March 25, 2025 • 27 mins
How much do you really know about dietary supplements? On this show, Karolyn talks with Registered Dietitian Karen Todd who specializes in dietary supplements. Karen is known as The Supplement Dietitian and she has been in the dietary supplement industry for more than 30 years. She and Karolyn will tackle some common myths and misconceptions to give you the information you need to make wise choices when it comes to choosing and taking dietary supplements.
Five To Thrive Live is broadcast live Tuesdays at 7PM ET and Music on W4CS Radio – The Cancer Support Network (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).
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Five To Thrive Live is broadcast live Tuesdays at 7PM ET and Music on W4CS Radio – The Cancer Support Network (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).
Five To Thrive Live Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Any health related information on the following show provides general
information only. Content presented on any show by any host
or guest should not be substituted for a doctor's advice.
Always consult your physician before beginning any new diet, exercise,
or treatment program.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Hello everyone, and welcome to Five to Thrive Live. I'm
Carolyn Gazilla and I co host this show with my
good friend, doctor lise Al Schuler. I have a little
bit of a cold, so I think I sound a
little sexy with my low voice, so we'll see how
it works out. Today our topic is dietary supplements. There's
(01:01):
a lot of misinformation out there about dietary supplements, so
today we're going to focus on the facts, and I
have the perfect expert for this topic. She's even known
as the supplement Dietitian. Karen Todd is a registered dietitian
with more than thirty years of experience in exercise performance
and nutritional product development and education. She holds two bachelor's
(01:22):
degrees from Texas A and M University, and she is
the vice president of Global brand Marketing for Kiohwahako. But
before we dive in, I'd like to thank our sponsors,
beginning with Cetria, a patented form of glutathione clinically proven
to raise blood glutothione levels. Gluteothione is the master antioxidant
and the body's primary defense against free radicals. It also
(01:44):
helps support respiratory health. For more information, visits Cetriagudethione dot com.
Also cogniz instead of Coolie, which is nature's way of
keeping the brain's energy producing centers firing on all cylinders.
If you're looking for a way to enhance your brain function,
including me refocus, and attention, look for Cognizant on the
label or go to Cognizant dot com for more information.
(02:06):
Prothriver's Wellness Brain is a product that contains Cognizant as
well as other brain supporting nutrients and herbs. You can
find Prothrivers Wellness Brain online at pure formulas dot com.
There's also Prothriver's Wellness Sleep, which combines higher dose melatonin
and other sleep supporting natural ingredients specifically designed for thrivers.
(02:27):
You can find Prothrivers Wellness Sleep also at pure formulas
dot com and doctor Ohere is Probiotics. It's a best
selling probiotic for more than thirty years, and it contains
twelve prootic strains that our shelf stable, so no refrigeration
is required because of a unique three year fermentation process.
It is a very effective probiotic. Learn more at doctor
(02:49):
Ohira probiotics dot com. Well, our guest, Karen Todd, is
a great friend of mine. We've known each other for decades.
We've both been in this industry. It seems like forever, Karen, it.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Does, Carolyn, it's been a long time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
It yes, Well, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Thank you for having me. It's great to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, before we start tackling some of those common myths,
I'm curious, as a registered dietitian, why do you like
to focus your attention on dietary supplements.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
It's a great question, Carolyn. Really, I've worked in the
dietary supplement functional food industry for over thirty years, and
it just seemed like a natural fit to start talking
more and more about supplements and try to tackle these
myths and misconceptions with consumers and even with healthcare practitioners
believe it or not.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, And here's the interesting thing, and this is the
reason I asked this question. When I talked to registered dietitians.
You would think that they would be knowledgeable about dietary supplements,
and yet they're not. So that's why I like this
focus for you. Do registered dietitians do they receive a
lot of training about dietary supplements.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
No, they do receive more training about basic vitamins and
minerals and the basics, the basics foundation, which is more
so than many many people do. As a healthcare practitioner,
do receive, but they don't go into detail on what's needed,
how much is needed, just differences for different lifestyles, life stages,
(04:29):
so they really just touch the surface of it. And
up until most recently, they really didn't talk about supplements
at all. They just talked about basic vitamins and minerals
to life. So it's really changed over the years, but
it still hasn't progressed to the point of the registered
dietitian being that expert between nutrition and food supplements.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, and I would think that I've seen a change
as well, and I think that one of the reasons
it's changing is because of experts like you. So let's
just dive in. Oftentimes people will tell me, and this
includes healthcare professionals, which we'll talk about they'll tell me
that there's no scientific proof that dietary supplements actually work
(05:14):
or are beneficial. Is that true or false?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
That is false. There are thousands of studies on different nutrients,
different vitamins, different minerals. There's more coming out as we speak,
because the credible, the companies that are really leading the
industry are doing their own research. And it's a shame
(05:39):
that that's the first question that people do ask, because
there's just so much information out there of how they
can help, how they can assist the diet and make
people healthier or more proactive to prevention than taking the
I guess the negative route, which would be not doing
anything to preserve their health.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, it's really you know, as a health writer, and
I still am in the scientific literature on a weekly basis,
and I'm still amazed and I'm so excited when I
read these studies. And the good thing is is when
I'm talking to healthcare professionals and doctors and I show
them the research, and as you said, it's been growing
(06:21):
leaps and bounds, they're quite impressed once they become educated
about the scientific proof. So along those same lines, many
people feel that dietary supplements aren't really needed, especially if
you eat a balanced diet. What are your thoughts about
that one.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
In a perfect world, that probably would be true, but
for most people that's not realistic. Different lifestyles, life stages,
the foods we eat, the foods that the fruits and
vegetables are grown in the soil can be depleted, So
that doesn't have as much as you originally would have thought.
