Frederic Poirot / Foter

“I have taken vitamins before, but I do not usually stay with it because I do not know if they are actually doing anything for me, and I wonder if I am wasting my money. How do I know if it is worth the money or the time?”

A day does not go by that I don’t get someone asking me about this topic as well. It is estimated that 2 out of 3 Americans take at least one natural herb or supplement. Yet how many of them are properly trained to know whether what they are taking is correct, or healthy, for them?

I always ask people “How did you decide what supplement to take?” Often, it’s just a purchasing decision made because you hear you are supposed to take vitamins, so you go to the store and buy some. It could be at the grocery store, the drug store, or a chain supplement store, or even a health food store.

You take them for a week or so, then taper off because you didn’t feel any different and find it hard to remember to take them.

Therein lies the rub. The reason someone may not be noticing a difference could be any number of reasons, or a combination of them.

Reason #1: Who are you asking?

If you ask the sales person for help, you can either get a high school kid who knows nothing about health and is just working to earn spending money, to some very educated people who are very good resources, and know the product lines the store carries. The problem is you can’t tell sometimes who is who (once you get beyond the obvious extremes of that scale).

I have had some clients tell me horror stories about these experiences. One called me after visiting a very well known natural foods store, which typically has very knowledgeable staff, and she had gone into the store looking for a general multiple digestive enzyme (one I had suggested after doing a consult with her). The staff person brought her probiotics and insisted this is what she needed.

Now, those are 2 completely different substances, and they have different effects on the body.

That is akin to a mechanic knowing the difference between oil and gas – two different substances that both go into a car, but act in two different places doing two different things.

Reason # 2 : How much do they know about you and your health situation?

Assuming the person is very knowledgeable, what do they ultimately know about YOUR health? Nutrition, herbs and supplements can be very powerful, if you know what you are doing. And they can be a waste of money if you don’t. In other cases, they can actually cause you more harm than good. The insurance against that is to work with someone who knows nutrition, herbs, and supplements, and also knows all about YOU.

While there are some general tips/rules of thumb that most nutrition savvy store sales person knows, the body is so complex and the systems relate to each other so intricately that to really know what is best, you need to look at the person holistically. To do that takes time and to honestly do the appropriate thing for you, the sales person would need to spend the time taking your health history, understanding your life, your eating habits, your stress levels. Obviously they don’t do that, so when you buy something recommended by them, you could get lucky and have it be right and notice a difference, or you could spend money and not know if it’s helping you.

Reason #3: It’s not a simple question to answer.

It’s a paradigm shift. Western versus natural/alternative medicine.

Our society is so programmed with the allopathic philosophy of medicine, which is, “Here is my symptom, so what should I take for it?” I get asked that all the time, “What is the best supplement for migraines?” or “What should I take for my cold?” People sometimes don’t understand how that is not necessarily a simple question to answer.

For example, if you go to a doctor with a problem with migraines, often they will give you medication that will stop the symptom (the migraine), and as long as you are taking the medication you won’t feel the migraine. The symptom though is your body’s signal that something is wrong. It’s meant to sound the alarm to you. Holistic/natural approach to the same situation is to figure out why the migraine exists in the first place, and then work to help the body heal itself by supporting the reason for the headache. Then, once you address the cause, you no longer have the symptom. I like a quote I have read before several times, “You don’t get a headache because you have an aspirin deficiency.”

Reason #4: Assuming you are choosing the right supplement, how do you know it’s “one of the good ones?”

You want to make sure the supplement is high quality – and that is hard to determine. There is no standardized  regulation of supplements, so you really don’t know what you are buying, and whether it’s good or not. I’ve heard varying figures on this, but generally speaking, about 90% of the supplements out there are not worth buying. The hard part is knowing what that 10% is!

That’s where working with someone who understands nutrition, knows you and your health, and also has used certain lines or products with many clients, is a good resource. I use a few different lines of products personally and with clients, and often will recommend my clients use those lines, because I know they are high quality, I know what they do, and I have demonstrated results in many other clients.

I always leave that decision up to the client in that regard and will take a look at their current brands to see whether they should stick with what they are doing, or whether it may make sense to change. While I can take a look at the ingredients, I don’t feel as confident in making a recommendation because I don’t have personal experience with them, nor do I understand their manufacturing process, where they source their raw materials, or their quality control practices.

Also, this is the appropriate time to bring up the cost issue. Generally speaking, you are going to pay for good quality supplements. It’s just the way it is. The “good ones” usually cost more because they use real, whole food based ingredients, not chemicals synthesized in a chemistry lab to mimic nutrients found in nature. I use some nutritionals where the cost for one month can be as high $85 for a one month’s supply. I have some people saying “that’s too much money!” yet they are the very same people who spend $8 a day on a Starbucks latte and a trans-fat laden muffin (that totals over $180 per month). My point being that not everyone values their health enough to make changes like that, and that’s their choice. My clients typically do not fall into that bucket, though, as they are already seeking information to help themselves, and are interested in taking a proactive approach to living a higher quality life. I find most people understand this and it’s not an issue.

I love, though, when I get a client who may have commented on cost initially, who later feels noticeably better and healthier, isn’t getting sick anymore, and feels energetic and strong. They never seem to bring up cost ever again.

I will caution here also, though, that just because it’s expensive, doesn’t mean that it’s good. And there are some high quality ones that aren’t too expensive, like some fish oils I’ve seen out there. Generally speaking, though, expect to pay some money for good quality.

Reason #5: It could have nothing to do with the supplement itself.

The other factor in this situation is, “Is this person absorbing and digesting the food or supplement?” These days, digestion and absorption are usually compromised in most people. I always say that you can be eating the best foods, taking high quality supplements, but if your body is unable to absorb the nutrients, it’s a waste of precious resources (both the high quality supplement and your hard earned cash).

Confusing, huh?

Somewhat. But the more informed you are about what goes into the selection of the appropriate products for you, the more you can feel confident in your choices. Ideally, you would work with a health professional who understands holistic health, nutrition, and supplements, to come up with a plan specific to you and your needs. In the long run, you’ll end up saving money because you will know what you are taking IS the right thing for you, you’ll feel better, and you won’t have to spend as much money on the wrong products for you. And, you’ll likely spend less in medical bills and medications down the road.

Please post your comments and questions below…