Supplements: What You Really Need to Know

(From your favorite dietitian who believes in food first but still takes turmeric, okay?)

Prefer to listen instead of read?
I got you. I filmed a quick video breaking this all down so you can watch it instead. Click here to watch—whatever works best for you!

What Counts as a Supplement, Anyway?

Supplements come in all shapes and sizes—capsules, powders, gummies, drinks, and bars—and they cover a wide range of categories:

• Vitamins and minerals
• Herbs and botanical extracts
• Fatty acids (like omega-3s)
• Antioxidants and polyphenols
• Protein powders (whey, collagen, pea, etc.)
• Amino acids
• Probiotics and prebiotics
• Enzymes and fiber
• And about a hundred other things the wellness industry wants you to try 

But First: Food > Pills

Before we go any further, hear me loud and clear: supplements do NOT replace a healthy diet.
They never have. They never will.

Food offers a unique synergy of nutrients that supplements simply can’t mimic. One apple contains over 50 different vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, antioxidants, and fiber. Even a fancy, powdered, freeze-dried apple supplement won’t come close to that level of nourishment.

That’s why I always recommend starting with high-quality food: vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and a variety of plant-based carbohydrates like potatoes, beans, and fruit (as tolerated). Supplements are just that—supplemental.

So… Why All the Skepticism Around Supplements?

It’s complicated. And honestly, valid.

The supplement industry is a multi-billion-dollar, self-regulated wild west. There's no FDA pre-approval, no standardization, and lots of shady products. For example, I once attended a seminar where they tested 50 protein powders—some of them only had 3% of the protein they claimed on the label. THREE PERCENT. 🤯

The other big problem? Supplements can’t be patented. So if one company funds a high-quality clinical trial on, say, curcumin, every other curcumin company benefits—without paying a dime. That discourages research, leaving us with small, underfunded, often short-term studies.

But that doesn’t mean supplements are useless. It just means we need to be smart about how we use them—and where we get our information.

Supplements vs. Medicine: What’s the Difference?

That’s why supplements can feel safer—but aren’t always. Some have fewer side effects than meds (looking at you, turmeric vs. NSAIDs), but others can cause unexpected interactions or just be totally ineffective.

Are There Benefits? Yes—When Used Wisely

Here’s why I do sometimes recommend supplements in my practice:

• To fill nutrient gaps that diet alone isn’t covering
• To support a short-term health goal, like reducing inflammation or healing the gut
• To help transition off medications with harsh side effects
• When a client has trouble absorbing nutrients from food
• Post antibiotic or gut healing protocol as determined by GI MAP or leaky gut testing

But here’s the deal: supplements should always be used in combination with diet and lifestyle changes. And they should come with a start date, end date, and purpose.

A Word About Your Supplement List...

Let me be blunt:
Your supplement list should not be two miles long.

If you’re taking 10+ pills every day with no real plan, that’s a red flag. In most cases, a long supplement list should only be used for a short-term protocol—and definitely re-evaluated at least every 90 days. Supplements are tools, not a forever thing.

The only long-term supplements I personally take are based on genetic testing, like 3X4 Genetics, which helps identify where I may have higher nutrient needs or reduced absorption capacity. That’s the level of personalized insight that makes long-term supplementation more effective (and less wasteful).

Who Should You Trust With Supplement Advice?

Let’s be honest, most people are guessing—or worse, selling. So here’s my breakdown:

🚩 Doctors – Great with prescriptions, but most don’t have time or training in supplementation.
🚩 Nurses – Incredible in many ways, but typically not trained in nutrition or supplements.
🚩 Naturopaths – Some are excellent, but many overprescribe expensive, poorly researched stacks.
🚩 “Nutritionists” – Unregulated title. Could be a PhD or someone who took a weekend course.
🚩 Wellness Consultants – Often no formal training. Just… no.
🚩 Personal Trainers – Stay in your lane. Muscles ≠ supplement credentials.
🚩 The GNC Guy – Do I even need to say it?

⚠️ Dietitians – It depends.
Most dietitians aren’t trained in supplementation unless they’ve pursued additional education in functional or integrative nutrition. If they haven’t, they may be skeptical—or simply unaware—of some of the most effective options out there. But if they have that extra training? Jackpot. You’ve found a goldmine of evidence-based, food-first, supplement-savvy guidance.

⚠️ Functional Medicine Practitioners – Varies widely.
They can be MDs, RDs, nurses, chiropractors—you name it. Some are brilliant and science-driven. Others… less so. Because there’s no standardized credential, training can vary a lot. This variability is one of the reasons people are skeptical about supplements in the first place. Always ask about their background, philosophy, and how they stay current on the research.

TL;DR – My Approach as a Functional Dietitian

• ✅ Food first—always.
• ✅ Supplements used intentionally for specific goals or deficiencies
• ✅ Most supplements are short-term, reassessed every 90 days
• ✅ Long-term use? Only if backed by testing (e.g., genetics, labs, etc.)
• ❌ No endless supplement stacks with no plan
• ❌ No hype, no fear, no influencer BS

Supplements can be helpful—but only when used wisely, with the right strategy, and under the guidance of someone who knows what they’re doing. If you're not sure what to take (or if you should be taking anything at all), let’s talk. I can help you figure out what your body actually needs—and what you can stop wasting money on.

A Few of My Favorites:

• Multivitamin – A high-quality multi is a great baseline for most people. If you’re a woman who needs iron, I recommend this one.

• Probiotic – I like to rotate strains every year or so, but my go-to heavy hitter is Ther-Biotic.

• Fish Oil – I stick with Nordic Naturals for a high-quality, well-tested omega-3 option.

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