Dieting restrictive diets from vegan gluten free can also, people
(07:07):
are not going to get the nutrients they need just
from food, and they do need to supplement.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, and let's talk about some other people. You mentioned
some really good ones, people who are on specialized diets,
but also stress and other lifestyle factors. You know, if
you're not exercising, you're not sleeping, and as you mentioned,
like in a perfect world, you know, if I'm eating
perfectly and I'm sleeping great and I don't have any stress,
(07:35):
I'm not sure how many days that happens for me.
So yeah, So I think that there is a misconception here,
isn't there?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
There really is, and today's modern lifestyle just doesn't make
it easy for us to live that perfect world and
eat that perfect diet every day. So supplements can come
in many different shapes and delivery systems, which is great,
not always taking pills or tablets. They can be liquids,
they can be drinks, they can be functional foods. So
(08:07):
there's different ways to get these nutrients into your diet
to add them back.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, and you know this speaks to this issue that
supplements our supplemental You know, you're not advocating, oh, eat
a crappy diet and don't exercise and then take diets
dietary supplements.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
No, no, of course not.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Okay, that was extreme. Yes, yes, but these are supposed
to supplement those healthy lifestyles.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Absolutely support and supplement the diet, supplement the lifestyle, the
life stage.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And yeah, even oh go ahead, Oh, I.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Was just going to say, even today in the in
the United States, there's deficiencies of vitamin ds and mega
threes and even magnesium and a large percentage percentage of
our population that they don't even know it. I'm actually
very low in vitamin D until the summer months come along,
so I supplement with that. And that's something that I
just I've known for a long time. I just don't
(09:05):
get enough vitamin D.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
In right, And before I leave this particular question, you
mentioned depleted soil, food processing and the way that we're
dealing with food. It's hard unless you're buying all your
food from the local farmer's market. It's hard to get
really pure, good nutrient dense food.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Sometimes absolutely, it can be coming across the country. You
don't know how it's been transported or stored. So it's
really ideal. And I'm not advocating for diet only or
supplement only, but there is a healthy balance between the two.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yes, I would agree. Okay, this next one is a biggie.
I often hear people say dietary supplements are not regulated,
which makes them unsafe. So are they regulated?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
That is a and Yes, dietary supplements are regulated. They're
regulated by the FDA and FTC. They're regulated under the
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of nineteen ninety four.
So every manufacturer out there has to ensure their product
is safe and accurately labeled before it reaches consumers.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Right, So tell me a little bit more about that,
because I know there's something called gmps, a GMP What
are they and how important are they?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Gmps are good manufacturing practices, and every manufacturer of dietary
supplements needs to abide by the GMPS, which really means
they're manufactured in a safe and healthy environment for that
production to occur. They can trace the products back to
their original ingredients. They know everything about every stage of
(10:51):
the production process. In case there is anything wrong along
the way, they can have a recall or they can
go back and address some issues that have along the way.
So companies do need to follow the GMPS, and that's
a regulation that the FDA has the authority to come
in and actually close businesses if they're not following them
(11:12):
right exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Are there other things that manufacturers can do, like certifications
and such to make sure that there are no toxins
or no harmful chemicals in the supplements.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
They should always be doing finished product testing on the
product to make sure it meets label claim for the nutrients.
But they can have their product third party tested and
there's many organizations that do that. NSF is one. There's
several sports programs that certify their products are only exactly
(11:45):
what's been tested and there's nothing else. There's no contaminants,
there's no illegal drugs in that product. So there's several
organizations that do support that, and that gives the consumer
additional reassurance. This product has been tested. I know it
contains what it's on the label, and those are the
finished products that I would highly recommend that people do
(12:06):
purchase and look for USPS and other validation as well.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah, I would agree. So some of these high quality
manufacturers actually go out of their way to help educate
the consumer and let the consumer know that they're taking
all the steps that they can take to make sure
that their product is clean and pure and it is
what the label says. And I always point consumers in
(12:32):
the direction of those high quality manufacturers, and they certainly
are out there. Let's talk a little bit about safety.
What do you tell people when they ask about dietary
supplements safe or they're concerned that dietary supplements are not safe.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I first and foremost, depending on what they're looking at,
I would have them look at who the company is
that's selling the product. That's going to give them an idea.
Has this company been around for a long period of time?
Are they reputable? Do I see it not only in
my grocery stores, drug stores, or on the shelf in
(13:11):
the local the walmarts, or the targets. That gives them
some reassurance these products are safe. And the products that
pop up immediately, they don't have a website, you can't
track them, there's no additional information to find online. That's
where I would be really skeptical of some of that.
(13:33):
You really don't know what's involved, So I would stick
to the companies that have been around a longer period
of time. You can find the products in various different
retail outlets and just really look to see if they
have third party information on the product, not necessarily third party,
but additional information on the product so you can educate yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
It's such a good point because I would agree with you.
I think the quality of the company, manufacturer, and the
company that's selling that supplement speaks to the safety of
the supplement. So quality equals safety. And I think buying
an off brand, well, let's talk about that, because sometimes
(14:14):
people will tell me, ah, you know what, it doesn't matter.
Dietary supplements are all the same, and they pretty much
admit that they're buying the cheapest brand out there. So
what are your thoughts on that.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
All ingredients are not compared, are not going to be
exactly the same as the ingredient. Like, if you're looking
at a vitamin C, vitamin C is not necessarily a
vitamin C. A vitamin C and vitamin C. Really look
at the company manufacturing that raw material ingredient. And that's
where what we call in the industry a branded ingredient
(14:52):
comes about. And a branded ingredient is the name that
the company's developed, usually because they have science backed claim,
they've done the research, they've done the studies, they've developed
a logo or a name for that. So it's a
certain type of vitamin C or whatever that compound might be.
And that's really how they differentiated to show that they've
(15:14):
put the additional work, the different the additional work and
science and regulatory as well into that product versus just
a generic ingredient.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, I'd like to stay on this topic because this
is really important to doctor al Schuler and I. So
I'm glad that you brought up branded ingredients. It's kind
of confusing to consumers, So I'm going to give some
examples it is. Yeah, So, like a good example is
our sponsor Cetria glutathione. Now, there are a lot of
glutathiones out there, and the reason that doctor Alschuler and
(15:48):
I picked Cetria is because that brand, that specific brand
of glutathione is the brand that was used in the
studies that doctor Alschuler and I review. Now it's not
it's it's different, it's going to be absorbed differently, and
it's it's the one that was studied in human clinical trials.
(16:10):
Another example el theionine. You know, people are always like, oh,
you know, I really like I I personally like elthianine,
but I tell people it's very important to get sun
theanine because that is a product that's been studied. You know,
we've read the research on that form of lfanine. The
other one is cognizant, which is in the pro thriver's brain.
(16:32):
You know, cognizant is a form of citacholine, but it's
a very special form of citicoline that's been featured in
the medical research. So I think that what you're saying is,
if I'm looking at the label and I see just ciitycholine,
I may pause. But if I see cognizance cittacholine, then
(16:53):
I'm like, oh, that's the one that was used in
the studies. So it's kind of a matching the label
with this branded and redient that you're looking for.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Right absolutely, and years ago, consumers, like you said, really
didn't know and understand the difference between the ingredient inside
the bottle or those branded ingredients. Now they're becoming more
educated and they're actually looking and seeking out these ingredients
that have been used in the clinical studies.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, so how important is label reading when it comes
to dietary supplements?
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Label reading is critical. I have seen things on labels
that they'll change micrograms from milligrams, and if you're looking
very quickly, it's that little se in between microgram and
milligram is so tiny you won't even notice it, but
that's a huge difference. So reading labels, understanding the dose
(17:46):
that's appropriate for what the benefit you're looking for is
really really important. And if a label is making claims
that actually treat a disease or condition, that is not allowed,
so that should be a red flash that should pop
up and for you to say, wow, they really shouldn't
be saying this treats this condition because that technically they're
(18:07):
violating the the FTC regulations on how to market a
dietary supplement, and I would question them the ingredients within
the product, So reading the labels is really important, and
being able to match the amounts that are in the
bottle to what's done in the clinical studies is really critical.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Yeah, I would. I would question the integrity of that
company who's making unsubstantiated yeah claims claims on a label.
That's a that's a huge red flag. And it's interesting
because when I started out in this industry, well as
you and I came on in the same time of
thirty years ago, there was this concept of borrowed science,
(18:47):
and I was like, what the heck. And the example
was Saul palmetal for in large prostate and there was
a there were studies that were coming out that the
oil of the saw palmetal berry could reduce an enlarged prostate.
But people who were just you know, chopping up saw
(19:10):
palmeto leaves and putting it in their product were making
the same claim that it supports prostate health, but it
actually didn't. And that's borrowed science. That's something that's very
subtle for a consumer to even know. And I still
get confused on how to counsel consumers on you know,
(19:32):
that sort of issue. But it does still come down
to that label. Having that label be descriptive with each
and every ingredient, right.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Having the label being descriptive and also having trust in
the company that they're doing the right thing by the
consumers that are purchasing the product.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Absolutely such a good point. Trust in the company takes
the burden off the consumer, off the purchaser quite a bit.
Absolutely does.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
And that bothers me that they were taking the science
from the berrier and using it with a leaf because
the science is very different in that regard.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Totally, totally, and I was educated very early on with that,
and after that I would see examples of it. Of course,
I can't come up with another example right off the
top of my head, but I would see examples of that,
and I'd be like, hey, wait a minute, that's wrong.
So yeah, so it's really nuanced. But I think, you know,
you just kind of made it a little less overwhelming, because,
(20:32):
like you said, when you align yourself with quality companies,
you can trust that company. You can even call the company,
right like you can call the company's customer service and say, hey,
how do I know your products are safe? And hear
their response.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Absolutely, they should have a customer service line set up,
especially in case there's any adverse events. They have to
have a line setup for customer calls. It the easiest
way if they have a website. To check out the website,
see where the links go. Some of those links are dead,
are not alive. I've seen references on products with the
(21:12):
same reference used three or four times in the same paragraph.
It's using, it's filling space, and it's not really educating
or helping the consumer.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Yeah. Absolutely, So what other advice do you have for
people when it comes to choosing and taking dietary supplements?
Speaker 3 (21:30):
First and foremost, really look and assess your your own
lifestyle and life stage that you're in, and determine what
you need for your body. Not it's not one size
fits all. Not everyone needs to be taking a multi vitamin,
although I do. I do think it's a good idea
for most people, but not everyone needs to take it,
(21:52):
and there's different supplements for different people for that reason,
looking in even to the excipients or the ingredients that
are combined into the product. I love a gummy vitamin,
but some of the gummies today contain a lot of
added sugars, so we really need to be aware of
is this a true vitamin supplement or is it a
(22:15):
candy type treat, but really looking at the diet, your
lifestyle and matching those up with the claims that the
products are making on their labels, and they should not
be making. They should not be making overstated claims. If
they're over promising, it's probably not a product you should
be using.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Right, And you're trying to fill gaps, you know, you're
trying to you know, address deficient potential deficiencies or reduce
the risk of deficiencies and fill these these gaps. Now,
I know that you have a website, the supplementdietitian dot com.
What's the purpose? What are you trying to accomplish as
(22:56):
the supplement Dietitian.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Well, based on my background and experience within the industry,
I always took a step back and let other people
talk about the misinformation that was out there, or to
really go after some of the myths that were being shared.
And I thought, well, I know these answers, why don't
(23:19):
I just step up and start doing it because and
start talking about misinformation out there and really separating fact
from fiction for consumers, share safety information, efficacy and even
practical use tips. But it's not just one person that
can do it, and it's a big world out there.
(23:40):
There's lots of misinformation. We almost need a collective group
of people doing it together and really attacking all of
this because there's so much out there that can be
disheartening if you find out you were lied to or
you couldn't trust the people that you thought you could trust.
So it's really educating from the ground up and providing
(24:02):
a resource for people if they need to talk with
someone or ask questions or learn more.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, it's definitely an education site and we need you because,
like you said that, my concern sometimes is that somebody
will be scammed or be taken advantage from a manufacturer
without integrity, and they're going to throw out the baby
with the bathwater, and they're just going to lump everybody
in the same category and say all supplements are bad,
(24:33):
all manufacturers are bad, and you know, we don't need this,
And do you have a similar concern?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
I do absolutely, and I've seen it first tand with
my parents. I was visiting them on a weekend and
I left for one day, came back and there was
this order on the doorstep and I said what is this?
And they had watched an infomercial and bought three hundred
dollars worth of product. I ask them why what's it for?
(25:02):
And they couldn't answer me. So at that point I
sent it back.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Sure, Well yeah, when your daughter, Yeah, when your daughter
is the supplement Dietitian, I mean, shame on them.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Well, sometimes those closest to you are the ones that
listen to other people versus yourself.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Yeah, it's true. And you know, sometimes those infomercials are
you know, it's it's hard to avoid them, and it's
hard they they sound so appealing. Yeah, so it's, uh,
it's hard to you know, monitor that sometimes. So the
website is the Supplement Dietitian dot com. Are you on
(25:46):
any other social media or should people just visit your website?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
They can visit the website. I do have a Instagram
Facebook page as well, and I'm.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
On LinkedIn Okay, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn the supplement Coetitian. Well, Karen,
this has been great. Thank you so much for joining
me and talking about this important topic. It's a topic
that is near and dear to our hearts. Here on
five to Thrive.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Thank you so much, Carolyn, It's been great.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
All right. Well, that wraps up this episode of five
to Thrive Live once again. I'd like to thank our
sponsors pro Thrivers Wellness Sleep Formula, pro Thrivers Brain Formula,
Cechura Glutathione, the superior glutathione to support liver and immune health,
Cognizance of Coolin to help enhance memory, focus and attention,
and doctor o'hiro's award winning shelf Stable probiotic. Well, this
(26:40):
has been fun and informative. May you experience joy, laughter
and love. It's time to thrive everyone, have a great night.
Any health related information on the following show provides general
information only. Content presented on any show by any host
or guest should not be substituted for a doctor's advice.
Always consult your physician before beginning any new diet, exercise,
or treatment program.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Hello everyone, and welcome to Five to Thrive Live. I'm
Carolyn Gazilla and I co host this show with my
good friend, doctor lise Al Schuler. I have a little
bit of a cold, so I think I sound a
little sexy with my low voice, so we'll see how
it works out. Today our topic is dietary supplements. There's
(01:01):
a lot of misinformation out there about dietary supplements, so
today we're going to focus on the facts, and I
have the perfect expert for this topic. She's even known
as the supplement Dietitian. Karen Todd is a registered dietitian
with more than thirty years of experience in exercise performance
and nutritional product development and education. She holds two bachelor's
(01:22):
degrees from Texas A and M University, and she is
the vice president of Global brand Marketing for Kiohwahako. But
before we dive in, I'd like to thank our sponsors,
beginning with Cetria, a patented form of glutathione clinically proven
to raise blood glutothione levels. Gluteothione is the master antioxidant
and the body's primary defense against free radicals. It also
(01:44):
helps support respiratory health. For more information, visits Cetriagudethione dot com.
Also cogniz instead of Coolie, which is nature's way of
keeping the brain's energy producing centers firing on all cylinders.
If you're looking for a way to enhance your brain function,
including me refocus, and attention, look for Cognizant on the
label or go to Cognizant dot com for more information.
(02:06):
Prothriver's Wellness Brain is a product that contains Cognizant as
well as other brain supporting nutrients and herbs. You can
find Prothrivers Wellness Brain online at pure formulas dot com.
There's also Prothriver's Wellness Sleep, which combines higher dose melatonin
and other sleep supporting natural ingredients specifically designed for thrivers.
(02:27):
You can find Prothrivers Wellness Sleep also at pure formulas
dot com and doctor Ohere is Probiotics. It's a best
selling probiotic for more than thirty years, and it contains
twelve prootic strains that our shelf stable, so no refrigeration
is required because of a unique three year fermentation process.
It is a very effective probiotic. Learn more at doctor
(02:49):
Ohira probiotics dot com. Well, our guest, Karen Todd, is
a great friend of mine. We've known each other for decades.
We've both been in this industry. It seems like forever, Karen, it.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Does, Carolyn, it's been a long time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
It yes, Well, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Thank you for having me. It's great to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, before we start tackling some of those common myths,
I'm curious, as a registered dietitian, why do you like
to focus your attention on dietary supplements.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
It's a great question, Carolyn. Really, I've worked in the
dietary supplement functional food industry for over thirty years, and
it just seemed like a natural fit to start talking
more and more about supplements and try to tackle these
myths and misconceptions with consumers and even with healthcare practitioners
believe it or not.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, And here's the interesting thing, and this is the
reason I asked this question. When I talked to registered dietitians.
You would think that they would be knowledgeable about dietary supplements,
and yet they're not. So that's why I like this
focus for you. Do registered dietitians do they receive a
lot of training about dietary supplements.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
No, they do receive more training about basic vitamins and
minerals and the basics, the basics foundation, which is more
so than many many people do. As a healthcare practitioner,
do receive, but they don't go into detail on what's needed,
how much is needed, just differences for different lifestyles, life stages,
(04:29):
so they really just touch the surface of it. And
up until most recently, they really didn't talk about supplements
at all. They just talked about basic vitamins and minerals
to life. So it's really changed over the years, but
it still hasn't progressed to the point of the registered
dietitian being that expert between nutrition and food supplements.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, and I would think that I've seen a change
as well, and I think that one of the reasons
it's changing is because of experts like you. So let's
just dive in. Oftentimes people will tell me, and this
includes healthcare professionals, which we'll talk about they'll tell me
that there's no scientific proof that dietary supplements actually work
(05:14):
or are beneficial. Is that true or false?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
That is false. There are thousands of studies on different nutrients,
different vitamins, different minerals. There's more coming out as we speak,
because the credible, the companies that are really leading the
industry are doing their own research. And it's a shame
(05:39):
that that's the first question that people do ask, because
there's just so much information out there of how they
can help, how they can assist the diet and make
people healthier or more proactive to prevention than taking the
I guess the negative route, which would be not doing
anything to preserve their health.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, it's really you know, as a health writer, and
I still am in the scientific literature on a weekly basis,
and I'm still amazed and I'm so excited when I
read these studies. And the good thing is is when
I'm talking to healthcare professionals and doctors and I show
them the research, and as you said, it's been growing
(06:21):
leaps and bounds, they're quite impressed once they become educated
about the scientific proof. So along those same lines, many
people feel that dietary supplements aren't really needed, especially if
you eat a balanced diet. What are your thoughts about
that one.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
In a perfect world, that probably would be true, but
for most people that's not realistic. Different lifestyles, life stages,
the foods we eat, the foods that the fruits and
vegetables are grown in the soil can be depleted, So
that doesn't have as much as you originally would have thought.
Dieting restrictive diets from vegan gluten free can also, people
(07:07):
are not going to get the nutrients they need just
from food, and they do need to supplement.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, and let's talk about some other people. You mentioned
some really good ones, people who are on specialized diets,
but also stress and other lifestyle factors. You know, if
you're not exercising, you're not sleeping, and as you mentioned,
like in a perfect world, you know, if I'm eating
perfectly and I'm sleeping great and I don't have any stress,
(07:35):
I'm not sure how many days that happens for me.
So yeah, So I think that there is a misconception here,
isn't there?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
There really is, and today's modern lifestyle just doesn't make
it easy for us to live that perfect world and
eat that perfect diet every day. So supplements can come
in many different shapes and delivery systems, which is great,
not always taking pills or tablets. They can be liquids,
they can be drinks, they can be functional foods. So
(08:07):
there's different ways to get these nutrients into your diet
to add them back.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, and you know this speaks to this issue that
supplements our supplemental You know, you're not advocating, oh, eat
a crappy diet and don't exercise and then take diets
dietary supplements.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
No, no, of course not.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Okay, that was extreme. Yes, yes, but these are supposed
to supplement those healthy lifestyles.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Absolutely support and supplement the diet, supplement the lifestyle, the
life stage.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And yeah, even oh go ahead, Oh, I.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Was just going to say, even today in the in
the United States, there's deficiencies of vitamin ds and mega
threes and even magnesium and a large percentage percentage of
our population that they don't even know it. I'm actually
very low in vitamin D until the summer months come along,
so I supplement with that. And that's something that I
just I've known for a long time. I just don't
(09:05):
get enough vitamin D.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
In right, And before I leave this particular question, you
mentioned depleted soil, food processing and the way that we're
dealing with food. It's hard unless you're buying all your
food from the local farmer's market. It's hard to get
really pure, good nutrient dense food.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Sometimes absolutely, it can be coming across the country. You
don't know how it's been transported or stored. So it's
really ideal. And I'm not advocating for diet only or
supplement only, but there is a healthy balance between the two.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yes, I would agree. Okay, this next one is a biggie.
I often hear people say dietary supplements are not regulated,
which makes them unsafe. So are they regulated?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
That is a and Yes, dietary supplements are regulated. They're
regulated by the FDA and FTC. They're regulated under the
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of nineteen ninety four.
So every manufacturer out there has to ensure their product
is safe and accurately labeled before it reaches consumers.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Right, So tell me a little bit more about that,
because I know there's something called gmps, a GMP What
are they and how important are they?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Gmps are good manufacturing practices, and every manufacturer of dietary
supplements needs to abide by the GMPS, which really means
they're manufactured in a safe and healthy environment for that
production to occur. They can trace the products back to
their original ingredients. They know everything about every stage of
(10:51):
the production process. In case there is anything wrong along
the way, they can have a recall or they can
go back and address some issues that have along the way.
So companies do need to follow the GMPS, and that's
a regulation that the FDA has the authority to come
in and actually close businesses if they're not following them
(11:12):
right exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Are there other things that manufacturers can do, like certifications
and such to make sure that there are no toxins
or no harmful chemicals in the supplements.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
They should always be doing finished product testing on the
product to make sure it meets label claim for the nutrients.
But they can have their product third party tested and
there's many organizations that do that. NSF is one. There's
several sports programs that certify their products are only exactly
(11:45):
what's been tested and there's nothing else. There's no contaminants,
there's no illegal drugs in that product. So there's several
organizations that do support that, and that gives the consumer
additional reassurance. This product has been tested. I know it
contains what it's on the label, and those are the
finished products that I would highly recommend that people do
(12:06):
purchase and look for USPS and other validation as well.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah, I would agree. So some of these high quality
manufacturers actually go out of their way to help educate
the consumer and let the consumer know that they're taking
all the steps that they can take to make sure
that their product is clean and pure and it is
what the label says. And I always point consumers in
(12:32):
the direction of those high quality manufacturers, and they certainly
are out there. Let's talk a little bit about safety.
What do you tell people when they ask about dietary
supplements safe or they're concerned that dietary supplements are not safe.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I first and foremost, depending on what they're looking at,
I would have them look at who the company is
that's selling the product. That's going to give them an idea.
Has this company been around for a long period of time?
Are they reputable? Do I see it not only in
my grocery stores, drug stores, or on the shelf in
(13:11):
the local the walmarts, or the targets. That gives them
some reassurance these products are safe. And the products that
pop up immediately, they don't have a website, you can't
track them, there's no additional information to find online. That's
where I would be really skeptical of some of that.
(13:33):
You really don't know what's involved, So I would stick
to the companies that have been around a longer period
of time. You can find the products in various different
retail outlets and just really look to see if they
have third party information on the product, not necessarily third party,
but additional information on the product so you can educate yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
It's such a good point because I would agree with you.
I think the quality of the company, manufacturer, and the
company that's selling that supplement speaks to the safety of
the supplement. So quality equals safety. And I think buying
an off brand, well, let's talk about that, because sometimes
(14:14):
people will tell me, ah, you know what, it doesn't matter.
Dietary supplements are all the same, and they pretty much
admit that they're buying the cheapest brand out there. So
what are your thoughts on that.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
All ingredients are not compared, are not going to be
exactly the same as the ingredient. Like, if you're looking
at a vitamin C, vitamin C is not necessarily a
vitamin C. A vitamin C and vitamin C. Really look
at the company manufacturing that raw material ingredient. And that's
where what we call in the industry a branded ingredient
(14:52):
comes about. And a branded ingredient is the name that
the company's developed, usually because they have science backed claim,
they've done the research, they've done the studies, they've developed
a logo or a name for that. So it's a
certain type of vitamin C or whatever that compound might be.
And that's really how they differentiated to show that they've
(15:14):
put the additional work, the different the additional work and
science and regulatory as well into that product versus just
a generic ingredient.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, I'd like to stay on this topic because this
is really important to doctor al Schuler and I. So
I'm glad that you brought up branded ingredients. It's kind
of confusing to consumers, So I'm going to give some
examples it is. Yeah, So, like a good example is
our sponsor Cetria glutathione. Now, there are a lot of
glutathiones out there, and the reason that doctor Alschuler and
(15:48):
I picked Cetria is because that brand, that specific brand
of glutathione is the brand that was used in the
studies that doctor Alschuler and I review. Now it's not
it's it's different, it's going to be absorbed differently, and
it's it's the one that was studied in human clinical trials.
(16:10):
Another example el theionine. You know, people are always like, oh,
you know, I really like I I personally like elthianine,
but I tell people it's very important to get sun
theanine because that is a product that's been studied. You know,
we've read the research on that form of lfanine. The
other one is cognizant, which is in the pro thriver's brain.
(16:32):
You know, cognizant is a form of citacholine, but it's
a very special form of citicoline that's been featured in
the medical research. So I think that what you're saying is,
if I'm looking at the label and I see just ciitycholine,
I may pause. But if I see cognizance cittacholine, then
(16:53):
I'm like, oh, that's the one that was used in
the studies. So it's kind of a matching the label
with this branded and redient that you're looking for.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Right absolutely, and years ago, consumers, like you said, really
didn't know and understand the difference between the ingredient inside
the bottle or those branded ingredients. Now they're becoming more
educated and they're actually looking and seeking out these ingredients
that have been used in the clinical studies.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, so how important is label reading when it comes
to dietary supplements?
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Label reading is critical. I have seen things on labels
that they'll change micrograms from milligrams, and if you're looking
very quickly, it's that little se in between microgram and
milligram is so tiny you won't even notice it, but
that's a huge difference. So reading labels, understanding the dose
(17:46):
that's appropriate for what the benefit you're looking for is
really really important. And if a label is making claims
that actually treat a disease or condition, that is not allowed,
so that should be a red flash that should pop
up and for you to say, wow, they really shouldn't
be saying this treats this condition because that technically they're
(18:07):
violating the the FTC regulations on how to market a
dietary supplement, and I would question them the ingredients within
the product, So reading the labels is really important, and
being able to match the amounts that are in the
bottle to what's done in the clinical studies is really critical.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Yeah, I would. I would question the integrity of that
company who's making unsubstantiated yeah claims claims on a label.
That's a that's a huge red flag. And it's interesting
because when I started out in this industry, well as
you and I came on in the same time of
thirty years ago, there was this concept of borrowed science,
(18:47):
and I was like, what the heck. And the example
was Saul palmetal for in large prostate and there was
a there were studies that were coming out that the
oil of the saw palmetal berry could reduce an enlarged prostate.
But people who were just you know, chopping up saw
(19:10):
palmeto leaves and putting it in their product were making
the same claim that it supports prostate health, but it
actually didn't. And that's borrowed science. That's something that's very
subtle for a consumer to even know. And I still
get confused on how to counsel consumers on you know,
(19:32):
that sort of issue. But it does still come down
to that label. Having that label be descriptive with each
and every ingredient, right.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Having the label being descriptive and also having trust in
the company that they're doing the right thing by the
consumers that are purchasing the product.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Absolutely such a good point. Trust in the company takes
the burden off the consumer, off the purchaser quite a bit.
Absolutely does.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
And that bothers me that they were taking the science
from the berrier and using it with a leaf because
the science is very different in that regard.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Totally, totally, and I was educated very early on with that,
and after that I would see examples of it. Of course,
I can't come up with another example right off the
top of my head, but I would see examples of that,
and I'd be like, hey, wait a minute, that's wrong.
So yeah, so it's really nuanced. But I think, you know,
you just kind of made it a little less overwhelming, because,
(20:32):
like you said, when you align yourself with quality companies,
you can trust that company. You can even call the company,
right like you can call the company's customer service and say, hey,
how do I know your products are safe? And hear
their response.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Absolutely, they should have a customer service line set up,
especially in case there's any adverse events. They have to
have a line setup for customer calls. It the easiest
way if they have a website. To check out the website,
see where the links go. Some of those links are dead,
are not alive. I've seen references on products with the
(21:12):
same reference used three or four times in the same paragraph.
It's using, it's filling space, and it's not really educating
or helping the consumer.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Yeah. Absolutely, So what other advice do you have for
people when it comes to choosing and taking dietary supplements?
Speaker 3 (21:30):
First and foremost, really look and assess your your own
lifestyle and life stage that you're in, and determine what
you need for your body. Not it's not one size
fits all. Not everyone needs to be taking a multi vitamin,
although I do. I do think it's a good idea
for most people, but not everyone needs to take it,
(21:52):
and there's different supplements for different people for that reason,
looking in even to the excipients or the ingredients that
are combined into the product. I love a gummy vitamin,
but some of the gummies today contain a lot of
added sugars, so we really need to be aware of
is this a true vitamin supplement or is it a
(22:15):
candy type treat, but really looking at the diet, your
lifestyle and matching those up with the claims that the
products are making on their labels, and they should not
be making. They should not be making overstated claims. If
they're over promising, it's probably not a product you should
be using.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Right, And you're trying to fill gaps, you know, you're
trying to you know, address deficient potential deficiencies or reduce
the risk of deficiencies and fill these these gaps. Now,
I know that you have a website, the supplementdietitian dot com.
What's the purpose? What are you trying to accomplish as
(22:56):
the supplement Dietitian.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Well, based on my background and experience within the industry,
I always took a step back and let other people
talk about the misinformation that was out there, or to
really go after some of the myths that were being shared.
And I thought, well, I know these answers, why don't
(23:19):
I just step up and start doing it because and
start talking about misinformation out there and really separating fact
from fiction for consumers, share safety information, efficacy and even
practical use tips. But it's not just one person that
can do it, and it's a big world out there.
(23:40):
There's lots of misinformation. We almost need a collective group
of people doing it together and really attacking all of
this because there's so much out there that can be
disheartening if you find out you were lied to or
you couldn't trust the people that you thought you could trust.
So it's really educating from the ground up and providing
(24:02):
a resource for people if they need to talk with
someone or ask questions or learn more.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, it's definitely an education site and we need you because,
like you said that, my concern sometimes is that somebody
will be scammed or be taken advantage from a manufacturer
without integrity, and they're going to throw out the baby
with the bathwater, and they're just going to lump everybody
in the same category and say all supplements are bad,
(24:33):
all manufacturers are bad, and you know, we don't need this,
And do you have a similar concern?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
I do absolutely, and I've seen it first tand with
my parents. I was visiting them on a weekend and
I left for one day, came back and there was
this order on the doorstep and I said what is this?
And they had watched an infomercial and bought three hundred
dollars worth of product. I ask them why what's it for?
(25:02):
And they couldn't answer me. So at that point I
sent it back.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Sure, Well yeah, when your daughter, Yeah, when your daughter
is the supplement Dietitian, I mean, shame on them.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Well, sometimes those closest to you are the ones that
listen to other people versus yourself.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Yeah, it's true. And you know, sometimes those infomercials are
you know, it's it's hard to avoid them, and it's
hard they they sound so appealing. Yeah, so it's, uh,
it's hard to you know, monitor that sometimes. So the
website is the Supplement Dietitian dot com. Are you on
(25:46):
any other social media or should people just visit your website?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
They can visit the website. I do have a Instagram
Facebook page as well, and I'm.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
On LinkedIn Okay, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn the supplement Coetitian. Well, Karen,
this has been great. Thank you so much for joining
me and talking about this important topic. It's a topic
that is near and dear to our hearts. Here on
five to Thrive.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Thank you so much, Carolyn, It's been great.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
All right. Well, that wraps up this episode of five
to Thrive Live once again. I'd like to thank our
sponsors pro Thrivers Wellness Sleep Formula, pro Thrivers Brain Formula,
Cechura Glutathione, the superior glutathione to support liver and immune health,
Cognizance of Coolin to help enhance memory, focus and attention,
and doctor o'hiro's award winning shelf Stable probiotic. Well, this
(26:40):
has been fun and informative. May you experience joy, laughter
and love. It's time to thrive everyone, have a great night.
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