Pills By The Billions

With billions of dollars being spent on supplements each year, it is clear that demand is high — but what is actually worth spending our money on, and what is just making our pee more yellow? We did the legwork so you don't have to, and this is what a plethora of wellness practitioners had to say when it comes to supplements beyond menopause.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D3 is needed to maintain calcium concentrations within a pretty narrow physiological range. This function is vital as the calcium ion is essential for a large variety of cellular and metabolic processes throughout the body. Vitamin D is also essential for:

1. Making strong bones
2. Building strong muscles
3. Building a robust immune system
4. Regulating blood sugar
5. Supporting cardiovascular well-being and overall circulatory health
6. Supporting cognitive clarity and mental sharpness
7. Maintaining a positive mood and outlook on life

You can get Vitamin D3 through sun exposure, but too much sun has its own considerations — and if you live somewhere rainy or overcast, getting enough from sunlight alone can be a real challenge. We can also get D3 from eggs, salmon, or fortified foods, but often this isn't quite enough. A good quality Vitamin D3 supplement can be a crucial piece of maintaining health as we age. Talk to your healthcare provider about what your levels look like and what amount makes sense for you individually.

Probiotic

Many women notice changes in their energy, digestion, and overall sense of well-being — especially after a course of antibiotics. Think about the name "anti-biotic" — it literally means against life! Whilst antibiotics do a necessary job killing harmful bacteria, they also take out the good guys along with them. Supporting your gut microbiome is one way to help your body get back to feeling like itself.

Research continues to explore the role of probiotics in supporting everyday wellness. Current conversation in the scientific community connects probiotic use with:

1. Improved digestion
2. Weight management
3. Increased energy
4. Mental clarity
5. Healthier skin
6. Stronger immunity
7. Supporting the body's natural balance

Read more about choosing the right probiotic for you here!

Multivitamin

Experts note that in some cases, taking a multivitamin can indeed be beneficial. They may be worth considering if you:

• Have specific health considerations or follow a particular diet — speaking with your healthcare provider about your individual nutritional needs is always a great idea
• Take certain medications, which can sometimes deplete important nutrients
• Find your diet is insufficient in some nutrients — for example if you eat mostly processed foods or there are foods you just don't enjoy
• Are in a higher-need group based on genetics or age
• Work out a lot — physically active people need more vitamins and minerals to help their bodies recover from activity
• Are experiencing high stress, since stress can affect digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as adrenal function

Tips on Choosing a Multivitamin

1. Choose capsules, not tablets. Tablets often have a coating that has to be digested first before the vitamins are available to be absorbed.
2. One-a-day pills are unlikely to give you all you need. Some nutrients — like vitamin C — work best when spread out in smaller amounts over the day.
3. Look for what's called bioavailable forms, where the structure of the molecules is set up to be absorbed easily by the body.
4. A good multivitamin will also include minerals like zinc, manganese, selenium, and copper, which act as cofactors necessary for proper neurotransmitter and hormone synthesis.

Whole food multivitamins are more easily absorbed and can be taken on an empty stomach. Made from organic fruits and vegetables, MegaFood One Daily is an example of a good all-around complete multivitamin that supports cardiovascular, digestive, cognitive, and immune health.

Raw multivitamins are not heated during the manufacturing process, which helps keep probiotics and enzymes intact — supporting a healthy digestive tract and providing essential vitamins. Garden of Life, Vitamin Code, Raw One is suitable for adults of all ages and works for vegans and vegetarians.

Pharmaceutical-grade multivitamins are made with ingredients that mimic the nutrients found in whole food and are biologically active (readily absorbed by the body). Look for high-quality, high-potency multivitamins without artificial colors, hydrogenated oils, or magnesium stearate, which can inhibit the absorption of nutrients. Look for those rich in antioxidant vitamins C and E, and made without preservatives, sweeteners, or artificial colors. Also look for those free from gluten, corn, yeast, soy, dairy, and egg if you have those allergies or GI sensitivities.

Omega-3's

You wouldn't try to drive your car if it didn't have oil in it… So why do we think our bodies will work well if we don't have enough of the right type of fats? Fats are interesting. There is so much information about fat in diet: essential fatty acids, high fat, low fat, no fat, milk fat, omega 3s, omega 6's, saturated fat, mono-unsaturated fat, fish oils — and on and on. It can be a challenge to make sense of it all and work out what the right fats to eat actually are.

To cut to the chase: let's talk about Omega-3's. Omega-3's are poly-unsaturated fats found in ocean fish, grass-fed meats, free-range poultry, and eggs. Omega-3 fatty acids are an important part of a balanced diet and are widely recognized for supporting overall cardiovascular and cellular health. Ensuring a regular supply of Omega-3 fats helps grease the wheels in your body.