Choosing Quality Supplements_Final
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>> Hi, it's wonderful to see you today.
Throughout this course, we've mentioned supplements
that might be helpful for clients
with various hormonal imbalances.
In this module, we're going to delve deeper
into the supplement conversation
because we know it's a hot topic.
In this lecture,
we'll be talking about supplement ingredients, labeling,
and how to help your clients
choose high quality supplements,
while avoiding the ones that may be ineffective
or even dangerous.
A word of caution before we jump into this discussion.
Remember that as a Health Coach,
it is never appropriate to prescribe or treat.
Your role is to be a source of information
and guidance for your clients.
In particular, you should not recommend
that your clients stop or start
any medications or supplements
without the approval
of their licensed healthcare practitioner.
You can suggest that a client consult with his or her doctor
to explore options,
and you can educate a client about supplements,
but you cannot tell them what to do.
Your role is to empower them to be informed
and to act in the best interest of their own health
through the proper channels.
Makes sense?
Supplements are a big business,
they produce an estimated $27 billion in sales every year
in just the US alone.
So it makes sense that everyone wants a piece of that pie.
Unfortunately, many companies are in it just for the profits
and care very little about quality.
Supplements are a small yet valuable part
of a comprehensive wellness plan.
But let's face it.
If you've been in the drug stores and searched the shelves,
you've likely noticed that quality varies widely.
The majority of products sell
little more than empty promises,
but which is which?
How can you help teach your clients to decipher
which brands are of high quality
and which are waste of time and money.
Let's start with the basics.
First and foremost, what is a supplement exactly?
According to the FDA, a dietary supplement is a product
that is intended to be taken orally
to add further nutritional value to one's diet.
Supplements contain one or any combination
of the following substances.
Vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals,
amino acids, supplemental protein or carbohydrates,
fiber, and concentrates,
metabolites, constituents, or extracts.
These are substances that are broken down
from whole products into just the active compound.
They may include glandular extracts to treat thyroid
and adrenal disease, glucosamine, chondroitin,
and methylsulfonylmethane.
Okay, one more time, methylsulfonylmethane or MSM.
This is a naturally occurring sulfur compound
that is well-known for its benefits to joints and tissue.
Green tea and green coffee extracts, and fish oil.
There are several ways that supplements can be taken
such as tablets, capsules, liquids,
premixed beverages, and powders.
In addition, there are also creams, gels, and sprays
that fall into the category of supplements.
These are meant to be used on the skin
and are absorbed easily into the system.
Examples of these topical supplements include
hormonal creams and gels
such as testosterone or progesterone,
vitamin creams and sprays, and magnesium oil.
There are many reasons why supplements are used.
For example, some dietary supplements
are meant to help your clients obtain
an adequate intake of essential nutrients,
while others may help reduce the risk of disease.
However, the FDA makes it difficult
to actually make these claims.
You can help your clients navigate these claims
by keeping on top of the latest research.
You don't need to know and memorize everything there is
to know about supplements,
you just need to be okay with saying,
"Let me look into this and get back to you,"
and know how to access and decipher that information.
It's important to remember when helping your clients
make a choice that supplements are not regulated
or even approved by the FDA.
The FDA states that it is up to the manufacturer
to ensure that the products that manufactures
and distributes are safe,
that any claims made about the products
are not false or misleading,
and that the products comply
with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
and FDA regulations in all other respects.
The FDA does not test or approve supplements without reason,
but they will send out warnings to companies
if they have reason to believe
that they are not complying with these guidelines.
They have taken a particularly strong stance
against claims of weight loss and cures for cancer.
What all this means for your clients
is that it's very confusing to choose a good supplement,
even for the most savvy buyer, having you in their corner
with an excellent understanding of the choices
and the options that are available
will make a big difference for them
if they choose to evaluate and purchase supplements.
So let's take a look at how you can help
educate your clients.
What are some absolute minimum requirements
for a good quality supplement?
Qualities to look for in a good quality supplement
include, tested ingredients.
Look for proof that certain ingredients work.
They should have been tested using randomized trial.
Bioavailable formulations,
look for whole foods over synthetics
and formulations that don't contain preservatives,
fillers, dyes, gluten, yeast,
and other common allergens.
These can affect how well the body utilizes
the active ingredients in the supplements.
Recommended dosage for the benefit that is desired,
standardized extracts for herbs and glandulars,
does the product actually contain what it claims to.
For example, most fish oil supplements are diluted
with a large proportion of soybean oil,
vegan or vegetarian capsules,
especially for people who adhere to these dietary practices,
and a reputable company.
Some companies with strong reputations include
Designs for Health, Standard Process,
Pure Encapsulations, Thorne Research,
Vital Nutrients, and Gaia Herbs.
Supplements that meet these standards
are typically not cheap, these products cost more
but they are held to a higher standard
and are much more likely to be effective.
Still, keep in mind that just because a product is expensive
doesn't mean it's good.
Never judge by price alone.
When it comes to education about supplements,
an important service you can offer to your clients
is to stay tuned into the latest research.
There are some wild claims out there
about what supplements can do,
and you want to be in the know,
so your clients can have realistic expectations.
