The Council for Responsible Nutrition(CRN) surveyed people to estimate how many people take dietary supplements. According to their survey in 2023 74% of adults take supplements. So it is safe to say that most people spend money on supplements and they are apart of most individuals daily or weekly routine. But are they worth the money and do they actually make us healthier or improve our lives?

What are Supplements

A dietary supplement is a manufactured product to help fill in the gaps of dietary intake. Protein powders, protein bars, creatine, magnesium, fish oil, electrolytes, BCAAs, sleep supplements are some of the most mainstream and popular dietary supplements. Their purpose again is to fill in the gaps of what we aren't getting through regular dietary consumption. They are not supposed to be the focal point of our diet and health. They are simply there for added support.

This question is tricky to answer because there are a wide array of different supplements and on top of that different manufacturers. But the first thing you need to understand is that the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act categorizes supplements as food and not as drugs or pharmaceuticals. This means that dietary supplements aren't held to the same standard that drugs are. Even more specifically, there isn't a pre-approval process for dietary supplements since they are labeled food. This doesn't mean that the FDA doesn't regulate them, there simply isn't a pre-approval process to test them before they go on the market. If there is a defect in a supplement, it won't be noticed till after it's been on the market and people have bought and consumed it.

Do they actually Work?

 The short answer is it depends. It depends on your specific situation you're in and what supplement we are talking about. If you aren't deficient in a vitamin, mineral or nutrient then they probably won't work. You body is getting enough nutrients to support itself. If your body however isn't getting adequate amounts, then yes adding more in of that particular nutrient will help. But this is where it gets tricky. Not all supplements are what they say they are. Again going to back to the Supplement Act of 1994. They aren't tested before being put on the market. So not every supplement gets tested to see if it has what it says it has in it. However most if not all supplements can be found in whole foods or some other natural source. Like Vitamin-D, obviously the UV light from the sun starts the body's process of making it internally. Or protein, chicken breast has 25 grams per serving and will always have 25 grams per serving no matter where you are in the world. So the processing of supplements can make a difference on effectiveness.

Adding more to the conversation. We know as well that consuming these nutrients from whole foods and nature will always be better as well. Our body's have been consuming steak, eggs, chicken, fruits, vegetables, converting UV light to Vitamin-D for years. You can't convince me those sources won't be better 99% for 99% of people out there.

Conclusion

To sum things up and bring it all together. Supplements have their niche and area for helping people out. However, if someone needs to take a certain nutrient or supplement. That does not mean you need to go out and spend $100 a month on them. There is a cost effective and proficient way of going about this. My protocol is to find a way to fill in the gaps first with whole foods and nature itself. So, adding more meat to your diet for more protein. Need more Vitamin-C? Go out and buy more fruit and start eating a couple servings of fruit daily. Maybe your micronutrient consumption is low in general. How about looking at adding in a couple servings a week of organ meets to help with that.

The point is, supplements are man made and a system designed to make money from. Yes, there are some that can be worth it. But more times than not, rearranging your dietary intake, lifestyle and looking to nature can fix and fill those gaps you are missing.