Why the supplements recommended in your social media feed may not work for you
I’ve had a few friends and family members recently ask me whether a supplement they’ve seen on social media would work for them- whether that’s something for endometriosis, bloating or menopausal symptoms.
Once you start looking, then of course you get more and more of them coming up in your social media feed. And then you realise just how many supplement adverts there are out there that claim to be able to cure bloating, perimenopause symptoms, the list goes on, within a few weeks.
So, here’s my advice. If it’s a problem you’ve had for a long time, it’s rare that you can cure it in a few weeks. You might hit gold and get something that works, but it would be unusual for one supplement to fix everything in two weeks.
Here are some things to bear in mind:
- You need to understand what’s driving the problem and address that – for example, if your bloating is driven by stress, and the supplement has nothing in it that will help reduce stress levels, then the bloating is likely to continue.
- Supplements alone often won’t solve the problem – you can take great quality supplements, but if your sleep quality is poor, your stress levels are high and your diet is low in nutrients, then endometriosis, PMS and perimenopause symptoms are likely to continue as diet and lifestyle issues contribute to the problem.
- Social media adverts don’t know what else is going on for you – they might pick up that you have a problem with bloating, but they don’t know that you also have endometriosis and it’s the endometriosis that’s driving the bloating, and causing a whole lot of additional symptoms on top like pain, PMS and fatigue. Hence a supplement that gives gut support for bloating may not be enough to help if you aren’t also addressing the pain, fatigue and PMS. Supplements work best when they are tailored to what you need as an individual.
- If you take any medications, you need to make sure the supplement is safe to take alongside that – although supplements are natural, some can interact with any medication you take, so you always need to get that checked before taking new supplements.
- Sometimes supplements don’t have the right level of nutrients in for you – sometimes a supplement can have the right combination of different nutrients in, but not at the right level. This means you may not be getting the benefit you should from them.
So please don’t get taken in by all the promises made on social media about supplements that can ‘cure’ your problems. Of course, we all want a quick fix, but our bodies don’t always work that way and need the right support done in the right way.
If you’re unsure where to start with supplements, you can always book in for a one off supplement review appointment to review any existing supplements, tailor your supplements to you and check they are safe with any medication you take.
Or if you’ve tried supplements and feel no better, and want someone to review your diet, supplements and give you some lifestyle tips to help manage your symptoms, then book in for the one off Hormone Intensive session.
Content Disclaimer
The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this blog are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this blog. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this blog. Emma Belton Nutrition disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this blog.