What are the most beneficial supplements to take:
As a group of passionate nutritionists who have helped thousands of people over a number of years we are used to being asked the important question, what are the most beneficial supplements to take?
We have thought hard and long about this question and want to share some ideas with you so that you can get the most benefit out of your supplement stack.
You may be wondering what a supplement stack is? A supplement stack is a combination of at least two products that when taken strategically together provide complementary results.
You can create supplement stacks to support cognition, or blood sugar, or digestive health for instance. Those can be great strategies but something we see quite often is people building supplement stacks to reach specific goals but potentially ignoring the foundation.
Building a foundation:
What do we mean by foundation? Like a house needs a foundational structure to bear the load of what is built above it so does your approach to micronutrients. For instance, taking a supplement stack to boost cognition when you are deficient in the necessary brain nutrient DHA is like tinkering with the shutters on the house when the foundation is cracked. It can be done, and it may provide some benefit but there are more important things to focus on.
So to get back to the question of what are the most beneficial supplements to take, they are the ones containing nutrients that you need and are deficient in. The reason is because these nutrients help your cells to function properly.
Our suggestions:
We have a suggestion of 5 foundational supplements that provide nutrients that many people are commonly deficient in or below optimal levels in. By covering all these bases, you have the highest likelihood of improving your health. At certain points in our lives we may have deeper health imbalances. In these cases, we may have symptoms that have bothered us for years and figuring it out alone is too much. In that case it is best to work one on one with an expert nutritionist. If that is you click here for a complementary session with a nutritionist to see how we can best support you.
Let’s now look at our suggested foundational supplements and why they are the most beneficial supplements to take….
- A great multivitamin provides an abundance of b vitamins which support brain health, hormones, and immunity. It should also contain nutrients that support a reduction of inflammation such as vitamin c and selenium. There are nutrients that are required for proper functioning of cells but are hard to get through the diet such as vitamin d, and magnesium, and complementary nutrients that are shown to support brain and vessel health such as blueberry phytonutrients and bioflavonoids. For this purpose, we favor Primal Multi. This is incredibly well formulated, and the forms of the nutrients used are optimal based upon the current science.
- A high-quality omega-3 fatty acid supplement is essential. These fats are required for brain health and supporting a healthy inflammatory response. The body is not able to make them on its own. Additionally, it is difficult for most of us to get enough of these fats through the diet. They are mostly found in cold water fish such as wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines. We like Omega Avail Hi Po to ensure a high quantity of these essential fatty acids.
- A Vitamin D supplement that is formulated to contain the proper amount of vitamin D for one’s needs. This is a fat-soluble vitamin, so it is possible to take too much. This nutrient is especially important in the winter months when it is common for people to get low in vitamin d. It supports a healthy skeleton and immune system. There are 2000 IUs of vitamin D in the Primal Multi but many people need more. Vitamin D Synergy provides an additional 2000 IUs of vitamin D per capsule with vitamin K1 to ensure that the increased amount of minerals that are being absorbed are safely directed into your skeleton where they belong. This dosage allows one to control your intake so that you can find your optimal amount with your nutritionist.
- Magnesium happens to be one of the highest mineral deficiencies in humans. This mineral is involved in over 300 cellular processes in the body. Because of this, it can support many aspects of health such as energy, cardiovascular function, mood, blood sugar metabolism, and bone health. It can also help with you feel more relaxed and sleep better. We like Tri-Mag Supreme because of the balanced forms of magnesium used and the high absorbability of that combination.
- Probiotics provide healthy species of bacteria to your digestive tract. These “good bacteria” help promote diversity in the gut microbiome, which is important for healthy digestion and may support mood. You can try to diversify your gut microbiome by eating about 6 servings of fermented foods per day. This may include fermented pickles, sauerkraut, miso paste, and tempeh. Many of us find it hard to be consistent with these foods and in that case, we recommend probiotics like ProbioMed50. We recommend rotating probiotics every couple of months to continue building diversity. We also love the products Probiospore and Probiotic Synergy based on the research done on the benefits of the specific strains used in these products. They are excellent options to rotate with one another.
When considering what are the most beneficial supplements to take, we believe this list sets you up for a very high likelihood of success. If you are experiencing digestive symptoms, hormone issues, or a host of food sensitivities it is best to reach out to us for expert one on one guidance with one of our nutritionists for optimal results.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.