March 31, 2025 • 25 mins
Ever wonder what's actually inside those supplement capsules you're swallowing? From corporate takeovers to synthetic nightmares, the supplement industry is a minefield of quality issues that most consumers never see.
Did you know that Nestle—yes, the chocolate and processed food giant—quietly purchased Pure Encapsulations in 2018? When multinational corporations buy supplement brands, cost-cutting often follows, potentially compromising the purity and efficacy that built these brands' reputations. This corporate consolidation represents just the tip of the iceberg in an industry where quality varies dramatically between products.
Many mass-market supplements contain synthetic forms of nutrients your body struggles to use. Folic acid instead of methylfolate, cyanocobalamin (which contains cyanide) instead of methylcobalamin, and "proprietary blends" that hide exactly what you're getting. For the 60% of people with MTHFR gene mutations, these synthetic forms don't convert properly and can actually build up in the body, creating more problems than solutions.
Amazon has become particularly problematic for supplement shoppers. Counterfeit products, improper storage conditions, and third-party sellers repackaging expired or returned products present serious risks. Quality supplements require specific temperature and humidity controls that simply can't be guaranteed through Amazon's fulfillment system. If your probiotic has been sitting in a 120-degree warehouse, those beneficial bacteria are long dead.
The functional medicine approach offers a better way. Working with a practitioner who has access to professional-grade supplement lines ensures you're getting bioavailable nutrients in therapeutic dosages without fillers or harmful additives. Companies like Orthomolecular Products maintain rigorous quality standards, including in-house manufacturing, third-party testing, and a commitment to science-backed formulations that remains independent from corporate influence.
Ready to upgrade your supplement game and stop wasting money on expensive urine? Book a consultation at Harmony Hub Health today and discover the difference quality makes when it comes to your wellness journey.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Harmony Hub Health, where my mission is
to provide comprehensive,affordable integrative care that
addresses the root cause ofhealth issues.
At the Hub, the focus is onindividual patient journeys.
I strive to optimize health,vitality and longevity,
fostering a community where eachperson can thrive in body, mind
and spirit.
(00:21):
Today we're going to play alittle game called what's really
in that capsule, what's in yoursupplement?
And it might not be what youthink.
From shady sourcing tosynthetic nightmares, the world
of supplements can be a wildwest unless you know who you're
buying from, and even then it'sworth checking twice.
(00:41):
If you're grabbing yoursupplements from the same place
you buy your toilet paper, youmight want to reconsider your
wellness strategy.
Just because it's on a shelfdoesn't mean it's serving your
cells.
Today we're diving into whysome supplements are doing what
you think they are and whyquality, sourcing and science
matters.
Spoiler alert if yourmultivitamin sparkles like
(01:04):
glitter or cereal and smellslike candy, your liver is not
impressed.
So some of you might rememberwhen Pure Encapsulations was the
(01:25):
darling of the clean supplementworld, trusted by functional
medicine practitioners andcrunchy granola types alike.
It had a squeaky clean repuntil about 2018, when Nestle
yes, the chocolate and babyformula giant quietly scooped it
up, along with Douglas Labs anda few other supplement lines.
(01:46):
Now Nestle says they'recommitted to science and purity.
But let's be honest when amultinational processed food
titan buys your supplement brand, it's okay to raise an eyebrow
or two.
But why does it even matter?
Because corporate consolidationoften comes with cost cutting
and that can mean corners cut oningredient sourcing, filler
(02:09):
usage and third-party testing.
So if you're swallowingcapsules like they're golden
tickets to longevity, it's worthasking who is behind the
curtain.
I know last week we talked aboutfolic acid, which is the
synthetic version of folate,often pumped into everything
from prenatals to energy drinks.
It sounds like a vitamin win,but it really is not.
(02:31):
If you have that MTHFR genemutation, your body may not
process folic acid efficiently.
You know, instead of convertingit to the active form,
methylfolate, it builds up liketraffic at a four-way stop,
clogging up detox pathways andleading to more harm than good.
You don't even have to havethat genetic mutation for it to
(02:53):
cause a problem, and somelow-quality supplements don't
even really bother labeling whatform of folate they use.
So you think you're gettingsupport for fertility or cell
health, but your body is justshrugging and saying I don't
know her.
And then we have the cyanidesurprise.
You know cyanocobalamin is acommon, cheap form of vitamin
(03:13):
B12.
It does contain cyanide microdoses, but still, when better
forms like methylcobalamin oradenosylcobalamin exist, why are
we still playing Russianroulette with our mitochondria?
But cyanocobalamin is verycheap.
To make it's shelf stable, it'seasy to mass produce, just like
(03:35):
fake cheese.
And then let's talk about your$50 shelf probiotic that's been
sitting in the back of yourcabinet since your last gut
health kick.
If it wasn't refrigerated orproperly encapsulated, those
little bacterial warriors mayalready be dead RIP.
The shelf life of probiotics isno joke.
(03:56):
Quality brands go the extramile to ensure strains are
viable through the expirationdate, not just at the time of
manufacturing.
That means refrigeration ormoisture protection and often
specific strains that canactually survive the digestive
tract.
You know where they're supposedto work.
But not all billions of CFUsare created equal.
(04:19):
Sometimes you're justswallowing ghost bacteria and
placebo dreams.
