There was a time, not too long ago, when my morning routine resembled more of a pharmaceutical scavenger hunt than a health regimen. Every day, without fail, I’d slug down no less than ten different pill supplements. My go-to was an all-star lineup of vitamins and herbs: E, B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin D, a multi-vitamin, wheat germ, niacin, and garlic. The other two pills? Those were like the guest stars on a podcast—rotating based on the latest sales or the newest “breakthrough” I read about.
I was convinced that this cocktail of capsules was my ticket to optimal health, boosting my metabolic and physiological functions with zero risks. After all, they were just supplements, right? But here’s where my logic took a wrong turn: I didn’t understand what supplements are and what they aren’t.
Let’s turn the clock back to the early 1900s. Enter Casimir Funk, the unsung hero of the vitamin world and the man who coined the term “vital amines” (which would later be trimmed to “vitamins”). Funk recognized that certain nutrients like thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin C shared a common chemical structure—amines or amino acids. This nifty little discovery led to the original name, which made perfect sense until it didn’t. Not all vitamins fit the “amine” bill, vitamin D being a prime example. So, they dumped the amines and just called them vitamins.
Supplements were initially intended to provide additional nutrients deficient or inadequate in daily food consumption. Now, as a multibillion-dollar market, supplements have taken on a life of their own and are aggressively marketed in mainstream media, on social media platforms, and in magazines as treatments for a myriad of illnesses. They often contain an exhaustive list of chemicals, including preservatives, dyes, and stabilizing agents.
It’s time to look at the facts about supplements. While they can be beneficial, they’re not the panacea many of us believe them to be. Over-reliance on supplements can sometimes overshadow the importance of getting nutrients from whole foods. Whole foods offer an abundance of vitamins and minerals that pills can’t replicate. Plus, there’s the issue of bioavailability—how well your body can absorb and use the nutrients.
A recent article (at the time of this writing) noted an increase in hospitalizations and liver damage associated with taking multiple supplements at high doses.[1] The implicated supplements were turmeric, green tea extract (not green tea), ashwagandha, and
Garcinia cambogia. In many cases, the supplements were taken in combination with high doses. Since it is a non-prescription item, it is not regulated for safety and effectiveness.
Regarding supplements, my philosophy is simple: less is more. Many people take a lot of supplements without solid scientific evidence to support their effectiveness and safety.[2] For those on a plant-based diet, the essential supplement is vitamin B12. If you are avoiding table salt (as many of us should) and sea vegetables are not your liking, you can address specific concerns, such as iodine, with a supplement. Vitamin D is often on the list to consider, not because of avoiding meat, eggs, and dairy, but because we generally don’t have enough sun exposure to make enough of this hormone.
(The rest of this chapter is in the book)