Choosing Quality Supplements for Health and Performance

Hey there! I'm Dr. Mark, and today, we're diving into the world of supplements. Over the past five years, I've had the privilege of working one-on-one with hundreds of individuals, from NCAA swimmers to pro ice hockey players, helping them recover from concussions and optimize their performance. In this blog, we'll explore how to evaluate supplements based on real science, trusted certifications, and solid research to ensure you get high-quality products that work.

What we’ll cover:

• What Are Supplements?

• The Fire Analogy: Foundation Before Supplements

• The Risks of Poor Regulation

• How to Identify Quality Supplements

• Checklist for Choosing Supplements

What Are Supplements?

Let’s start by defining what a supplement is. Supplements are products designed to enhance your health, fitness, or recovery. This category includes vitamins, minerals, amino acids, botanicals, and other nutraceuticals, usually found in pills, tablets, or tinctures. There's also a specific subset known as ergogenic aids—think of these as nutritional supplements aimed at enhancing performance, like creatine or caffeine, which are the most researched and reputable in the field.

The Fire Analogy: Foundation Before Supplements

Here’s my soapbox moment: supplements should be just that—supplements. They are meant to complement a solid foundation of health. Imagine trying to mow your lawn while your house is on fire. The house represents your foundational health—nutrition, movement, sleep quality, hydration, and social connections. If you’re neglecting these essentials, taking supplements won’t be very useful.

The Risks of Poor Regulation

Here’s where it gets tricky. Supplements are treated more like food than drugs, meaning they aren't regulated for safety and quality like pharmaceuticals. This leads to a significant risk of low-quality products flooding the market. For instance, a heavily cited 2017 study revealed that over-the-counter melatonin supplements varied by as much as 83% less to 478% more than the labeled amount. This inconsistency can make choosing a reliable product challenging.

How to Identify Quality Supplements

So, how can you differentiate between quality supplements and those that are just fluff? Start by looking for trusted certifications. The minimum certification to ensure product quality is Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). While cGMP doesn’t guarantee independent testing, it does ensure safety in the manufacturing process.

Third-Party Testing

Next, seek out products that have undergone third-party testing. This adds confidence that what’s on the label is indeed what’s in the bottle. Trusted certifications include:

• NSF (National Sanitation Foundation): Ensures safety and quality standards.

• USP (United States Pharmacopeia): Guarantees that the product contains the claimed ingredients and is free from contaminants.

• NSF Certified for Sport: Essential for athletes, this certification ensures the product is free from banned substances.

Checklist for Choosing Supplements

Here’s a quick checklist to follow:

1. Look for trusted certifications (cGMP, NSF, USP).

2. Again, check for third-party testing (e.g., NSF, USP).

3. If you're an athlete, ensure it’s NSF Certified for Sport.

4. Bonus: Research the manufacturer's reputation.

5. Focus on supplements with proven benefits (e.g., magnesium, omega-3s, creatine, caffeine, etc..).

Final Thoughts

To wrap it up, the right supplement can enhance performance and recovery. I use nutritional supplements clinically in concussion rehab, and they can be incredibly effective. However, I recommend specific brands that I trust to meet quality and safety standards. If you're looking to optimize your health and performance, make sure your supplement routine is based on evidence and solid practices.

If you want to learn more about concussion recovery, optimizing performance, and nutritional strategies, check out my blogs on leveraging melatonin for recovery and how to know if your omega-3 levels are helping or hurting your performance.

Thank you for reading! What’s in your supplement routine? Let me know in the comments!

Whether you're recovering from a concussion, optimizing your performance, or looking to boost your overall health, I’m here to help. Take the first step toward feeling and performing your best.