This is where we're going tostart talking about
orthomolecular.
If you're looking for a companythat's actually obsessed with
quality, meet orthomolecularproducts.
They are one of thoseprobiotics that they guarantee
when you reach that expirationdate of that probiotic, you are
(04:41):
going to have the same CFU countas when it was placed in there,
and they're not owned by acandy conglomerate.
They don't cut corners and theymanufacture everything in-house
.
Hello, transparency.
Their motto is because efficacymatters, and they back that up.
I love when I get a box in,because I love seeing that on
(05:01):
the side of the box.
But they do rigorousthird-party testing.
They do therapeutic dosing,clinical research, no garbage
fillers and only bioavailableforms of nutrients.
And they never, never, never,never use folic acid or
cyanocobalamin.
That's an automatic win in mybook, and I know what you're
thinking.
Oh, michelle, you'll probablyget a kickback for selling their
(05:24):
supplements.
But to be honest with you, evenif I sold you pure
encapsulations or something else, I would still make a
percentage.
If I do sell you thesupplements, this is just the
one that I love and prefer, andI am very picky and you should
be very picky.
Supplements are supposed tosupplement your health, not
(05:44):
sabotage it.
So check the label, look formethylated B vitamins, look for
active forms of nutrients andclear sourcing.
You want to look beyond thebrand, so who owns it?
You want to investigate that.
You also want to partner with apractitioner, so functional
medicine pros can guide you totherapeutic grade brands.
(06:04):
No, not the ones with flashyInstagram ads and sketchy Amazon
reviews.
Don't buy your probiotics fromaisle nine at the gas station,
okay?
You deserve supplements thatwork as hard as you do, not ones
that are secretly phoning it inwith synthetic junk and
(06:25):
corporate shortcuts.
I guess I'll say Ask questions,read labels and if you're ever
unsure, you can come and have mecheck them at Harmony Hub
Health, where I keep it clean,clinical and just a little bit
sassy.
One thing that I tell people,because a lot of times I ask
where they get their supplementsand I'm told Amazon.
(06:46):
Now, before you clutch yourPrime membership and panic yes,
we all love the convenience oftwo day shipping, but when it
comes to supplements, amazon isbasically the wild west of
wellness and there's manyreasons why I say don't buy your
supplements from Amazon, eventhough your argument is usually,
well, they're cheaper.
(07:07):
And you know we'll talk aboutsome of the things that have
been found.
The first one is, you know,counterfeit central.
Many well-known supplementbrands have issued public
warnings that their products arebeing counterfeited on Amazon.
These knockoffs look identicalto the real thing same bottle,
you know, same label, but thecontents questionable at best.
(07:28):
Chalk, rice flour, expiredpills, mystery fillers it's like
supplement roulette.
Orthomolecular, for example,does not sell on Amazon at all.
If you find it there, it'seither being illegally sold or
it is not real.
And if you look at any of thebottles let me grab one it
actually says on the bottle notfor sale through amazoncom.
(07:51):
I love that.
So you will not find goodquality supplements on Amazon,
and we'll talk about why.
Next, and this is aboutmishandling and poor storage.
So high quality supplementsneed proper storage, temperature
control, protection fromhumidity, all of those good
things.
(08:11):
But with Amazon's third partyfulfillment and resale model,
your bottle could have spenttime in 120 degree Fahrenheit
warehouse, you know, a dampbasement or someone's garage
next to a box of used Christmaslights.
So especially for probiotics,enzymes and liposomal products,
heat kills.
So that deal that you scoredmight be full of dead bacteria
(08:36):
and oxidized oils.
Repackaging and reselling openedor expired products is a very
big known issue on Amazon.
Some third-party sellers buyclearance or returned items and
they re-sticker them.
That's gross.
Would you buy an open yogurtfrom a stranger online?
Exactly.
So brands like Orthomolecular,designs for Health, zymogen and
(09:02):
others are practitioner only fora reason they're potent,
they're clinically formulatedand they're meant to be used
under guidance.
So if you're buying thosewithout support, not only might
they be fake, but you're alsomissing critical info on dosing,
timing, interactions andpersonalization.
Amazon is also loaded withdiscounted versions of big name
(09:25):
brands, but if the price is waylower than the official site or
authorized seller, it's probablynot legit.
You might be buying expiredinventory or a completely
different powder in a copycatbottle.
So where should you get yoursupplements?
First of all, from yourlicensed practitioner, like
Harmony Hub Health, with accessto verified therapeutic grade
(09:50):
and clinical support.
Or you can get them direct fromthe manufacturer's site or an
approved dispensary, likeFullscript or Wellevate.
I don't think Orthomoleculardoes not sell unless it's
through a practitioner.
I do have a full scriptdispensary that a lot of my
(10:11):
patients know about.
So it's not that I'm onlyorthomolecular.
I do have a whole directory ofsupplements at my fingertips,
depending on what is wrong, andthe other one, you know, is with
education, not hype.
You want to look for brandsthat prioritize bioavailability,
(10:32):
third-party testing andtransparency, not flashy labels
or celebrity endorsements.
So just because it's easy toclick buy now doesn't mean it's
safe or smart when it comes toyour health.
Cutting corners is not a flex.
You wouldn't trust a gasstation to do your lab work, so
don't trust a random onlineseller with your supplements.
