Dr. Mark Hyman: Why You Need to Take Supplements

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Nutrients are an essential part of getting back into balance and correcting the core problem, which is insulin resistance.

There are two ways in which supplements work:

1. They make your cells more sensitive to insulin and more effective at metabolizing sugar and fats.
2. Special fibers (that I will discuss in a minute) can slow the absorption of sugars and fats into the bloodstream.

This leads to a faster metabolism, more balanced blood sugar, improved cholesterol, less inflammation, fewer cravings, more weight loss and more energy.

If you have diabesity—and keep in mind most people do to some degree—I recommend additional nutrients to reset and correct metabolic imbalances, improve insulin function, balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation.  But first, let’s delve a little further into this perplexing topic.

Why are nutrient studies so confusing?

I’m sure you are confused by conflicting studies about supplements. One day folic acid is good; the next it is found to cause cancer. One day vitamin D is a lifesaver; the next it is found to be not helpful.

This media whiplash is enough to make you give up altogether. The problem with these studies is that they treat nutrients as drugs, where researchers give one nutrient alone and see what happens.

But nutrients work as a team. Broccoli is great for you and can help prevent and cure many diseases, but if all you ate was broccoli, you would get sick and die.  You need to eat a well rounded diet to stay healthy.  Similarly, nutrients work synergistically to maintain the proper balance in your body.

Potential problems with choosing supplements

You know what you are getting when your pharmacist fills your prescription. The government makes sure of it. Over-the-counter supplements are not controlled in this same way. Manufacturers often cut corners and this can become problematic for the average consumer.

The issues you might experience with over-the-counter supplements that you buy at your local drugstore or warehouse store include:

1. The form of the nutrient may be cheap and poorly absorbed or used by the body.

2. The dosage on the label may not match the dose in the pill.

3. It may be filled with additives, colors, fillers and allergens.

4. The raw materials (especially herbs) may not be tested for toxins, such as mercury or lead, or may not be consistent from batch to batch.

5. The factory in which it is produced may not follow good manufacturing standards, leading to inconsistent quality.

I use supplements in my practice as a cornerstone of healing and repair, so I have investigated supplement makers, toured factories and studied independent analyses of their finished products. I have learned there are a few companies I can rely on, many of which you can find in my online store.

Whether you follow my product recommendations or not, be sure to pick quality supplements and ones that contain nutrients and compounds that research has shown to be helpful in the treatment of diabesity and insulin resistance.

Think of them as part of your diet. You want the best-quality food and the best-quality supplements you can buy. Guidance from a trained dietitian, nutritionist, or nutritionally oriented physician or health care practitioner can be helpful in selecting the products that are right for you.

If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to read my book, The Blood Sugar Solution, which provides a comprehensive nutrient plan that discusses the benefits of each supplement. To get you started, I will discuss how the supplements I recommend benefit you and then tell you my basic plan.  

The basic nutrient plan

Everyone reading this blog should get on the basic plan of supplements and stay on them for life. Even if you are “cured” of diabesity, you will need to keep taking them, because you need special vitamins, minerals and herbs to help compensate for your genetic tendency toward insulin resistance.

Let’s take a few moments to review the specifics about each of these supplements or ingredients to understand why they are so important in the treatment of diabesity.

High-quality, high-potency, complete multivitamin

The right multivitamin will contain all the basic vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind that getting the optimal doses usually requires two to six capsules or tablets a day. Some people may have unique requirements for much higher doses that need to be prescribed by a trained nutritional or functional medicine physician.

Note that B complex vitamins are especially important for those with diabesity, as they help protect against diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage, and improve metabolism and mitochondrial function. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, C and selenium are also important as they may help reduce oxidative stress, which is a significant cause of diabesity.