What’s Really In Your Supplement? Unpacking trends, truth, and what sets good apart from bad? | Sarah Bega | Episode #5

This episode dives deep into the nutritional supplement industry, demystifying how supplements are made, what to look for as a consumer, and how brands can create truly impactful, transparent products. Sarah Bega shares her expert insights from years of experience helping companies formulate high-quality supplements—most recently, with Core7, which is a whole-food-based, all-in-one supplement with 51 carefully sourced ingredients to improve your overall health and wellbeing. 

Key Themes & Takeaways

1. Transparency is Everything

• Consumers and brands should demand transparency—from sourcing to ingredient levels.
• Many companies use “proprietary blends” to hide underdosing or protect IP, but this often sacrifices consumer trust.

2. The Complex Journey of Supplement Creation

• Developing a supplement like Core 7 involves sourcing ingredients globally, navigating supply chains, testing for purity and potency, and ensuring bioavailability.
• Each ingredient must work both individually and synergistically within the broader formula.

3. Whole Food vs. Synthetic Supplements

• Whole food-based supplements often include important cofactors for absorption and are more bioavailable.
• Not all synthetics are bad; some are necessary or even better in specific cases (e.g., fermented versions).

4. Personalization & Root Cause Thinking

• The future of supplements lies in addressing root causes of health issues, not just symptoms.
• Bioindividuality matters—what works for one person may not work for another.

5. Third-Party Testing ≠ Quality Guarantee

• Testing confirms safety and label accuracy but doesn’t assure efficacy or ingredient superiority.
• Certifications like GMP, NSF, or ISO offer some assurance but must be paired with brand trust.

6. Consumer Education is Key

• Supplement facts panels can be confusing; brands need to educate their audiences clearly.
• Ask the hard questions: “What’s in this? Why is it there? How was it sourced?”

LISTEN/WATCH/SUBSCRIBE TO THE “CORE CONVERSATIONS” PODCAST:

*Apple Music - ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/core-conversations/id1821262471⁠ 

*Spotify - ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1i7fNwe4tEvmFx4UlNmOhp⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1i7fNwe4tEvmFx4UlNmOhp?si=4ff6be6ad19a40e4⁠ 

*YouTube Podcasts - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ampelis_life/podcasts⁠ 

*Amazon Music Podcasts - ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7a1be775-230d-470f-a8d1-10b309929a78/core-conversations⁠ 

*iHeartRadio Podcasts - ⁠https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-core-conversations-281496032/⁠ 

CONNECT WITH CORE CONVERSATIONS:

*PRE-ORDER CORE7 - ⁠http://GetCore7.com⁠ 

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