Supplementation is a big topic in the healthcare world. Many people report utilizing supplements as a part of their health routine, and many also agree that supplements are beneficial for meeting their health goals. This isn’t wrong, but as always, there is so much more to the story when considering supplement use. Supplements– in this instance, I’m also referring to nutraceuticals– include powders, liquids, gels, capsules, and blends of a variety of constituents. They may include vitamins, minerals, herbs, dehydrated and ground whole foods, fats, amino acids, and other isolated compounds.
Supplements are heavily marketed for their purported benefits, but rarely are the potential side effects or contraindications widely shared with the public too. Additionally, there is a lack of nuance and transparency with supplement marketing. Many brands and companies will share marketing information that claim if you have brain fog, you’re deficient in Vitamin A, if you have fatigue, you’re deficient in Magnesium, if you have anxiety, you’re deficient in Iron. These claims are dangerous and misinformed, because they attempt to chalk-up symptoms to a single deficiency, which is rarely ever the case. More times than not, there are at least a few, sometimes many, underlying imbalances occurring leading to brain fog, fatigue, and more. Not to mention, unnecessary supplementation, especially of vitamins and minerals, can cause toxic and sometimes irreversible damage to the body. It would be wonderful if brands cared just as much about the safety of their customers than the monetization of a product.
I love supplements and nutraceuticals, I believe they have their place in healthcare, I use them myself, and I often will recommend them as needed to my clients. However, I also believe there needs to be much more consumer education about potential side effects, safety considerations, and contraindications of supplements. For this reason, I authored a research article literature review, Uses and Safety Considerations of Cordyceps Supplementation, which was recently featured by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.
Cordyceps is not a vitamin or mineral, but is a fungus more broadly considered an herbal medicine. Cordyceps are adaptogenic and support the body under stress. Different adaptogens support the stress response through different processes, and Cordyceps supports stress reduction through enhancing endurance (e.g. reducing physical stress). Not only does it support endurance, but it also has been found to support the immune system, healthy aging, mitochondrial health, inhibit cancer cell growth, and more.
To read the full literature revew, wrtitten for readers like you, about the uses and safety considerations of Cordyceps supplementation, follow the link to my feature in the NANP’s blog. If you ever have questions about supplementation or are looking for honest and evidence-based guidance with supplementation, please feel free to press the "Schedule" button to set up an appointment.
