The Case For Supplements: Why Most People Need More Than Just Food is by Caroline Farquhar, RHN, EMP, BA – Medical Advisor at CanPrev

Caroline was our guest in episode 454, you can watch the video or listen to the audio.

Supplements can be a vital addition to the diet, helping to bridge nutritional gaps, especially for those with busy lifestyles, dietary restrictions, specific health needs, and the decline of our food quality. While supplements should complement, not replace, a well-balanced diet, they play a significant role in filling nutritional voids. It’s important to consult a healthcare provider before using supplements if you are managing a medical condition.

Here are some things to consider when it comes to supplementation:

• Nutrient Gaps: Modern lifestyles, nutrient depleted soil, limited food choices, and restricted diets can often lead to nutrient deficiencies. Supplements like vitamins D, B12, minerals such as magnesium and iron, and omega-3 fatty acids can help individuals meet their nutritional needs. These nutrients are essential for overall health and may be lacking in many people’s diets.

• Health Conditions or Age: As people age, nutrient absorption can decrease, making supplements necessary for maintaining health. Conditions like osteoporosis or anemia can further reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, requiring additional support. Pregnant or breastfeeding women may also need more folic acid, iron, and calcium for both their health and the health of their baby.

• Athletic Performance: For active individuals or athletes, supplements such as protein, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and creatine help with recovery, energy levels, and muscle building, ensuring optimal performance during intense physical activity.

• Bone Health: Older adults may require extra calcium and vitamin D to maintain strong bones and prevent conditions like osteoporosis, which becomes more prevalent with age.

• Immune Support: Supplements like vitamin C, zinc, echinacea, elderberry and probiotics have been shown to help support the immune system, especially during cold and flu season or stressful periods when immunity can be compromised.

• Prevention: Supplements are not just for filling deficiencies but can also serve as preventive measures, promoting overall well-being.

• Convenience: For those with hectic schedules or limited time to prepare nutrient-dense meals, supplements provide an easy and effective solution for meeting daily nutritional requirements.

When purchasing supplements, it’s important to consider several factors to ensure their effectiveness and safety:

• Quality and Purity: Choose supplements from reputable brands that undergo testing to ensure they are free from contaminants and contain the stated ingredients.

• Ingredients: Always review the label for active ingredients, dosage, and potential allergens. This will help you understand exactly what you’re consuming and whether it’s suitable for your health needs. But it’s equally important to look at “other ingredients”. Some supplements contain other ingredients that can pose health risks. These are often added as fillers, binders, preservatives, and artificial colours or flavours. Your best bet is to avoid supplements with long lists of unrecognizable other ingredients.

• Certification: In Canada, an NPN (Natural Product Number) is an eight-digit number issued by Health Canada to licensed Natural Health Products (NHPs). It signifies that the product has been reviewed for safety, efficacy, and quality under the Natural Health Product Regulations. An NPN ensures that the product contains approved ingredients in safe doses, it has clear labeling with proper usage instructions, it meets manufacturing quality standards and that it has been assessed for risks, interactions and side effects.

• Expiration Dates: Make sure you are taking your supplements as instructed before they expire. Expired supplements may lose effectiveness or even become harmful.

• Consult a Healthcare Provider: Before starting any new supplement regimen, particularly if you’re managing a medical condition or taking medication, consult your healthcare provider to avoid potential interactions or adverse effects.

While many stores carry a wide range of supplements, high-quality brands tend to prioritize efficacy and therapeutic doses over affordability and convenience. The best supplements focus on using high-quality, bioavailable ingredients that are more likely to be absorbed and utilized by the body. Look for brands that use reputable testing, sourcing, and manufacturing processes to ensure their products provide maximum benefit. Your local health food store staff can help answer any questions you may have.

The 5 Most Essential Supplements for Modern Diets

Given the common nutrient gaps in modern diets, certain supplements can help individuals maintain optimal health:

• Vitamin D: With many people spending more time indoors or living in areas with limited sunlight, vitamin D deficiency is common. Vitamin D is vital for bone health, immune function, and mood regulation.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA): Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in heart health, brain function, and reducing inflammation. Many diets are deficient in omega-3s, making supplementation important.

