A Rational Approach to Supplements

Our supplement framework for optimizing health.

Supplements are one of many tools we can use to support our bodies, but like any tool, they need to be used thoughtfully and with care. When approached with intention, supplements can be a wonderful addition to a holistic wellness routine, but, knowing that the wellness industry is flooded with misconceptions, it's important to navigate this area mindfully, with clear goals, trusted advice, and a focus on quality.

When evaluating supplements with patients, we have a four-part framework we use.  We want to make sure with every supplement there is 1) a clear problem, 2) clear metrics, 3) a trusted professional, 4) trusted brands.

A Clear Problem: Addressing Specific Needs

Before adding any supplement to your routine, it’s important to start with a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve. Are you looking to support hormonal balance, address a vitamin deficiency, or perhaps improve your energy levels? Having a specific goal in mind helps you choose the right supplements and avoid overcomplicating your routine.

It’s easy to accumulate a long list of supplements over time, but this can sometimes do more harm than good. Supplements, like medications, can interact with each other, and taking too many can lead to unwanted side effects or reduced effectiveness. A mindful approach means regularly reassessing your routine with your doctor, to ensure that every supplement has a purpose and is contributing positively to your goals.

Clear Metrics: How to Know If It’s Working

Just like any change you make in your health routine, it’s important to track your progress with supplements.  What exactly are we using to define success?  Where is the finish line? How do we know the supplement is working?  Are they helping you feel better? Are you seeing improvements in your lab results or energy levels? These are important questions to ask when formulating a strategy with your doctor.

Tracking your progress might involve regular check-ins at your scheduled visits and, in most cases, specific lab tests to ensure that the supplements are doing their job. It’s also helpful to consider how long you should be taking a particular supplement as well. Some might only be needed for a short time (during a period of intense stress or extended travel, for example), while others could be part of your long-term wellness plan. Being mindful of these timelines helps ensure that your supplement routine continues to serve you well.

Trusted Professionals: Leaning on Personalized Guidance 

I’ll be blunt: not all healthcare professionals have the same level of knowledge or training regarding supplements. Many doctors, being unfamiliar with supplements and short on time, understandably err on the side of caution and hesitate to navigate this arena entirely, deferring instead to a wellness professional. But patients can really benefit from having a physician on board, helping you avoid pitfalls by integrating both traditional medicine and more holistic approaches.

I say this because while prescription medications may certainly carry risks, supplements are not always benign—even if the data aren’t readily published.  Supplements, like any other form of treatment, can have interactions with medications (or even other supplements). They can affect how our bodies process other nutrients, and even how our organs function. This is why it’s crucial to have someone on your side who understands the full picture of your health and can guide you on the best path forward.

Trusted Brands: Why Quality Matters

Not all supplements are created equal, and the quality of what you put into your body truly matters. The supplement industry can be a bit of a Wild West, with some products not always containing what they claim or using ingredients that aren’t up to par.  (My favorite pet peeve, I tell patients, is the “proprietary blend,” where we can’t even look up the ingredients or their amounts in making a tailored plan). This is why I always recommend sticking to trusted brands that prioritize transparency and quality in their manufacturing processes.

In many cases, it’s also better to start with individual supplements rather than jumping straight to a multivitamin. While multivitamins can be convenient, they often lack the precision required to meet your unique health needs, similar to using a broad brush when a fine-tipped pen is needed. Put another way, it’s often hard for a single company to do an A+ job on every ingredient of a multivitamin, and some brands really shine in one particular field. Choosing single-ingredient supplements is like having a toolkit where each tool is purposefully selected for a specific job, allowing you to fine-tune your wellness routine with greater control and quality.  Each person, for example, has different requirements for Vitamin D or B12, and if your using a multivitamin alone, there’s no way to increase individual doses of each vitamin without overdoing it on all the other ingredients.  That said, once your health foundation is strong, and your levels are optimized, a multivitamin can be a wonderful addition, but beginning with targeted supplements enables a more personalized and effective approach.  

Embracing Supplements as Part of Wellness

Supplements can be an effective way to augment health, offering support where your body needs it most. But they should be used with care, in the right context, and with the guidance of a knowledgeable professional. Most importantly, we need to know what target we’re aiming for in using them, so that we can reevaluate the efficacy as part of a personalized plan, and make sure you’re on the best regimen moving forward.