Why Do We Need Multivitamins?
In addition to foods not being as nutrient-dense, digestion is often compromised in Adrenal Fatigue patients. That dysfunctional digestion makes it more difficult to assimilate nutrients. For this reason, I recommend a good-quality multivitamin for almost all of my patients.
Compromised digestion is one of the more overlooked symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue — and it compounds the nutrient deficiencies that make recovery harder.
Growing or Grazing Nutrition
Ideally, I would recommend that all of my patients get their nutrients by eating a nutrient-dense diet. I ask them to aim for a dinner plate full of diversely colored whole foods.
In addition to the hypoglycemic dietary recommendations, there is a simple rule of thumb. If you find it growing or grazing, eating it as part of a balanced diet is acceptable. These “growing or grazing” foods can mostly be found by shopping around the grocery store’s perimeter.
Even when taking proper dietary precautions and going to great lengths to eat a nutrient-dense diet, it has become more challenging to get the same nutrients from our food as we once did. Our soil and food quality have become depleted due to certain agricultural practices, among various other reasons. That’s where multivitamins come in.
How I Choose Multivitamins for My Patients
The supplement industry is an ever-growing billion-dollar industry. Quality supplements are beneficial and complementary adjuncts to my patients’ healing protocols. Subpar supplements, however, can be detrimental to our health.
The supplement industry lacks quality regulation. The onus is on the practitioner and consumer to do their due diligence in seeking out the highest quality supplements. I have vetted each and every supplement found in my supplement pharmacy.
5 Guidelines for Choosing Supplements for Your Healing Regimen
1) “You get what you pay for”—This old decree does have some credence here. Quality-control practices, third-party testing, organic ingredients, and high concentrations of constituents all cost money. Part of this cost must be passed on to the consumer.
2) Watch out for clever marketing—You know, the ones I mean: multi-level marketing companies (network marketing) who sell supplements and the like. The profit-sharing structure of these companies is such that the cost of the product must be inflated (even more!) to pay the pyramid of representatives involved in the sale. This also means they usually start with inferior ingredients, so a larger profit margin is ensured.
3) The supplement company’s mission statement—Different companies have different philosophies. Check their “About” page. While all companies need to make a profit, some are out to profit first.
The more reputable, ethical manufacturers and vendors are out to fill a need. They provide high-quality supplements that help heal people. High-quality raw materials must be free of contamination of heavy metals and pesticides and contain only the substance they put on the label. High-quality supplements contain the strength and concentration they claim on the label, as well.
4) Be cognizant of fillers and allergens—Many supplements are filled with “other” ingredients to cut costs. That also means that common allergens can be hidden in the ingredients. For Adrenal Fatigue patients, especially, these can act as additional stressors instead of healing supports.
5) Avoid falling into the “supplements save the day” trap—High-quality supplements offer diverse healing benefits when properly used. Any supplement claiming to heal a complex and chronic condition such as Adrenal Fatigue should not be trusted.
Multivitamins as Part of the Healing Puzzle
In my 20-plus years of Naturopathic experience, I have yet to see supplements heal Adrenal Fatigue patients. We must also address lifestyle and dietary modifications at the same time.
Multivitamins are one piece of the healing puzzle and should be carefully considered. My goal as a Naturopathic Doctor is to use supplements as support within a broader healing protocol — not as the primary driver of recovery. A high-quality multivitamin fits into that protocol alongside other targeted nutrients. To see how Dr. Neville approaches the full supplement picture, Best Supplements for Adrenal Fatigue covers what he typically uses and why. For readers wanting to understand the clinical framework those supplements support, How We Treat Adrenal Fatigue explains the approach.