There's a lot of misinformation on the Internet,
and it can be tempting to buy into a promising health claim
you see in an article
or posted on a wellness professional social media page.
Always fact-check and empower your clients to do the same.
Many reputable journals and databases are available online,
and you can gain a lot of information
just by looking at the abstract
and conclusions sections of the study.
There have been a lot of studies
on specific types of supplements
that demonstrate which are effective for certain conditions.
MedlinePlus.gov maintains a list of supplements
with an overview of the latest research.
Keep in mind that they tend to be conservative
regarding the recommendations,
since they are a government agency.
Some other sources for information on supplements
include the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database,
the Natural Standard,
the National Center for Complementary
and Alternative Medicine Database,
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,
The National Cancer Institute Office of Cancer
Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, and PubMed.
Most of these databases also contain information
about possible interactions between
supplements and medications.
It's important for your clients to be aware that
there may be contraindications to them
taking certain supplements because of health issues
or other medications and supplements.
For example, a client might not think it's a big deal
to start taking fish oil because it's so common
and can be purchased right at the grocery store.
But let's say this client
also happens to be on a blood thinner,
in which case, fish oil would not be recommended
because it can increase bleeding.
Advise instead that they discuss this with their
licensed health practitioner
before starting any new supplement.
Many supplements are not independently tested,
mostly because it's expensive and time-consuming.
However, there are a few independent labs
that test supplements, perhaps the most well-known of these
is the United States Pharmacopeia or USP.
Another esteemed testing lab is an SF International.
It's also important to be mindful of the wording on labels.
Many companies will put the letters USP or NSF
on the label without actually having
any approval from these companies.
The seal and the words verified by USP or NSF
should be on the label.
If in doubt, look on the respective websites,
USP.org or NSF.org.
They list all of the products that they've approved.
Most of the other seals of approval such as
the Good Housekeeping Seal are meaningless.
They are paid for by the manufacturer
as a form of advertising.
Keep in mind though that the absence of a seal
is not necessarily a reflection on quality, good, or bad.
Many of the smaller companies
can't afford to pay these organizations
for their seal of approval.
If you or your clients are interested in learning
more about certain supplements,
check out ConsumerLabs.com.
This is an organization that independently tests
many supplements and offers a service similar
to consumer reports for supplements.
The cost to receive the full reports is $42 per year.
Okay, to recap what we've covered so far,
when choosing a supplement, you'll want to look for
products that have been tested,
have bioavailable formulations,
come in the recommended dosage
for one's personal needs and desired benefits,
have standardized extracts, contain what they claim to,
are vegan or vegetarian, and come from a reputable company.
A little research goes a long way,
and there are a handful of great online publications
and databases available for assessing
specific supplement brands.
Next, let's talk about
some of the characteristics of supplements
that should be avoided.
Things to avoid when choosing a supplement
include genetically modified organisms
such as soybean oil and cornstarch.
These are common additives in low quality supplements.
Plastics, some enteric coated
and time release capsules contain phthalates.
Hydrogenated oils, these may be found in vitamin D
and fish oil capsules,
as well as in some time release formulations.
Pesticides, lead, PCBs, and mercury.
Unnecessary ingredients such as sugars and other sweeteners,
artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives,
fillers that contain toxins
such as sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol,
povidone, shellac, chlorine, talc, and titanium dioxide.
Fillers that may cause GI distress,
including lactose, magnesium stearate,
sorbitol and cellulose, and gluten,
particularly for individuals who have celiac disease
or gluten sensitivity.
The best supplements use the least amount of fillers.
There are many reasons that companies use fillers,
flavorings, colorings, and preservatives.
They're trying to make production easier and faster
make the pills easier to swallow,
help them be more shelf stable
and make them more appealing to the eye, nose, and palate.
That being said, fewer fillers means a safer
more bioavailable supplement.
Some of those fillers have been shown
to be downright dangerous.
Many artificial colorings and flavorings can cause
reactions for individuals who are sensitive to them.
So it's really important to check labels
to see if either artificial color
or artificial flavor is on there.
For example, some types of caramel coloring
have been implicated as a cause of cancer,
although the amount in the supplement capsule is very small.
Sodium lauryl sulfate may react
with other supplement ingredients to form dioxins.
Talc is completely indigestible
and is an irritant to the GI tract
that may even contribute to stomach cancer.
As I mentioned earlier, fish oil,
while an excellent supplement is fraught with complications.
Many of the fish oils available on the market
are a combination of fish oil and other filler oils
such as soybean,
and they're produced from large inexpensive fish
that have high levels of mercury and PCBs.
It's important to choose a very high quality
independently tested fish oil
that has been shown to have low mercury and lead levels.
If you're going to invest in a fish oil supplement,
it's worth it to spend the extra money.
You can check the International Fish Oil Standards Program
for more information and which brands are pure.
Another word of caution,
watch out for private label supplements.
These are made by another company
and then the seller puts their own label on it.
Seek out supplements that are made and sold
by a reputable company.
If your client is purchasing a private label supplement
directly from a physician,
it's important that he or she finds out
who manufactured it and what it contains.
