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Tips For Taking Supplements Safely And Effectively

By Sleep Health Energy Team · · Updated

lady taking supplements
Contents

Supplements are huge sellers these days, and the industry around them is equally extensive.

As such…

Many adults take at least one supplement regularly for various health concerns.

We might take them if we don’t absorb enough vitamins and minerals from the food we eat, we eat vegan or vegetarian and need external support to make up for essential missed elements, or because we have health or other issues to contend with.

However, just because supplements are something we can typically buy without a prescription, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take care of obtaining or using them. Here are some tips you need to know to ensure you take supplements safely and effectively.

Check With Your Doctor

Firstly, talk to your doctor before you begin taking new supplements. Book an online doctor appointment or schedule an in-person visit to chat with a physician about how different supplements might interact with other medications you take.

You’ll notice that you’ll rarely see any information about potential issues on supplement bottles or even manufacturer websites. This doesn’t mean they don’t exist, though.

Some popular supplements, including garlic, ginseng, omega-3s, and vitamin K, can interfere with multiple medications, especially blood thinners. Some may raise bleeding risk, while vitamin K can make warfarin less effective.

In addition, St. John’s wort can weaken many medicines, including birth control pills, some antidepressants, and some heart drugs. Certain supplements can also raise bleeding risk or affect anesthesia, so tell your surgical team about everything you take.

You should also know that some supplements support one another, meaning your results improve if you take them simultaneously. This is something your doctor can discuss with you. For example, foods rich in vitamin C increase iron absorption, so the two are often paired.

Ensure You Need The Supplements You Take

Supplements are regulated by the FDA, but less strictly than drugs. The FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold, and it can act against unsafe products only after they reach the market. People also often spend a lot of money on pills or powders they don’t need.

Ideally, take a supplement only when you have a clear reason, such as a confirmed deficiency, and your doctor agrees it’s safe for you.

In particular, pay attention to your blood test results when you get them done annually or so with your doctor. If the bloodwork shows you’re low in iron, vitamin D, or another nutrient, ask your doctor whether a supplement makes sense and at what dose. Too much iron, for example, can be harmful.

Also, if you could become pregnant, the CDC recommends 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. Other nutrients may be suggested for pregnancy or hormonal issues. Regardless, though, speak with your physician about what’s suitable for you and the best quantities to consume, too.

Follow Usage Instructions Closely

Another crucial part of using supplements safely and effectively is following usage instructions on the labels. These tips aren’t there for the sake of it; they’re shared so consumers can get the best results possible from the supplements they use. Advice is based on the type of products within a bottle plus what manufacturers know about the specific combination of ingredients and strength used.

This data varies from brand to brand and product to product, so just because you’ve taken a particular type of supplement in the past, this doesn’t mean the usage instructions will always be the same.

Read the instructions before you begin taking a new supplement, and store the bottles correctly, too, such as in a cool, dark place or the fridge.

Follow the directions around times of day to take items, daily dosage suggestions, and if products need to be taken before, after, or with a meal. For example, melatonin is usually taken shortly before bed, and many digestive enzyme products are meant to be taken with meals. Check the label of your specific product.

Additionally, check whether the supplements you’re taking do not cancel out each other’s effects. You don’t want to continue taking pills and powders that negate or neutralize what they should do. If you’re already taking a supplement for a specific purpose, such as improving your gut health, think twice before adding another one for the same use. Overlapping products can push you past safe intake levels.

For instance, if you’re taking gut health powder supplements like L-glutamine, there is no reason to add another offering the same benefits.

Don’t Consume Too Many Products

Be sure, too, that you don’t overdo it when it comes to supplementation. Don’t consume so many products that you put yourself at risk of getting sick. lady taking supplements

For instance, be regular with how much and when you take items, but if you forget to take tablets or powders one day, don’t double up the following day. Doing so can be dangerous.

Consider if you need to take many different supplements continuously, too. If your physician has recommended them, that’s fine, but if you’re simply adding products to your daily routine by trial and error, you might do more harm than good.

Following the above tips will help you get the best “bang for your buck” and not waste your money or compromise your health. Be patient as you wait for results, as some supplements take weeks or months to have an effect, and many have little proven benefit. Keep reassessing your need for products throughout the year, and stop and call your doctor if you notice side effects.

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