6 Common Supplement Mistakes to Avoid, According to a Dietitian

While supplements give off an *all-natural* aura — and can be helpful in some cases — there are real risks in blindly taking a pill you heard about on TikTok. Below are six common supplement mistakes I see as a registered dietitian.

What not to do when taking supplements

1. Taking something without confirming if you need it

Have you ever heard the phrase: “Test, don’t guess?” » This mantra is a friendly reminder that providers need data before they can recommend targeted medical or nutritional interventions.

The same idea applies to supplements. Tons of people come to me wanting to take a vitamin B12 supplement “for energy”, but a B12 supplement won’t do you much good unless your blood tests indicate that you have a vitamin B12 deficiency. .

Fortunately, B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, which means any excess you consume will be eliminated from the body through urine. So, supplementing unnecessarily with B12 will mainly waste your money. (Sorry, I had to.)

Tons of people take supplements without realizing the dose they’re taking or if that dose actually makes sense.

However, taking unnecessary supplements is not always low risk. Other nutrients, like vitamin D, are not automatically flushed out of the body when consumed in excess. Therefore, supplementing them without reason, especially in high doses, could lead to dangerously high blood levels over time. And it can have serious consequences: a 2022 case study published in the BMJ: case reports found that a man was hospitalized for eight days with extreme symptoms (including constant vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme thirst) after taking extremely high doses of vitamin D supplements.

Another example: taking a “hormone balancing” supplement without confirming that you actually have a hormonal imbalance. Using an estrogen dominance supplement without knowing if you have high estrogen levels could make you feel worse, not better. (The only thing more annoying than a real hot flash is a self-inflicted hot flash.)

I recommend understanding why you are taking a supplement by asking yourself these questions:

• Do I have a clear and confirmed reason for taking this supplement?
• Has this supplement been recommended or reviewed by my healthcare provider?
• If you’re taking a single nutrient, like vitamin D or iron, due to a deficiency: Have I double-checked my blood levels to see how this supplement affected them?

Consider having lab tests done every three to six months to determine whether or not your levels have normalized if you are taking a supplement to treat a nutrient deficiency.

I’ve had clients in their 30s tell me they were still taking a supplement their doctor recommended when they were 17. This is probably no longer necessary.

2. Taking a dose that makes no sense

Would you rather swallow 10 fiber tablets every day or add a spoonful of chia seeds to your breakfast? I ask because swallowing 10 (10!) Metamucil fiber capsules will provide you with four grams of fiber, the same amount you would get from eating just 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. Not to mention, you’ll also get a small amount of calcium and omega-3 from chia.

This is one of those supplementation mistakes I see all the time in my practice. Tons of people take supplements without realizing the dose they’re taking or if that dose actually makes sense. Sometimes it’s ridiculously low, other times it’s scary.

Once you’ve confirmed that you would benefit from a certain supplement, talk to your provider about the dosage that’s right for you. Even compounds our bodies produce naturally, like melatonin, have upper limits when taken in supplement form.

3. Taking the Wrong Form of Supplement

Different forms of the same nutrient can have very different effects on the body. Take magnesium, for example. Magnesium glycinate supplements may be helpful for nighttime relaxation, while magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide supplements act as laxatives². Accidentally taking magnesium oxide before spending the night with your new buddy will literally be the opposite of relaxation, so be sure to select the right form of the nutrient to get the results you want.

The specific form a nutrient comes in can also impact how much the body absorbs and how likely it is to cause side effects. For example, iron supplements are known to cause gastrointestinal upset, but some studies show³ that some forms of iron, such as ferrous bisglycinate, may be less likely to cause nausea and constipation than others, such as ferrous sulfate.

4. Taking supplements that interact with medications

Perhaps the biggest supplement mistake is unknowingly taking something that may interact with your medications. Some examples :

Therefore, if you are taking prescription medications, you should always seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist about supplements before trying them.

5. Taking supplements with an excessive ingredient list

I prefer to take a minimalist approach when it comes to supplement formulation. When a brand sells a product that claims to contain vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics, algae, fish oil, broccoli extract, caffeine, And some 300 other nutrients, I become skeptical. It’s difficult to pack so many high-quality active ingredients into a single capsule or powder dose, which is why the ultra-complete formulations give me pause.

Another red flag: supplements made from proprietary blends that leave consumers in the dark about the exact ingredients and dosages contained in the product. I’m not anti-supplements, I’m just pro-transparency.

6. Double the ingredients

One of the most common supplementation mistakes is unknowingly doubling or tripling the same nutrients. This often happens when people take multiple products. Taking a hair, skin and nail supplement containing biotin, plus a B complex for low energy levels, plus a prenatal supplement at the same time means you’re getting the same B vitamins from three different sources.

When it comes to supplements, more isn’t always better. Work with an approved provider to streamline your routine and save your hard-earned money.