Your Doctor's View on Supplements
- Dr. Thomas Bailey, MD
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
"So Doc, I’m taking these supplements…."
This is something I hear nearly every day in my office. Truth is, most doctors don’t mind you taking supplements, but we want you to make sure they’re safe for you and you’re taking them for the right reasons.
Contrary to popular belief, doctors aren’t shills for big pharma. I don’t get paid more to prescribe their drugs nor do I base my medical decisions purely on what they promote. While it is true that there are doctors who are spokespeople for certain pharmaceutical companies, and those docs can bring in the big bucks, the overwhelming majority of us are not paid by big pharma in any way.
So here are the three things I want you to be aware of when taking supplements that doctors have concerns with:
#1. Purity and Quality of Supplements Matter!
Supplements don’t fall under strict testing guidelines by the FDA as long as they don’t claim to treat, cure or diagnose a medical condition. Because of that, quality varies and it can be difficult to figure out where some of these companies are sourcing their ingredients from.
Be sure to look out for a certification seal on the bottle, such as from the USP or NSF International, which indicates independent verification of ingredient quality. You can also request a certificate of ingredient analysis from the manufacturer.
Be wary of labels that just say “proprietary blend”.
#2 Evidence of Effectiveness
Unfortunately, most supplements out there lack quality evidence in clinical trials to demonstrate that they actually work. To prove that any medication or supplement works, ideally you would want a clinical trial done with a large number of people where some of the people receive an inactive medicine or supplement, called a placebo, and the other group receives the real deal.
For many different reasons, including money, these trials just are not done regularly for supplements and natural remedies. So as a doctor, it’s hard to be definitive when recommending supplements to treat something when we just don’t have quality evidence to show that it actually works consistently.
#3 Have Clear Reasons for Taking the Supplement
Many times, I see patients taking large quantities of various supplements just because someone told them it will help. Or maybe a social media post or website convinced you that you need to be taking a certain combination to better your health. Truth is you may end up causing a bigger problem by doing so.
Recently I had a patient who was taking a large number of supplements called by different names. When we looked at each of their labels we found that most of these had very similar ingredients. And when we checked labs on this person, they were noted to have higher than recommended levels of vitamin D and testosterone, and high levels of vitamin B.
It is possible to become toxic from too much of certain vitamins and minerals, which in turn can lead to other health issues. So be sure you know what is in everything you’re taking to avoid duplication. Share the information with your doctor to be sure it’s safe for you and that it won’t interfere with any other medications they might prescribe to you.
As a direct primary care doctor, I take the time to review with you the supplements you may be taking or considering taking. By evaluating your entire health history, I can explain why something may or may not be appropriate for your individual health goals. And I have the time to research the latest health information to optimize your well-being.
Looking to level up your health journey? Give me, Dr Tom Bailey, a call at Mahoning Valley Direct Primary Care today!
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