(10:54):
You can come see me at HarmonyHub Health.
I can make sure yoursupplements are real, pure,
effective and never stored nextto a lawnmower, okay?
So this past week, little old mesat down at starbucks with a
mid-atlantic team leader fromorthomolecular products this is
what sparked this whole podcast,other than I also had a
(11:20):
screenshot sent to me this weekthat just showed me the
ingredients and said is thissupplement?
Okay?
No brand, nothing else, justwhat they had listed as the
ingredients.
And I did have two people inconsultations this week tell me
that they in fact purchasedtheir supplements from Amazon.
But I met with a Mid-Atlanticteam leader from Orthomolecular
(11:43):
Products Friday and let me tellyou I was low-key fangirling.
Not only was he a walking vaultof supplement wisdom, but he's
been with the company for 11years and he still lights up
when he talks about it.
That's rare in any industry anda huge testament to the
integrity of the brand.
He shared how Orthomolecular isstill privately owned, proudly
(12:07):
independent and completelycommitted to science-backed
formulations.
No parent company, no flashymarketing distractions, just
solid research, cleaningredients and the kind of
quality control that makes mewant to high-five their whole
entire team.
He even told me that Nestleapproached Orthomolecular and
(12:28):
put a very large bid to purchasethem and they said no.
So I left that morning with mymatcha in one hand and even more
confidence in what I alreadyknew, that this company is the
real deal.
And I was going to spend thatmorning finishing my
certification for ozoneinfusions.
But when he offered to meet me,I was like very flattered first
(12:52):
of all, but it was just veryexciting to me.
So, yeah, we'll talk about thenthe next hot topic, which would
be the FDA.
And I wanted to clear somethingup, because a lot of people
mentioned to me that they thinkthe FDA is actively monitoring
supplements, testing ingredientsand making sure everything on
(13:13):
shelves is safe and effective.
No way, in fact, supplementsfall under a completely
different regulatory categorythan prescription drugs or
over-the-counter medications.
You know there's nopre-approval process.
Unlike medications, supplementcompanies do not need FDA
approval before launching a newproduct.
(13:35):
There's no mandatory safetytesting, no required clinical
trials ahead of time.
You know they can slap a labelon it, throw it in a bottle and
hit the market.
You know the FDA onlyintervenes after there's a
proven issue, like adverseeffects, contaminations or false
(13:55):
advertising.
But by then damage mightalready be done and thousands of
people could have used thatproduct already.
And you know, quality varieswildly between brands, since
there's no standardization.
One vitamin D capsule mightcontain therapeutic bioavailable
(14:16):
cholecalciferol and anothercould be mostly filler dust and
just hope Some don't containwhat they claim at all.
In a 2015 investigation, dnatesting revealed that many store
brand herbal supplementscontained zero trace of the
herbs listed Zero Yikes.
(14:37):
And I find this to be true in alot of those gummies that are
all very pretty with a lot offiller and that's what it is.
It's just filler.
So companies can make all sortsof claims like supports heart
health or boosts energy, withouthaving to prove very much, as
long as they toss in that littleasterisk that says this
(14:59):
statement is not evaluated bythe FDA.
So it's basically thesupplement version of results
not typical, if you know what Imean.
And when the FDA is notscreening your supplements
before they hit the shelf, youneed to become your own watchdog
or work with somebody whoalready is.
Hello, that's me.
So brands like Orthomoleculargo above and beyond what's
(15:22):
required.
They have their own in-housemanufacturing and testing.
They have raw ingredientverification manufacturing and
testing.
They have raw ingredientverification.
There is zero synthetic fillersor garbage additives.
They have therapeutic dosingbased on research and actual
results in clinical practice.
They don't just meet theminimum FDA regulations.
(15:43):
They blow right past them inthe best possible way.
So don't play guessing gameswith your health.
If you've ever wandered thesupplement aisle at a big box
store or hit add to cart onAmazon thinking you're doing
something good for your body,you wanna stop and ask yourself
these questions who made it?
Is it tested, is itbioavailable and is it even real
(16:09):
?
At Harmony Hub Health, I don'tjust sell supplements, I curate
them.
We vet every brand, we choosequality over convenience and
we'll show you how to build asupplement protocol that
actually makes a difference.
So if you want to upgrade yoursupplement game, let's talk,
let's have a consultation.
I'll help you ditch the junkand fuel yourselves with what
(16:31):
they actually need.
You want to stop guessing.
You want to start thriving?
Okay, and I'm going to give younow the top five signs that
your supplements are trash.
Okay, don't shoot the messenger.
I'm just here to save yourliver and your wallet.
So here's the top five.
Number one we'll go back to it.
(16:51):
You bought them on Amazon froma seller named wellness,
underscore world, underscore 777.
So if it came from a sketchythird-party seller and was
cheaper than a drive-thrusmoothie, I had one of those.
Today it's probably expired,counterfeit or stored next to a
lawnmower in someone's garage.
Buyer beware.
(17:12):
This also rings true to me ifyou're purchasing a vitamin or a
supplement from one of thoseMLM or pyramid companies where
the person selling it has noidea what it is or has any type
of educational background on theingredients and they're just
trying to make money for theirdaughter's dance classes.
There's quite a few out thereselling collagen.
