Ask Leyla: Which supplements do you take?
Q: What supplements do you take and how do you determine which are most important for you given how expensive nutraceuticals can be?
A: Let me answer the expense question first. I consider my supplement protocol a very important adjunct to the good quality, clean food that I consume. I’m a firm a believer in the saying, “when you have your health, you have everything”, and to me the cost of supplementation is a tiny price to pay for keeping myself well. In fact, ‘supplement expenditures’ is a line item in my budget—right next to groceries.
Now, here are the supplements I take:
Vitamin D3: I normally take 5,000 IU daily through the winter and then have my levels checked. Depending if my level is optimal, I take it only intermittently during the summer because I’m a certified beach bum.
Vitamin K2: An underappreciated vitamin until recent years when I learned of its critical importance in cardiovascular and bone health. It’s symbiotic with vitamin D in this regard.
Vitamin C: I’ve been taking vitamin C for as long as I can remember. As a very important antioxidant, I simply don’t go without it.
Quercetin: A natural pigment in many vegetables and fruits, this flavanoid has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in addition to the ability to quell allergy symptoms.
DHA: I like the emphasis of DHA for eye and brain health. It also contains the very important EPA in a smaller amount.
Reacted Magnesium: Composed of three kinds of magnesium—malate, glycinate and citrate. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t benefit from some form of magnesium. Deficiency is endemic in our country.
EGCG: Even though I drink green tea regularly, the antioxidant impact of EGCG is so great that this supplement is simply too important to leave out.
Ubiquinol: I find the addition of ubiquinol in a healthy heart program to be superior to CoQ10 alone. It’s an important antioxidant and metabolic constituent.
Methyl-B-Complex: An added boost in energy and metabolism.
If you’re interested in ordering supplements, visit DrHoffmanStore.com and discover Dr. Hoffman’s curated selection of top-quality products.
To your health!
Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN
