be prescribed but there is also a wide variety of over-the-counter options. Since supplements aren’t regulated, how do we know which ones to pick?

I advise my patients to buy supplements that are 3rd party tested by organizations like USP and NSF. These companies test for purity and potency so you know what you are buying is accurately described and can be safely dosed. While many vitamins (B-vitamins in particular) are water soluble and excess can be eliminated via urinating, harm and damage can be done (and has been done) if you do not know what amount you should be taking vs what you are actually taking.