(17:34):
What they claim is oh, this islike a GLP-1 or supplements to
help you sleep at night ortaking something for pain.
I'm sorry if I just madeanybody mad, but it's very true.
You should not be gettingsupplements from companies like
this.
Mad, but it's very true.
You should not be gettingsupplements from companies like
this.
(17:56):
Number two if the label saysfolic acid or cyanocobalamin,
these are cheap syntheticversions of B vitamins that your
body might not even use,especially if you have that
common MTHFR gene.
Your liver's already filing acomplaint, so you want to look
for methylated B vitamins likemethylfolate and methylcobalamin
.
Number three it has morefillers than a reality TV
reunion Titanium dioxide,artificial dyes, hydrogenated
(18:21):
oils, magnesium stearate.
If your supplement reads like achemistry experiment, it's
probably doing more harm thangood.
So clean formulas only, please.
Number four you feel nothing,ever.
So if you've been taking itreligiously for months and still
feel tired, bloated, foggy orlike your wellness is in
(18:44):
airplane mode, qualitysupplements should do something.
If yours are just expensiveplacebos, it's time for a
breakup.
And I face this almost withevery consultation after blood
work comes back and they look atme like, well, I've been taking
vitamin D and they don't knowwhy they don't have any in their
(19:05):
system.
And it really does just go backto the supplement that they
were taking, that they had faithin.
That wasn't what they thoughtit was Okay.
Number five if Nestle or Cloroxowns it yes, clorox does own
some supplement lines.
Now you might want to rethinkyour trust.
Corporate buyouts do lead tocost cutting and ingredient
(19:29):
swaps, so your health deservesbetter than that.
So do not pick a company thatwas just bought by a giant food
conglomerate.
And bonus red flag we'll throwin here is proprietary blend
with no breakdown, so you haveno idea what you're actually
getting.
It's the supplement equivalentof mystery meat sandwich, right,
(19:50):
if it says proprietary blendand doesn't tell you what it is.
So come and see me at HarmonyHub Health, where the
supplements are clean, thetesting is real and I read
labels, so you don't have to.
Next we're just going to talkabout then say you are taking
quality supplements but you knowyou're still not having results
(20:12):
because you're not what youtake, you're what you absorb.
So here are some things we'lltalk about with why your $90
supplements might be goingstraight down the drain, and I
mean literally.
You probably could be urinatingout your supplements and making
some very expensive urine.
And you know I will be brutallyhonest you could be taking the
(20:35):
Rolls Royce of supplementspristine, methylated, third
party tested, handpicked byunicorns, and still not feeling
a thing.
And here's some reasons why sotop reasons that I see people
are not absorbing theirsupplements.
Number one is gut dysfunction.
If your digestive tract isinflamed, imbalanced or lined
(20:57):
with leaky holes like a colander, your ability to absorb
nutrients tanks.
Think of your gut like a sponge, and if that sponge is covered
in mold, good luck soakinganything up.
The common culprits that I runagainst are low stomach acid,
especially since everybody istaking either an antacid or a
(21:19):
PPI because they think they haveheartburn and too much acid, or
they have irritable bowel or,you know, ibs or IBD.
Usually I find SIBO, smallintestine bacterial overgrowth
or a candida overgrowth, or theyhave a lot of food sensitivity.
So hello, inflammation.
(21:41):
So that's usually a big culprit.
The next one would be poorliver function.
So your liver is the ultimatemultitasker.
It's where B vitamins getactivated, hormones get detoxed
and toxins get booted.
If it's overwhelmed or sluggish,you might not be converting
your nutrients into usable forms, which means those supplements
(22:03):
are just expensive bathroomconfetti.
And then another huge factorare those genetic variants like
the MTHFR.
So some people when I say some,I'm talking to 60% of us have
this variant.
You can't activate certainvitamins like folic acid or B12
due to common gene mutation.
(22:24):
So if you don't know yourstatus, you could be swallowing
the wrong form altogether andyour body just politely ignores
it.
If your body is constantlyinflamed, you know if you have
stress, if you're taking insugar, processed foods, toxins,
all of those things, it canblock receptors and nutrient
transporters, so that magnesiumyou're taking for stress, well,
(22:48):
it might not be able to enterthe cells that need it the most.
And you know there's alsotiming, pairing and dosage.
Like most people don't knowthat, the fat-soluble vitamins
like A, d, e and K you needdietary fat in order to even
absorb it.
And iron and calcium fight liketoddlers so you cannot take
(23:09):
them together and some mineralscancel each other out if dosed
improperly.
So you can have a verysynergistic or a very
antagonistic reaction on yourminerals.
So without a solid supplementstrategy, even the best products
can work against each other,and that is the definition of
wasted potential.
(23:29):
Okay, so at Harmony Hub Health Idon't just throw supplements at
symptoms.
I look at the whole pictureyour labs, your gut health, your
genetics, your lifestyle, yourstress, your sleep.
We kind of go over everythingand then I build a custom plan
with targeted supplements.
You'll actually absorb labtesting to track progress
(23:51):
Adjustments over time as yourbody heals and changes.
This is not a one size fits alland clear education, so you
understand the why behind everycapsule.
And it's not about taking more,it's about taking smarter.
So stop guessing and starthealing.
If your supplement drawer looksimpressive but you still don't
(24:13):
feel like your best self.