Let's pause here for a quick recap.
When choosing supplements, you and your clients
want to avoid products containing GMOs, plastics,
hydrogenated oils,
pesticides, lead, PCBs, and mercury,
and unnecessary ingredients.
As you can see, there's a wide variation
in the quality of supplements
available on the market today.
Next, we're going to discuss the specific supplement needs
of vegan and vegetarian clients
because they eat few or no animal products,
it can be challenging to fully meet their nutritional needs
solely from their diet.
The supplements most often needed by vegans
and vegetarians include vitamin B12, omega-3,
vitamin D, iodine, iron, and zinc.
Let's look at each of these individually.
Vitamin B12 or cyanocobalamin
is only found in animal products.
While it is present in soil,
it isn't possible to eat enough unwashed vegetables
to meet B12 requirements.
The only way for a vegan to get adequate B12
is through fortified foods or supplements.
The recommended dose is 25 to 100 micrograms per day.
While there are vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids,
they aren't easily absorbed by the body
and require significant processing to become bioavailable.
Flax, walnuts, and chia seeds
do contain alpha linolenic acid or ALA,
but they don't contain DHA or EPA,
the most bioavailable omega-3 fatty acids.
The body can convert ALA to DHA and EPA,
but it isn't very efficient.
Vegans seem to be able to maintain normal levels of EPA,
but they have difficulty
keeping their DHA levels high enough,
therefore you may want to recommend
DHA products made from algae to your vegan clients.
Many vegans don't get enough vitamin D,
since the best sources of vitamin D are dairy and fish.
They should consider having their vitamin D level tested
and supplement if their levels are low.
There are a variety of vegan
vitamin D supplement options available.
Iodine is an essential mineral
that many vegans are deficient in,
partly because the most plentiful sources of iodine
in the diet are fish and eggs.
However, seaweed does have plenty of iodine,
so only vegans who forgo seaweed need supplementation.
The recommended daily amount of iodine
is 150 micrograms per day.
Supplementation with iodine should always be done
under a doctor's supervision.
The most bioavailable source of iron in the diet
is from animal sources such as liver and red meat,
this heme iron is already processed
and no further processing is required by the body
to be able to utilize it.
The iron in vegetables on the other hand
requires the body to process it to make it available.
This means that the dietary recommendation for vegans
is up to twice as high
as the recommendation for meat eaters.
The recommended amount of iron is 8 milligrams for adult men
and postmenopausal women.
It increases to 18 milligrams per day
for adult women in the reproductive years
and pregnant women should aim for 27 milligrams per day.
Plentiful sources of iron in a vegan diet include
beans, cruciferous vegetables,
nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.
Cooking with a cast iron pan can also improve iron levels.
But clients shouldn't just go out and buy iron supplements.
It's important for vegan clients to have their
iron levels tested first.
Iron overdose can have serious consequences
including organ failure and death in extreme cases.
Zinc is essential in every cell in the body
and is particularly important for pregnant women.
However, it's difficult to maintain adequate levels
on a vegan diet.
Few plants actually contain zinc,
and it is not very bioavailable
due to the presence of phytates.
Natural sources of zinc include whole grains,
wheat germ, tofu, sprouted breads,
legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Those on a gluten-free diet may have difficulty
reaching adequate levels.
The recommended daily dosage of zinc is
8 to 9 milligrams per day for adults.
Pregnant women are recommended to increase
to 11 to 12 milligrams
and lactating women up to 12 to 13 milligrams per day.
We've talked about six micronutrients
that vegans and vegetarians
may need to supplement in their diet,
but there's a macronutrient that's worth mentioning too.
Depending on an individual's diet,
some vegans may benefit from protein supplements
in order to ensure that they're getting
adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids.
There are a number of excellent vegan protein powders
available on the market that can serve their needs.
Hemp protein is a popular plant-based protein,
but it's important to note
that it doesn't meet this need by itself
because it doesn't contain enough lysine
and is low in leucine and L-tryptophan.
Sprout Living and Garden of Life are too popular brands
that contain complete protein and are organic.
To recap, clients who eat a plant-based diet
may need to supplement with one or more of the following,
vitamin B12, omega-3, vitamin D,
iodine, iron, and zinc.
Depending on their diet, they may also want to consider
an organic and complete protein supplement.
However, not all vegans need all supplements,
everybody's body and life circumstances are different.
Diets vary from one person to the next
and some people absorb nutrients better than others.
It's important as a Health Coach to be on the lookout
for signs of deficiency in your clients
and refer them to be tested by their doctor,
not just suggesting that they go out and buy supplements
because they seem to fall into a certain category.
We hope you're feeling more confident about
navigating the world of supplements.
You now know how they're manufactured,
the minimum requirements of a good supplement,
what to avoid, the different types of supplements,
where to go to research brands,
and the potentially harmful ingredients
to look out for in supplements.
You're ready to go out there
and use your knowledge to help your clients.
Thank you so much for joining us in this lecture.
Please visit the Facebook group and tell us about
your own personal experience with supplements.
Take care, and we'll see you soon.