What are the top supplements that nutritionists take? For myself, I take some supplements because certain nutrients are not easily accessible through our daily food consumption; they are essential to our physical and mental health, and there is no harm to take them in the long term. I also found out that my other nutritionist peers as well as wellness research scientists such as Dr. Rhonda Patricka and Dr. Andrew Huberman also take similar supplements. Do you want to know what they are?
No 1. Omega-3, specifically EPA. Omega-3 has so many benefits but most worth noticing are it is nourishing skin/eyes and brain. It has been proved it is just as effective as an antidepressant. Omega-3 can be from plants; however, I do recommend wild salmon or other deepwater small fish because some people do not absorb plant Omega-3 well. The irony is that fish also contains mercury due to global water contamination and mercury is harmful to your body, especially if you are pregnant, it can damage the fetus' brain development. So the solution is to take an Omega-3 supplement with heavy metal filtered out and you do need to take 1000 mg - 2000 mg of EPA to reap the full benefit.
No 2. Greens. I take greens power just to ensure I get enough nutrients: vitamins, minerals, probiotics, phytonutrients and so much more. I don’t like synthetic multivitamin pills because synthetic formulas may not have the same chemical structures, therefore, don't work.
No 3. Just kidding.
That’s it! Those are my daily essentials! There are other supplements I may take for some period of time for a certain purposes, such as:
Magnesium Threonate: when my brain is too active during sleep time
Curcumin: if I want to boost my immune system and prevent hair loss
GLA oil: if I want to make my skin more glowing
I always try to get nutrients from daily food consumption and I only take supplements that are from food sources. When I take supplements, other than the two daily essentials, I don’t take one supplement for more than 3 months. And I take them only for certain clear purposes. We really don’t know everything about our body yet and you never know if something can have negative effects down the road. In addition, you never want to disrupt your bodies’ ability to produce necessary substances and maintain homeostasis.
It is also wise to consult your family doctor to see if certain supplements are really for you, especially if you have some underlying health concerns. Some supplements can have even stronger effects on our bodies than drugs; you would need professional advice to make sure they are not harmful to you.