It's time for a differentapproach.
Book your functional medicineconsultation today.
Let's turn those supplementsinto actual results.
Your mitochondria will thankyou.
This podcast is for educationalpurposes only and not intended
(24:43):
to diagnose, treat or replaceadvice from your licensed
healthcare provider.
The FDA does not evaluate orapprove dietary supplements like
they do medications, sochoosing clinical grade products
like Orthomolecular can make areal difference.
Always consult your functionalmedicine provider before
starting new supplements,especially if you're mixing them
(25:03):
with low expectations anddiscount pricing.
I'm not your nurse practitioner, but I'd like to be, so reach
me at Harmony Hub Health atwwwharmonyhubhealthcom.
You can email me atM-I-C-H-E-L-E at
harmonyhubhealthcom, or come seeme in person at Monarch Beauty
and Spa in Manchester, maryland.
Welcome to Harmony Hub Health, where my mission is
to provide comprehensive,affordable integrative care that
addresses the root cause ofhealth issues.
At the Hub, the focus is onindividual patient journeys.
I strive to optimize health,vitality and longevity,
fostering a community where eachperson can thrive in body, mind
and spirit.
(00:21):
Today we're going to play alittle game called what's really
in that capsule, what's in yoursupplement?
And it might not be what youthink.
From shady sourcing tosynthetic nightmares, the world
of supplements can be a wildwest unless you know who you're
buying from, and even then it'sworth checking twice.
(00:41):
If you're grabbing yoursupplements from the same place
you buy your toilet paper, youmight want to reconsider your
wellness strategy.
Just because it's on a shelfdoesn't mean it's serving your
cells.
Today we're diving into whysome supplements are doing what
you think they are and whyquality, sourcing and science
matters.
Spoiler alert if yourmultivitamin sparkles like
(01:04):
glitter or cereal and smellslike candy, your liver is not
impressed.
So some of you might rememberwhen Pure Encapsulations was the
(01:25):
darling of the clean supplementworld, trusted by functional
medicine practitioners andcrunchy granola types alike.
It had a squeaky clean repuntil about 2018, when Nestle
yes, the chocolate and babyformula giant quietly scooped it
up, along with Douglas Labs anda few other supplement lines.
(01:46):
Now Nestle says they'recommitted to science and purity.
But let's be honest when amultinational processed food
titan buys your supplement brand, it's okay to raise an eyebrow
or two.
But why does it even matter?
Because corporate consolidationoften comes with cost cutting
and that can mean corners cut oningredient sourcing, filler
(02:09):
usage and third-party testing.
So if you're swallowingcapsules like they're golden
tickets to longevity, it's worthasking who is behind the
curtain.
I know last week we talked aboutfolic acid, which is the
synthetic version of folate,often pumped into everything
from prenatals to energy drinks.
It sounds like a vitamin win,but it really is not.
(02:31):
If you have that MTHFR genemutation, your body may not
process folic acid efficiently.
You know, instead of convertingit to the active form,
methylfolate, it builds up liketraffic at a four-way stop,
clogging up detox pathways andleading to more harm than good.
You don't even have to havethat genetic mutation for it to
(02:53):
cause a problem, and somelow-quality supplements don't
even really bother labeling whatform of folate they use.
So you think you're gettingsupport for fertility or cell
health, but your body is justshrugging and saying I don't
know her.
And then we have the cyanidesurprise.
You know cyanocobalamin is acommon, cheap form of vitamin
(03:13):
B12.
It does contain cyanide microdoses, but still, when better
forms like methylcobalamin oradenosylcobalamin exist, why are
we still playing Russianroulette with our mitochondria?
But cyanocobalamin is verycheap.
To make it's shelf stable, it'seasy to mass produce, just like
(03:35):
fake cheese.
And then let's talk about your$50 shelf probiotic that's been
sitting in the back of yourcabinet since your last gut
health kick.
If it wasn't refrigerated orproperly encapsulated, those
little bacterial warriors mayalready be dead RIP.
The shelf life of probiotics isno joke.
(03:56):
Quality brands go the extramile to ensure strains are
viable through the expirationdate, not just at the time of
manufacturing.
That means refrigeration ormoisture protection and often
specific strains that canactually survive the digestive
tract.
You know where they're supposedto work.
But not all billions of CFUsare created equal.
(04:19):
Sometimes you're justswallowing ghost bacteria and
placebo dreams.
This is where we're going tostart talking about
orthomolecular.
If you're looking for a companythat's actually obsessed with
quality, meet orthomolecularproducts.
They are one of thoseprobiotics that they guarantee
when you reach that expirationdate of that probiotic, you are
(04:41):
going to have the same CFU countas when it was placed in there,
and they're not owned by acandy conglomerate.
They don't cut corners and theymanufacture everything in-house
.
Hello, transparency.
Their motto is because efficacymatters, and they back that up.
I love when I get a box in,because I love seeing that on
(05:01):
the side of the box.
But they do rigorousthird-party testing.
They do therapeutic dosing,clinical research, no garbage
fillers and only bioavailableforms of nutrients.
And they never, never, never,never use folic acid or
cyanocobalamin.
That's an automatic win in mybook, and I know what you're
thinking.
Oh, michelle, you'll probablyget a kickback for selling their
(05:24):
supplements.
