Supplementation Can Support a Standard American Diet (SAD)

The lifestyle choices you make are the foundation of your overall wellbeing. The pillars of a healthy foundation are nutrition, activity, sleep, stress management and social connections. Experts also add a sixth pillar to avoid risky substances. Unfortunately, when it comes to nutrition in America, the quality of food and the nutritional values needed to nourish our bodies have significantly changed.  

The Standard American Diet of today is aptly called the “SAD” diet. It leaves us lacking in many critical vitamins and minerals that support your body’s function and vitality. Your body actually uses and needs more of these nutrients because of the demands of our current environment. All too common are deficiencies of nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, Omega-3, Magnesium, vitamin B12, Folate, Zinc, Calcium, Iodine, and Iron, as well as pre and probiotics. 

Why has this happened? There are many factors. We consume less whole food and more processed and ultra-processed food. The foods we eat have a lower nutrient content because the soil it grows in is also lacking due to climate change and agricultural practices. This leads to impaired digestion and absorption in the gut as well as a toxicity burden to the body, just to name a few concerns. Of course, working to improve your diet and balance your lifestyle to meet the body’s demands is best, but this can be challenging, even if you are mindful of healthy lifestyle practices, or are someone who eats a “nearly perfect” diet. Even if you eat organically, it may reduce the level of toxins you eat, but it does not necessarily mean that the food is more nutrient-rich. 

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) were published in 1943 during WWII and is awaiting its 11th revision. The objective of the RDA is “providing standards to serve as a goal for good nutrition” or as a guideline for adequate nutrient intake that would support the human body for most of the population. However, the RDA does not identify the amount that your body needs for optimal function or the higher demands that may be needed across the lifespan. The RDA also has not been updated to reflect the environmental changes that have occurred since they were first implemented.  

In today’s environment, nutritional supplementation can play a vital role in supporting your body’s needs. You can’t supplement your way out of a bad diet, but supplements can offer a variety of benefits including support of optimal physiologic and biochemical function, lowering your risk of health issues from nutrient imbalances, supporting performance, and filling in nutritional gaps. 

Supplements are not used for treatment or to cure chronic disease. If you are using a supplement as a therapeutic intervention, use supplements that are authentic, pure, and not mixed or diluted. Core or foundational supplementation, as well as those for a specific concern, can provide benefits depending on what you need. Supplements are not intended to replace whole food. They fill in nutritional gaps or improve your daily intake to support health. 

How do you know if there is a need? Work with your healthcare team. They will do an assessment of your lifestyle and nutrition, order lab studies, and review any chronic medical conditions. Discussing any symptoms you may be experiencing helps to personalize your care.  

Don’t take dietary supplements without talking with your healthcare professional, especially if you are taking any prescription or other over-the-counter medications, are breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Don’t combine supplements, and don’t use them to substitute for your prescription medication unless you have discussed this with your healthcare provider. The supplements you take should always be noted on your medication list. 

Finding the brands you trust and need to achieve benefits. Choosing supplements that are right for you may be an overwhelming experience. Dietary supplements include ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, and enzymes. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA like prescription medications.  

Use these shopping tips to make sure you buy the high-quality products you expect. 

• Brand Name. Choose a reputable brand with a good track record of providing a quality product. Avoid store brands, like Walgreens or Sam’s Club. When deciding on a brand, check out their website and "about" page to find out how long the company has been in business and what their philosophy is toward manufacturing. It’s also important to know where the supplement comes from. 
• Quality. Choose brands that test each batch for safety and purity.  

• • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) Compliance is provided. This means that quality testing is done by a third-party lab, which is especially important. A Quality Assurance Certificate should be available from an organization like the American Society for Quality (ASQ).  
  • USDA Certified. You can be sure supplements labeled as USDA-certified organic are free of toxins, pesticides, and herbicides. 
  • COA Certificate. See if the company offers COA (Certificate of Analysis). This verifies the purity of their product. Products should be labeled as USP Verified or contain NSF International, Consumer Lab or Labdoor inspection quality seals. 

• Other ingredients. Be aware of these "other ingredients.” These are included to increase shelf life, stabilize ingredients, improve moisture resistance, add bulk, and add color and flavor. It may be difficult to avoid them completely. These ingredients are regulated as food additives and the FDA "officially" considers them safe in small quantities. Do your best to obtain supplements with minimal or no extra ingredients or have whole food-based ingredients. 

• Herbal supplements. When looking at herbal supplements, try to look for standardized extracts. Standardization is a process that manufacturers may use to ensure batch-to-batch consistency of their products and to provide a measure of quality control.  

ViaroHealth now offers high quality supplements through FullScript. For additional information regarding this option for purchasing needs, visit www.viarohealth.com/supplements to learn more. 

Stacie Hoffmann, PA-C, IFMCP 

ViaroCare 

For questions or comments, contact wellness@viarohealth.com