(Almost) Everything You Wanted to Know about Supplements (but Were Afraid to Ask)

(Almost) Everything You Wanted to Know about Supplements (but Were Afraid to Ask)

We realize that the subject of supplements is very confusing for many people. The
following are some common questions our clients have asked about supplements
over the years.

What’s in a Label?

Today, most multinutrients offer either an RDA or a percentage of daily value
on the label as a general nutrition guideline for consumers. The underlying concept
is that these allowances should prevent deficiency diseases associated with each
nutrient. For example, as discussed previously, 75 milligrams of vitamin C is the
amount deemed necessary to prevent scurvy but not the amount that nutritionists
think is necessary for optimal health. What’s more, such generalizations do not
work for some segments of the population, because of biochemical individuality, a
concept introduced by biochemist Roger Williams, who first described how
differences in individual anatomy, physiology, and genetics determine individual
nutritional requirements.

TIP: 

A poorly formulated supplement shows “100% DV” of each
nutrient on the label. We recommend against this type of supplement,
because quality manufacturers know that some nutrients are used up
more quickly than others (for example, the B vitamins) and some
daily values (DVs) are set at unrealistically low levels (for example,
vitamin C). On the other hand, some nutrients may be toxic at doses
above the RDA (for example, vitamin A and iron). A high-quality
multinutrient will take all of this into account in providing a formula
that reflects a practical understanding of how nutrients act in the
body.