Supplements 101

Supplements are everywhere, but not all are created equal. Many are poorly absorbed, improperly dosed, or filled with questionable additives. As a nurse trained in functional health, I’m careful about what I recommend and what I use.

Here’s how I vet supplements, and the key factors I look for when determining whether a product is actually worth your money (and safe to put in your body).

1. Third-Party Testing

Because the supplement industry isn’t tightly regulated, third-party testing is essential. It tells you whether:

• The product contains what it says it does

• The product is in the correct dose

• It’s free from contaminants, like heavy metals, pesticides, or mold

• It meets purity and potency standards

You won’t always see these, but look for seals from: NSF Certified or USP Verified

2. Ingredient Quality

It’s not just what’s in the supplement, but where it came from and how it’s made. I look for:

• Clinically backed ingredients at therapeutic doses (most of these are offered through providers)

• Minimal fillers or additives (watch for things like titanium dioxide, artificial dyes, or unnecessary binders)

• Clear labeling with ingredient transparency

• Generally avoid "proprietary blends" unless clinically justified

• Avoid brands that cut corners by using poorly absorbed nutrients (like magnesium oxide- cheap but ineffective)

3. Bioavailability: Can Your Body Actually Use It?

Even the best ingredient doesn't help if your body can’t absorb it. That’s where bioavailability comes in.

Look for:

• Chelated minerals (e.g., magnesium glycinate or zinc bisglycinate)-these are attached to amino acids (glycine) and are more easily absorbed and easier on the digestive system.

  -Avoid magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate

  -Look of words like: chelated, bisglycinate, citrate, or amino acid complex.

• Methylated B vitamins (like methylfolate vs. folic acid, especially for those with MTHFR gene variations)

• Active forms of vitamins-

  Choose:

  —Ubiqunol for CoQ10

  -Vitamin D3 rather than D2

  -Methylcobalamin form of Vitamin B12

4. Practitioner-Only Lines

There’s a reason some of the best supplement brands are only available through licensed professionals: quality, consistency, and oversight.

These supplements typically undergo more rigorous quality control, have cleaner ingredient profiles, and are backed by clinical use and research. These lines also avoid trendy formulations and focus on evidence-based blends.

*I offer access to these professional brands through my [Fullscript] account, so you can get trusted, high-quality options with guidance. My Fullscript Store

Brands I choose:

• Thorne

• Pure Encapsulation

What I Avoid

• Generic store-brand vitamins (often low quality and poorly absorbed). They often times have been sitting on the shelf past their shelf life as well.

• Products that say “proprietary blends” and no dosing information.

• Overly complex stacks without a clear therapeutic goal. Also, when many nutrients are stacked in one supplement, it is hard to know what is working and not working.

• Supplements that are not temperature controlled. Heat can degrade many supplements.

What about precursors and cofactors?

• Are you supporting the necessary precursors and cofactors? These allow nutrients to be properly absorbed, converted, and utilized.

  Some examples:

  -Vitamin B6, vitamin D, Boron are needed to use Magnesium properly. If you are deficient in these nutrients, taking Magnesium isn’t really going to help you.

  -Vitamin C increases Iron absorption and Copper helps with Iron metabolism

  -Vitamin K2 helps Vitamin D do its job without causing calcification

Quality Over Hype

Whether you're focused on gut health, stress resilience, hormones, or energy, I always recommend starting with just one supplement. Give your body time to see how it responds. Some people do not respond well to supplements. They have no effects (in which case it’s a waste of money to continue using) or they have bad side effects. Be intentional.

There’s a free app called SuppCo that can be helpful. You can search for any supplement, and it provides a trust score based on quality and safety. I suggest starting with the list I’ve shared, picking your supplement, and then using the app to double-check it. I recently tried it myself, and it seems quite useful.

Need help building a personalized supplement plan?
I offer professional-grade supplements and personalized guidance through 1:1 nurse consultations. Reach out anytime.