Which Supplements Are Helpful—and Which Are Harmful?

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Supplements are everywhere—promising to boost your energy, support your immune system, help you sleep, or heal chronic illness. But not all supplements are created equal, and many people unknowingly take the wrong ones—or take too many—and end up making their health worse.

This page breaks down which supplements may support your healing—and which ones can cause harm—plus why it’s essential to work with a qualified clinical nutritionist for personalized guidance.

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⚠️ The Risks of Self-Prescribing Supplements

Even “natural” supplements can:

• Disrupt nutrient balance

• Interfere with medications

• Overstimulate the immune or nervous system

• Cause liver or kidney stress

• Lead to dependency or tolerance

“Supplements are not risk-free. Overuse, contamination, and nutrient imbalance are common causes of harm.”
(Cohen, 2014)

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✅ Commonly Helpful Supplements (Under Clinical Supervision)

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❌ Supplements to Avoid or Use With Caution

“Unsupervised supplementation may lead to toxicity, organ stress, and micronutrient competition.”
(National Institutes of Health, 2021)

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🌿 Why Supplements Alone Are Not the Answer

• They cannot replace whole food nutrition

• They can mask symptoms without treating root causes

• They’re often based on trends—not science

• Some interact with medications or conditions silently

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🧠 Work With a Clinical Nutritionist

If you want to supplement safely, work with a clinical nutritionist or functional medicine provider. They can run labs to assess:

• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

• Methylation and detox pathways

• Hormone and gut imbalances

• Inflammation and oxidative stress levels

⚠️ Never take supplements long-term without personalized testing or expert guidance.

You can get started by booking a free ASTR Diet health consultation here:
👉 Free Consultation With a Health Coach

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🧬 The ASTR Diet: Nutrition First, Supplements Last

o ASTR Diet focuses on meeting your body’s needs through food—not pills. It emphasizes:

• Nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory meals

• Gut healing and detox support

• Strategic intermittent fasting

• Clean, whole food-based nourishment

Supplements are used sparingly and only when necessary to correct deficiencies—guided by lab testing and clinical oversight.

👉 Learn more in the Eat to Heal book, where Dr. Joseph Jacobs shares how to nourish your body naturally.

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📚 References

• Cohen, P. A. (2014). Hazards of dietary supplements. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(14), 1277–1280.

• National Institutes of Health. (2021). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. Office of Dietary Supplements.

• Bjelakovic, G., et al. (2012). Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases. Banco de Dados Cochrane de Revisões Sistemáticas, (3).

• Hathcock, J. N. (2014). Vitamins and minerals: Efficacy and safety. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(1), 280S–283S.

• Dickinson, A., & MacKay, D. (2014). Health habits and other characteristics of dietary supplement users. Nutrition Journal, 13(1), 14.