So you think you are ready to add a supplement to your life to fill the void of missing vitamins, minerals, hormones, etc.? It really can be a good decision, but you have to be careful of how you choose which supplement you are going to purchase and start taking. The idea of The Supplement MD is to to lead you toward physician recommended supplements.
While the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is responsible for the oversight of production, packaging, and delivery of supplements, these products are regulated as food products, not drugs. This means that supplements are not held to the same standards as pharmaceutical prescriptions. This is where quality control standards are important. Supplements should only be purchased from trusted brands and providers. Examples of places to buy them would be straight from the company website, from a provider/physician who keeps them in stock, and from a virtual dispensary which sells physician recommended supplements (i.e. Fullscripts) to name a few. Buying 5000iu of vitamin D3 from supplier A for $5 is not the same as the $20 version from supplier B. At the base, they both may have the same amount of vitamin D, but they will certainly not have the same additives, factory quality, storage conditions, etc. which all affect the product your putting in your body.
Third party certifications can also be helpful in the search for the right supplement. Common third party certifications would be Certified Gluten-Free, non-GMO containing, dairy-free, Certified Vegan, or USDA organic. These third-party certifiers provide assurance that certain standards are maintained for the ingredients and distribution of the product. All of this to say it's very important to examine the ingredient list as well as all of the certification abbreviations provided on the label.
With this complicated system how do you choose the right supplements? This is where The Supplement MD can help filter through the endless lists of supplements to guide you to the most appropriate and effective products for your goals and your individual situation. Physicians and other healthcare providers are not taught about supplements available, uses, and the dosing of those products unless they seek additional information on their own just like you. I have been practicing as a physician for over fifteen years, and have spent countless hours researching the world of supplements to provide integrative healthcare to my patients in a safe and meaningful way. Now I am offering you access to myself through consultation, my blog and videos for education, and my trusted Fullscripts dispensary. You are only a few clicks away...
Wesley Nickens, MD
The Supplement MD
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