But to be honest with you, evenif I sold you pure
encapsulations or something else, I would still make a
percentage.
If I do sell you thesupplements, this is just the
one that I love and prefer, andI am very picky and you should
be very picky.
Supplements are supposed tosupplement your health, not
(05:44):
sabotage it.
So check the label, look formethylated B vitamins, look for
active forms of nutrients andclear sourcing.
You want to look beyond thebrand, so who owns it?
You want to investigate that.
You also want to partner with apractitioner, so functional
medicine pros can guide you totherapeutic grade brands.
(06:04):
No, not the ones with flashyInstagram ads and sketchy Amazon
reviews.
Don't buy your probiotics fromaisle nine at the gas station,
okay?
You deserve supplements thatwork as hard as you do, not ones
that are secretly phoning it inwith synthetic junk and
(06:25):
corporate shortcuts.
I guess I'll say Ask questions,read labels and if you're ever
unsure, you can come and have mecheck them at Harmony Hub
Health, where I keep it clean,clinical and just a little bit
sassy.
One thing that I tell people,because a lot of times I ask
where they get their supplementsand I'm told Amazon.
(06:46):
Now, before you clutch yourPrime membership and panic yes,
we all love the convenience oftwo day shipping, but when it
comes to supplements, amazon isbasically the wild west of
wellness and there's manyreasons why I say don't buy your
supplements from Amazon, eventhough your argument is usually,
well, they're cheaper.
(07:07):
And you know we'll talk aboutsome of the things that have
been found.
The first one is, you know,counterfeit central.
Many well-known supplementbrands have issued public
warnings that their products arebeing counterfeited on Amazon.
These knockoffs look identicalto the real thing same bottle,
you know, same label, but thecontents questionable at best.
(07:28):
Chalk, rice flour, expiredpills, mystery fillers it's like
supplement roulette.
Orthomolecular, for example,does not sell on Amazon at all.
If you find it there, it'seither being illegally sold or
it is not real.
And if you look at any of thebottles let me grab one it
actually says on the bottle notfor sale through amazoncom.
(07:51):
I love that.
So you will not find goodquality supplements on Amazon,
and we'll talk about why.
Next, and this is aboutmishandling and poor storage.
So high quality supplementsneed proper storage, temperature
control, protection fromhumidity, all of those good
things.
(08:11):
But with Amazon's third partyfulfillment and resale model,
your bottle could have spenttime in 120 degree Fahrenheit
warehouse, you know, a dampbasement or someone's garage
next to a box of used Christmaslights.
So especially for probiotics,enzymes and liposomal products,
heat kills.
So that deal that you scoredmight be full of dead bacteria
(08:36):
and oxidized oils.
Repackaging and reselling openedor expired products is a very
big known issue on Amazon.
Some third-party sellers buyclearance or returned items and
they re-sticker them.
That's gross.
Would you buy an open yogurtfrom a stranger online?
Exactly.
So brands like Orthomolecular,designs for Health, zymogen and
(09:02):
others are practitioner only fora reason they're potent,
they're clinically formulatedand they're meant to be used
under guidance.
So if you're buying thosewithout support, not only might
they be fake, but you're alsomissing critical info on dosing,
timing, interactions andpersonalization.
Amazon is also loaded withdiscounted versions of big name
(09:25):
brands, but if the price is waylower than the official site or
authorized seller, it's probablynot legit.
You might be buying expiredinventory or a completely
different powder in a copycatbottle.
So where should you get yoursupplements?
First of all, from yourlicensed practitioner, like
Harmony Hub Health, with accessto verified therapeutic grade
(09:50):
and clinical support.
Or you can get them direct fromthe manufacturer's site or an
approved dispensary, likeFullscript or Wellevate.
I don't think Orthomoleculardoes not sell unless it's
through a practitioner.
I do have a full scriptdispensary that a lot of my
(10:11):
patients know about.
So it's not that I'm onlyorthomolecular.
I do have a whole directory ofsupplements at my fingertips,
depending on what is wrong, andthe other one, you know, is with
education, not hype.
You want to look for brandsthat prioritize bioavailability,
(10:32):
third-party testing andtransparency, not flashy labels
or celebrity endorsements.
So just because it's easy toclick buy now doesn't mean it's
safe or smart when it comes toyour health.
Cutting corners is not a flex.
You wouldn't trust a gasstation to do your lab work, so
don't trust a random onlineseller with your supplements.
(10:54):
You can come see me at HarmonyHub Health.
I can make sure yoursupplements are real, pure,
effective and never stored nextto a lawnmower, okay?
So this past week, little old mesat down at starbucks with a
mid-atlantic team leader fromorthomolecular products this is
what sparked this whole podcast,other than I also had a
(11:20):
screenshot sent to me this weekthat just showed me the
ingredients and said is thissupplement?
Okay?
No brand, nothing else, justwhat they had listed as the
ingredients.
And I did have two people inconsultations this week tell me
that they in fact purchasedtheir supplements from Amazon.
But I met with a Mid-Atlanticteam leader from Orthomolecular
(11:43):
Products Friday and let me tellyou I was low-key fangirling.
Not only was he a walking vaultof supplement wisdom, but he's
been with the company for 11years and he still lights up
when he talks about it.
