People often ask me about supplements in the clinic.  They ask, in general, what I recommend for women and for children.  I keep it simple.  I recommend four for women, and four for children.  Of course there are always exceptions, and more can always be added, but the supplements that I’m going to list below are a good baseline for nutrition.

Supplements for Women

Probiotics
    - for your immune system and gut health
    - it’s important to use a probiotic with live bacteria (capsules that need to be kept cold)
Vitamin B complex
    - important to make sure it has B6, B12 & folic acid
    - they’re water soluble, so they’re easy to digest and tend not to irritate your gut
    - very important for women with a gluten-free or vegetarian diet
    - especially important during pregnancy, for the fetal development
Vitamin D
    - especially important for us Minnesotans (because we don’t get enough sun)
    - helps your body use calcium (bones!)
    - I personally take nearly 10,000 IU per day (because my levels are so low …
        I recommend blood work to find out your levels)
Multivitamin
    - all encompassing

Supplements for Children

Probiotics
    - again, immune system for kids
    - best to take first thing in the morning WITHOUT food (or in yogurt/ milk)
    - my family members take probiotics daily (not just during the cold/ flu season)
Fish Oil
    - must be a high quality fish oil (due to the potential hazard of mercury)
    - again, very important for brain development for children
Vitamin D
    - the easiest form for kids is in liquid form (I just add it to my kids’ milk)
    - I personally stick to 1,000 IU per day
Multivitamin
    - I go for the gummy version (I don’t worry too much about the sugar content …
        though I do pay attention to the bioavailability and quality of the vitamin)


As you can see, the lists are relatively similar.  The key difference is that I emphasize Vitamin B for women (not just during pregnancy, but in all walks of life) and I emphasize Fish Oils for children (because of brain development).

I do keep a few other supplements in my home, but I keep them to use more sparingly or as necessary.  These are:
zinc (for cold/ flu season)
Vitamin C (cold/ flu season)
Myocalm PM (additional calcium/ potassium)
Prenatals when pregnant

Again, simple is best.  You shouldn’t break the bank buying supplements, though it is important to supplement when you can’t get these nutrients directly from your food.