• Magnesium: Soil depletion and poor dietary intake contribute to magnesium deficiency, which can affect muscle function, energy production, and sleep regulation.

• Vitamin B12: supports energy production, brain health, nerve health and red blood cell formation. It is especially important for vegans or vegetarians, older adults, people with digestive disorders such as Chron’s, celiac or low stomach acid, and those taking certain medications (e.g., metformin, acid reflux drugs).

• Probiotics: A disrupted gut microbiome can lead to various health issues. Probiotics help restore a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut, promoting better digestion and immune support.

To ensure supplements are utilized effectively, consider the following tips:

• Choose Bioavailable Forms: Opt for supplements that are more easily absorbed by the body, such as vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) over D2, methylcobalamin for B12, and magnesium bis-glycinate or citrate for better absorption.

• Target Specific Deficiencies: Instead of taking a broad spectrum of supplements, focus on addressing individual deficiencies identified through diet or blood tests. This targeted approach ensures that you’re meeting your specific nutritional needs.

• Follow Recommended Dosages: Taking supplements in excess does not provide additional benefits and may lead to wastage or adverse effects. Stick to the recommended dosage for each supplement.

• Take Supplements with Food: Many vitamins, particularly fat-soluble ones like vitamins A, D, E, and K, are best absorbed when taken with meals containing healthy fats.

• Avoid Combining Competing Supplements: Some supplements can interfere with each other’s absorption. For example, calcium and magnesium should be taken separately, as calcium may inhibit magnesium absorption. Similarly, vitamin C can reduce the absorption of vitamin B12 if taken together in large doses.

• Invest in Quality Brands: High-quality supplements from trusted brands ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need in the most effective form. Avoid low-quality supplements that may not be properly absorbed.

• Check Expiration Dates: Always verify that the supplements you’re taking are within their expiration dates to ensure their potency.

A note about combining supplements with prescription medications, sometimes they can pose risks:

• Drug-Supplement Interactions: Some supplements may interfere with prescription drugs, either reducing their effectiveness or amplifying side effects. For example, vitamin K can interfere with blood thinners, while St. John’s Wort can reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants or birth control.

• Increased Side Effects: High doses of certain vitamins, like A or E or Omega 3’s, taken alongside blood thinners, can increase the risk of bleeding.

• Overlapping Effects: Some supplements, like melatonin, may cause excessive drowsiness when combined with sedative medications.

• Toxicity: High doses of certain supplements can lead to toxicity when combined with prescription drugs. For instance, too much iron taken with anemia medication could overload the system.

• Absorption Issues: Some supplements can reduce the absorption of medications, rendering them less effective. Magnesium, for example, can interfere with the absorption of certain antibiotics or thyroid medications.

Government efforts that restrict supplement access

As per the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) website: In 2014, the Self-Care Framework was proposed, separating lower-risk products (over-the-counter medication, cosmetics and NHPs) from pharmaceutical drugs. Yet almost ten years later, this framework remains incomplete. Despite this, Health Canada continues to push through regulatory changes, like new labelling requirements and the proposed new cost recovery program in a piecemeal approach while dealing with massive backlogs in product applications.

New cost recovery proposals and labelling requirements may force many NHPs off the shelves and drive up prices for those remaining, reducing consumer choice and pushing Canadians to unregulated international markets. The current regulatory changes are based on an incomplete framework and have not been properly consulted with the industry. These changes unfairly burden Canadian businesses, threatening small and medium-sized companies, reducing product availability, and increasing costs.

Existing regulations on health supplements already keep Canadians safe.  In fact, the Government of Canada’s website states, “Health Canada regulates natural health products (NHPs) so that Canadians can have confidence that products they use are safe, effective, and of high quality”.

In response, CHFA has launched the “Save Our Supplements” campaign, urging the government to collaborate with the industry to revise these policies.

In conclusion, while supplements play a valuable role in modern diets, it is important to be informed about their use, quality, and interactions with other medications. Careful selection and responsible consumption can ensure that supplements provide maximum health benefits.

About Caroline