That's rare in any industry anda huge testament to the
integrity of the brand.
He shared how Orthomolecular isstill privately owned, proudly
(12:07):
independent and completelycommitted to science-backed
formulations.
No parent company, no flashymarketing distractions, just
solid research, cleaningredients and the kind of
quality control that makes mewant to high-five their whole
entire team.
He even told me that Nestleapproached Orthomolecular and
(12:28):
put a very large bid to purchasethem and they said no.
So I left that morning with mymatcha in one hand and even more
confidence in what I alreadyknew, that this company is the
real deal.
And I was going to spend thatmorning finishing my
certification for ozoneinfusions.
But when he offered to meet me,I was like very flattered first
(12:52):
of all, but it was just veryexciting to me.
So, yeah, we'll talk about thenthe next hot topic, which would
be the FDA.
And I wanted to clear somethingup, because a lot of people
mentioned to me that they thinkthe FDA is actively monitoring
supplements, testing ingredientsand making sure everything on
(13:13):
shelves is safe and effective.
No way, in fact, supplementsfall under a completely
different regulatory categorythan prescription drugs or
over-the-counter medications.
You know there's nopre-approval process.
Unlike medications, supplementcompanies do not need FDA
approval before launching a newproduct.
(13:35):
There's no mandatory safetytesting, no required clinical
trials ahead of time.
You know they can slap a labelon it, throw it in a bottle and
hit the market.
You know the FDA onlyintervenes after there's a
proven issue, like adverseeffects, contaminations or false
(13:55):
advertising.
But by then damage mightalready be done and thousands of
people could have used thatproduct already.
And you know, quality varieswildly between brands, since
there's no standardization.
One vitamin D capsule mightcontain therapeutic bioavailable
(14:16):
cholecalciferol and anothercould be mostly filler dust and
just hope Some don't containwhat they claim at all.
In a 2015 investigation, dnatesting revealed that many store
brand herbal supplementscontained zero trace of the
herbs listed Zero Yikes.
(14:37):
And I find this to be true in alot of those gummies that are
all very pretty with a lot offiller and that's what it is.
It's just filler.
So companies can make all sortsof claims like supports heart
health or boosts energy, withouthaving to prove very much, as
long as they toss in that littleasterisk that says this
(14:59):
statement is not evaluated bythe FDA.
So it's basically thesupplement version of results
not typical, if you know what Imean.
And when the FDA is notscreening your supplements
before they hit the shelf, youneed to become your own watchdog
or work with somebody whoalready is.
Hello, that's me.
So brands like Orthomoleculargo above and beyond what's
(15:22):
required.
They have their own in-housemanufacturing and testing.
They have raw ingredientverification manufacturing and
testing.
They have raw ingredientverification.
There is zero synthetic fillersor garbage additives.
They have therapeutic dosingbased on research and actual
results in clinical practice.
They don't just meet theminimum FDA regulations.
(15:43):
They blow right past them inthe best possible way.
So don't play guessing gameswith your health.
If you've ever wandered thesupplement aisle at a big box
store or hit add to cart onAmazon thinking you're doing
something good for your body,you wanna stop and ask yourself
these questions who made it?
Is it tested, is itbioavailable and is it even real
(16:09):
?
At Harmony Hub Health, I don'tjust sell supplements, I curate
them.
We vet every brand, we choosequality over convenience and
we'll show you how to build asupplement protocol that
actually makes a difference.
So if you want to upgrade yoursupplement game, let's talk,
let's have a consultation.
I'll help you ditch the junkand fuel yourselves with what
(16:31):
they actually need.
You want to stop guessing.
You want to start thriving?
Okay, and I'm going to give younow the top five signs that
your supplements are trash.
Okay, don't shoot the messenger.
I'm just here to save yourliver and your wallet.
So here's the top five.
Number one we'll go back to it.
(16:51):
You bought them on Amazon froma seller named wellness,
underscore world, underscore 777.
So if it came from a sketchythird-party seller and was
cheaper than a drive-thrusmoothie, I had one of those.
Today it's probably expired,counterfeit or stored next to a
lawnmower in someone's garage.
Buyer beware.
(17:12):
This also rings true to me ifyou're purchasing a vitamin or a
supplement from one of thoseMLM or pyramid companies where
the person selling it has noidea what it is or has any type
of educational background on theingredients and they're just
trying to make money for theirdaughter's dance classes.
There's quite a few out thereselling collagen.
(17:34):
What they claim is oh, this islike a GLP-1 or supplements to
help you sleep at night ortaking something for pain.
I'm sorry if I just madeanybody mad, but it's very true.
You should not be gettingsupplements from companies like
this.
Mad, but it's very true.
You should not be gettingsupplements from companies like
this.
(17:56):
Number two if the label saysfolic acid or cyanocobalamin,
these are cheap syntheticversions of B vitamins that your
body might not even use,especially if you have that
common MTHFR gene.
Your liver's already filing acomplaint, so you want to look
for methylated B vitamins likemethylfolate and methylcobalamin
.
Number three it has morefillers than a reality TV
reunion Titanium dioxide,artificial dyes, hydrogenated
(18:21):
oils, magnesium stearate.
If your supplement reads like achemistry experiment, it's
probably doing more harm thangood.
So clean formulas only, please.
Number four you feel nothing,ever.
So if you've been taking itreligiously for months and still
feel tired, bloated, foggy orlike your wellness is in
(18:44):
airplane mode, qualitysupplements should do something.
If yours are just expensiveplacebos, it's time for a
breakup.
And I face this almost withevery consultation after blood
work comes back and they look atme like, well, I've been taking
vitamin D and they don't knowwhy they don't have any in their
(19:05):
system.
And it really does just go backto the supplement that they
were taking, that they had faithin.
That wasn't what they thoughtit was Okay.
Number five if Nestle or Cloroxowns it yes, clorox does own
some supplement lines.
Now you might want to rethinkyour trust.
Corporate buyouts do lead tocost cutting and ingredient
(19:29):
swaps, so your health deservesbetter than that.
So do not pick a company thatwas just bought by a giant food
conglomerate.
And bonus red flag we'll throwin here is proprietary blend
with no breakdown, so you haveno idea what you're actually
getting.
It's the supplement equivalentof mystery meat sandwich, right,
(19:50):
if it says proprietary blendand doesn't tell you what it is.
So come and see me at HarmonyHub Health, where the
supplements are clean, thetesting is real and I read
labels, so you don't have to.
Next we're just going to talkabout then say you are taking
quality supplements but you knowyou're still not having results
(20:12):
because you're not what youtake, you're what you absorb.
So here are some things we'lltalk about with why your $90
supplements might be goingstraight down the drain, and I
mean literally.
You probably could be urinatingout your supplements and making
some very expensive urine.
And you know I will be brutallyhonest you could be taking the
(20:35):
Rolls Royce of supplementspristine, methylated, third
party tested, handpicked byunicorns, and still not feeling
a thing.
And here's some reasons why sotop reasons that I see people
are not absorbing theirsupplements.
Number one is gut dysfunction.
If your digestive tract isinflamed, imbalanced or lined
(20:57):
with leaky holes like a colander, your ability to absorb
nutrients tanks.
Think of your gut like a sponge, and if that sponge is covered
in mold, good luck soakinganything up.
The common culprits that I runagainst are low stomach acid,
especially since everybody istaking either an antacid or a
(21:19):
PPI because they think they haveheartburn and too much acid, or
they have irritable bowel or,you know, ibs or IBD.
Usually I find SIBO, smallintestine bacterial overgrowth
or a candida overgrowth, or theyhave a lot of food sensitivity.
So hello, inflammation.
(21:41):
So that's usually a big culprit.
The next one would be poorliver function.
So your liver is the ultimatemultitasker.
It's where B vitamins getactivated, hormones get detoxed
and toxins get booted.
If it's overwhelmed or sluggish,you might not be converting
your nutrients into usable forms, which means those supplements
(22:03):
are just expensive bathroomconfetti.
And then another huge factorare those genetic variants like
the MTHFR.
So some people when I say some,I'm talking to 60% of us have
this variant.
You can't activate certainvitamins like folic acid or B12
due to common gene mutation.
(22:24):
So if you don't know yourstatus, you could be swallowing
the wrong form altogether andyour body just politely ignores
it.
If your body is constantlyinflamed, you know if you have
stress, if you're taking insugar, processed foods, toxins,
all of those things, it canblock receptors and nutrient
transporters, so that magnesiumyou're taking for stress, well,
(22:48):
it might not be able to enterthe cells that need it the most.
And you know there's alsotiming, pairing and dosage.
Like most people don't knowthat, the fat-soluble vitamins
like A, d, e and K you needdietary fat in order to even
absorb it.
And iron and calcium fight liketoddlers so you cannot take
(23:09):
them together and some mineralscancel each other out if dosed
improperly.
So you can have a verysynergistic or a very
antagonistic reaction on yourminerals.
So without a solid supplementstrategy, even the best products
can work against each other,and that is the definition of
wasted potential.
(23:29):
Okay, so at Harmony Hub Health Idon't just throw supplements at
symptoms.
I look at the whole pictureyour labs, your gut health, your
genetics, your lifestyle, yourstress, your sleep.
We kind of go over everythingand then I build a custom plan
with targeted supplements.
You'll actually absorb labtesting to track progress
(23:51):
Adjustments over time as yourbody heals and changes.
This is not a one size fits alland clear education, so you
understand the why behind everycapsule.
And it's not about taking more,it's about taking smarter.
So stop guessing and starthealing.
If your supplement drawer looksimpressive but you still don't
(24:13):
feel like your best self.
It's time for a differentapproach.
Book your functional medicineconsultation today.
Let's turn those supplementsinto actual results.
Your mitochondria will thankyou.
This podcast is for educationalpurposes only and not intended
(24:43):
to diagnose, treat or replaceadvice from your licensed
healthcare provider.
The FDA does not evaluate orapprove dietary supplements like
they do medications, sochoosing clinical grade products
like Orthomolecular can make areal difference.
Always consult your functionalmedicine provider before
starting new supplements,especially if you're mixing them
(25:03):
with low expectations anddiscount pricing.
I'm not your nurse practitioner, but I'd like to be, so reach
me at Harmony Hub Health atwwwharmonyhubhealthcom.
You can email me atM-I-C-H-E-L-E at
harmonyhubhealthcom, or come seeme in person at Monarch Beauty
and Spa in Manchester, maryland.
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