17/03/2026
Something that's been on my mind lately:- supplements.
Many people need to use supplements to make up for a shortfall in their diet - perhaps they have restrictions on dairy, meat, or fish, for example.
But how many of you actually check exactly what is supplied in the supplement and compare it to any other supplements you are also taking?
For example:- vitamin D.
More and more supplement manufacturers are adding in vitamin D to their fish oil capsules, or even some probiotics, and particularly sneaky supplements are those sold as "whole condition supplements" such as "to support menopause" or "brain fog" or "support the immune system".
Some might be sold with big labels advertising vitamin D or CoQ10 or Omega 3 on the front of the jar, but contain additional nutrients due to the excipients used to stabilise the capsule or tablet.
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL ON THE BACK!
It'll mention the mineral profile and vitamins that are included (D, A, C chromium, zinc, magnesium...) and hopefully a percentage of daily recommended amount supplied per dose.
Make sure that you are not exceeding 100% total of any minerals (iron, zinc, calcium, etc), or any fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) without approval from a medical professional, a registered dietitian, or a qualified nutritional therapist. There are times when super doses are required, but this should only be under the guidance of a professional.
Some nutrients can build up in your tissues, including your brain or organ tissue, and cause health problems through over supplementation.
Also, did you know some supplements interfere with medication?
Finally, water soluble vitamins (C, B...) tend to simply be "flushed out" in urine. But then you are literally flushing money down the toilet.
So all ways round: make certain that you are taking supplements safely, by reading the label and jotting it down if necessary, to calculate how much of any duplicated supplements you are having.
