3 common mistakes people make when taking food supplements

Food supplements have been with us for a long time – you could say millennia. But 21. st century’s technology development has given us the opportunity to market more food supplements than ever before and to invent new forms and ways of consuming them. The world of food supplements has grown huge and contains many conflicting opinions and habits. In order to successfully navigate in all these possibilities and risks, it is good to be aware of how to recognise and avoid common mistakes related to food supplements.

Common mistake No 1

Supplements taken at the same time with fatty foods

Fat holds back nutrients from moving freely around our bodies and being absorbed well. Many people are unaware that they should pay attention to the timing of their supplement intake. Ideally, it should not coincide with the consumption of fatty or protein-rich foods

Consuming fatty foods inhibits the circulation of nutrients in the blood and their absorption into cells At the same time glucose is crucial for transporting nutrients. According to Anthony William (author of the ‘Medical Medium’ series of books), nothing can move in and out of a cell without glucose.

So it’s a good idea to take supplements with glucose, such as banana or honey (some products, such as Vimergy supplements, already have glycerine added for this reason). Even potatoes have enough suitable glucose. Fatty foods – including nuts, coconut, plant-based milks, etc. – should be consumed separately from supplements. Supplements can be absorbed with fat, but the process is disrupted and the benefit of the supplement is certainly not maximised.

Suggestion: take supplements in the morning before eating fatty foods. (If you drink celery juice, then 30 minutes after drinking the celery juice). Another good option is to take supplements in the evening before going to bed, ideally 1-2 hours after the last fatty meal.

Some supplements, such as EPA/DHA (vegan omega-3) and vitamin D-3, also contain fat and are fat soluble. So these are exceptions. However, most supplements work best when there are no distractions such as fats and when there is enough fructose in the blood.

Common mistake no. 2

Not paying close attention to the form of the micronutrients in the food supplement

There is also a lot of confusion about the form of nutrients. There is a lot of confusing and contradictory information out there, and if someone recommends that you start taking vitamin B-12, it’s very legitimate to ask: which one? Which brand? Which of the thousands of different options is the most effective, cleanest and has the highest quality?

Which vitamin B-12 should I take?

Measuring B-12 levels is a common thing to do when getting a blood test. If it happens to be low, it is recommended to start taking more. It is usually recommended that you simply pick a product from the pharmacy, without paying much attention to the form and quality – as long as it says B-12 on the package and contains the right amount of vitamin B-12.

But if you want to take a more informed approach, know that the best absorbed form of B-12 is a mixture of methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.

So next time you buy a food supplement, read from the package or leaflet to find out what form of the nutrient is used. Here are a few more examples of forms that are well absorbed and working:

• for B-12 – a mixture of methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin
• for zinc – liquid zinc sulphate
• For magnesium – magnesium glycinate. Magnesium malate and some amounts of magnesium taurate are also suitable, but magnesium citrate is not recommended.
• Folic acid/folate/B9 – The best absorbed form is methyl folate or 5-MTHF. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate that is not usable by the body until it has been converted by the liver into methyl folate.

Tip: Next time you buy a food supplement, read the product information and make sure that the micronutrient it contains is in a form that is easily digestible. If you don’t know which form is best for you, we recommend you consult your doctor or look in the Medical Medium books.

Common mistake No 3

Tinctures that are consumed contain alcohol

Alcoholic tinctures have historically played an important role. A couple of hundred years ago, when modern technology was not available, this was one of the few ways to make long-lasting tinctures.

With all due respect to folk medicine and the wisdom of their ancestors – they did their best at their times. But the fact that it was done like that does not necessarily mean that it was the best to our health. At the time, it seemed to be crucial for survival. Freeze-drying technology and other modern clean production methods had not yet been invented.

Today, we already know the effects of alcohol on the body. The first reason we recommend avoiding it in tinctures and supplements is that alcohol – even in small amounts – is very damaging to our liver health. Alcohol makes our livers sluggish and damages liver cells, reducing the liver’s ability to synthesize vitamins and minerals. All of the more than 2,000 chemical functions that the liver carries out are slowed down.

Another thing to know is that alcohol neutralises the effect of the food supplement. So, if you take an alcohol-based tincture, the food supplement in it will have no effect on your body. Instead of nutrients, the liver simply gets mild alcohol poisoning.

And the last reason is that corn-based alcohol is commonly used in the food and pharmaceutical industry – this corn is very likely to be GMO or GMO contaminated corn(by the way – the same goes for citric acid, which is produced from GMO corn).

Recommendation: if you are looking for remedies, take a close look at the product label. Look for alcohol-free supplements. Make sure that the product does not contain alcohol, often listed as ethanol.

Carelessly manufactured food supplements give the whole world of food supplements a bad name

Let’s say you buy a food supplement on a friend’s recommendation. A friend has recommended that you take zinc, which is supposed to help your body fight viruses. But you don’t have any additional information about which zinc to take – you stand in front of the supplement counter in a shop or pharmacy, wondering which one to choose. You can’t figure out what form of zinc you should choose, so you end up picking some zinc capsules without paying attention to whether they contain alcohol, citric acid or other unnecessary chemical additives.

The worst-case scenario is that taking the supplement could lead to some health setbacks – it could be diarrhea or just feeling unwell. In a better case, you simply don’t feel any health effects, positive or negative.

But as you have not found a solution to your problem you conclude that supplements are pointless, don’t work and probably are just a waste of money. Unfortunately, situations like this happen way too often and make people constantly sceptical about supplements. It’s a shame, because a high-quality and pure food supplement can have incredibly beneficial effects on your body!

Hopefully, the next time you’re looking for a supplement (or take one), you’ll be a little more aware of the potential pitfalls that prevent you from getting the most out of it. It’s entirely possible that you were already aware of these pitfalls – in which case, practice makes perfect

Sources:

Medical Medium Anthony William’s books and website www.medicalmedium.com

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only; it is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If health problems occur, a doctor or health professional should be consulted. If you would like to use alternative or new remedies to support your health, please discuss this information with your doctor. Bring your doctor a bookin this topic and discuss whether and how therapeutic foods and supplements could be used in your recovery.