Nov 19, 20202 min read

Supplements - what do you really need?

Updated: Dec 9, 2023

Supplements - do you need them?

Probably, for most, no. Especially as women, around the menopause and weight gain companies love to pray on our insecurities and sell us all of the supplements under the sun.

BUT as with most things in nutrition – it’s entirely dependent on an individual and their own personal situation, their health, their goals, their current diet, their lifestyle, so much to consider!

What is important that you DO NOT supplement because you are lacking in an area that could be improved on by getting the basics in place.

If you aren’t eating an adequate amount and variety of fruit and veg every day, if you aren’t consuming an adequate amount of protein, if you aren’t getting enough fibre, enough sleep, enough water, a good balance of carbohydrates and fats, if you aren’t moving enough and well, if you aren’t managing your stress then forget supplements and work on these things instead.

You’re wasting your hard earned pennies when you haven’t got your ‘non-negotiables’ in place. These are the things that will bring you real progress.

There are a couple of supplements that I’d recommend to almost all of my clients, vitamin D as an example, BUT supplements should NOT be a replacement for a poor diet and lifestyle.

Some brief little pointers for you:

There are very few performance enhancing supplements in reality
The most common benefit to supplement use would be correcting deficiencies
Very few supplements actually work for ordinary fit and healthy people
Mega dosing supplements is rarely effective
There are many financial incentives for production companies and the like in the supplement industry meaning that there are many myths that go around
PCOS, menopause, menstrual issues and fat gain around the tummy are all things people will market around - be very careful. I'm more than happy to look at anything you might be unsure about.