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One of the most common questions we receive is “what supplements should I take”. While the answer varies for everybody based on their own personal wellness needs, there are a few important things to keep in mind that can help everyone find their perfect supplements.
Ever feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what vitamins and supplements you should take daily? Don’t worry, it’s perfectly understandable. The amount of different supplements, vitamins, minerals, pills, and capsules out there can be enough to make you need a separate supplement just to deal with the headache of it all.
In this guide, we’re going to help take the hassle out of finding the best supplements to take. Rather than try to point you in any one direction or recommend a specific supplement, we’ll go over the basics of what supplements are meant for, how to understand which types fit your personal needs, and what to look for when selecting supplements that are pure and high-quality.
Before we get into the question of “what supplements should I take”, let’s start with exploring why so many people choose to take supplements in the first place. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from capsules, to gummies, to powders, liquids, and more. The name “dietary supplement” does a good job of summarizing their purpose, which is to supplement your diet with additional nutrients such as:
Many of these nutrients are found in the food we eat every day, but it can be hard to reach the daily recommended value for a lot of important vitamins and minerals just from diet alone. Considering that proper nutrition is key to all areas of health, both general and specific, it’s no wonder why 76% of Americans seek out the best supplements to take as a valuable tool for their wellness.1 There are also many specialized blends available that are tailored to specific areas of health, such as prostate, urinary, or memory.
Now that we know the power that supplements pack, how does one figure out what supplements they should take? Despite the myriad of options out there, it’s not as hard as you might think.
One of our own core philosophies is that everybody is different because every body is different, and it rings especially true when talking about selecting the best supplements to take. Here are a few key areas to consider when you’re wondering what supplements and vitamins you should take daily:
Assess Your Diet & Lifestyle For Nutrient Gaps
On a foundational level, there are 13 essential vitamins (e.g. B, C, niacin, and riboflavin), 16 essential minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium, and potassium), and additional nutrients such as choline and omega-3’s that are important for a healthy body. By taking a closer look at your own diet, you can begin to identify some potential deficiencies in your intake of these key nutrients, and find supplements to help you fill those gaps.
A good place to start is MyPlate.gov, where you’ll find some great information about what each part of a healthy diet contributes nutritionally. For example, if you’re not a fruit fan, you could see that fruit is a primary source of vitamin C, folate, and potassium, and supplement accordingly. There are also some lifestyle factors to consider, like needing more vitamin D if you’re unable to spend much time in the sun.
Identify Your Personal Wellness Goals & Needs
Beyond the realm of multivitamins, you can find specially formulated blends of herbs and botanicals rich in specific nutrients that support individual areas of your wellness. This has always been our primary approach, since we believe that being able to customize your supplement regimen to perfectly suit you is an excellent approach to finding the best supplements to take.
You probably already know which areas of your wellness could use some extra support, but might not know whether or not supplementation may be able to help. Some of the common categories of specialized supplements include:
By homing in on your exact, personal wellness needs, you can take an informed approach to finding out what supplements you should take daily. In fact, our Supplement Quiz can help you get on the right track quickly and easily!
Once you’ve decided what kind of supplement you want to take, the only thing left to do is making sure you’re buying a product that you can trust. Not all supplements are created equal, and not all wellness companies put the same care and precision into what they do.
Our Testing Methodology Page explains some of the finer points of what goes into making pure, high quality herbal supplements. There are some important checkmarks you should see being ticked at every stage of the manufacturing process whenever you’re doing research on the best supplements to take:
You may have noticed the seals prominently displayed on some supplement companies’ websites and products, indicating things like “Made in the U.S.A.” and “FDA Good Manufacturing Practices Adherent”. These can help you to identify a brand who prioritizes purity and quality at a glance.
Equipped with a little extra knowledge, traversing the sometimes complicated question of “what supplements should I take daily” doesn’t have to be so complicated after all. Remember, nobody knows you, your body, and your wellness needs better than yourself; so, with the right research, you’ll be well-equipped to bolster your personal health regimen with the best supplements to take to live your best life.
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