A Guide to Choosing the Right Supplement for You

More than 90% of Americans do not get a sufficient amount of one or more vitamins and minerals. The origin of this “vitamin and mineral gap” in American health has been linked to a variety of factors such as unhealthy diets, stress, pollution, underlying health conditions, and other environmental variables.

Supplements can be a great way to make up for possible deficiencies and can provide a wide variety of health benefits. That’s why Honeybee Health is proud to now sell some of the most popular supplements, including: 

  • Multi-mineral: Supports heart health, bone strength, immune system function, nerve function, and tissue healing. 
  • Multi-vitamin: Provides full-spectrum antioxidant protection; builds metabolic reserve; protects against dietary deficiencies and stress-induced nutrient depletion, and supports a healthy metabolism.
  • Vitamin D3: Supports bone and dental health, calcium absorption, immune strength, heart health, normal blood sugar balance, weight loss, and musculoskeletal strength. 
  • Vitamin C: Promotes immune system, cardiovascular health, antioxidant reserve, normal inflammatory balance, and collagen formation to support healthy ligaments, tendons, and joints.
  • B Complex: Supports energy production, immune strength, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and brain health.
  • CoQ-10: Powerful antioxidant essential for heart health and energy production in addition to brain health, blood sugar balance, and protection from free radical damage.

However, you have to make sure to pick the right supplement. This comes down to two factors: 

  1. Quality Matters
  2. Your individual health needs 

Below, we’ve written a guide to help you understand these two factors and find the right supplement(s) for you. 

Quality Matters 

Walk into any pharmacy or do a quick Google search, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the countless supplement options. To make things more confusing, supplements are not FDA-regulated the way prescription medications are. This means that not all supplement brands are made equal, and there can be significant differences in quality.

Quality matters because it affects absorption. Low-quality ingredients lead to poor absorption. This means you might be spending a lot of money and time taking supplements without your body getting the full benefit of the minerals and vitamins contained inside. 

However, unless you’re a medical professional, it can be very difficult to understand what formulations lead to better absorptions. 

That’s why we decided to provide our own. Honeybee Health is now selling multimineral, multivitamin, vitamin D3, vitamin C, B Complex (Methylated), and CoQ-10

Our patented formulations combine high-quality ingredients to ensure that your body can get the maximum benefit of each mineral and vitamin. For example, our multivitamin is made with a unique, patented formulation of mineral chelates that is shown to promote better absorption of minerals compared to other forms. In addition to better absorption, mineral chelates are more gut-friendly, meaning they will not cause constipation or stomach upset. 

Or, our vitamin D supplement. To make vitamin D, your body converts D2 into D3. Whereas other supplements contain D2, ours is D3 because studies have shown it maintains active vitamin D levels for longer. 

And our CoQ-10 supplement: For CoQ10 to be effectively absorbed by your body, it needs to be dissolved and transported in a lipid carrier. That’s why our CoQ10 supplement formulation is delivered in a proprietary oil-based form that is mixed with natural vitamin E for maximum absorption. 

As you can see, we care about the details. We know that supplements play an important role–especially in the health of those with chronic illnesses–and we wanted to make sure our patients have the highest quality supplements possible. 

Your Individual Health Needs 

Depending on your eating habits, stress levels, and health conditions, you might need different supplements than someone else. The prescription medications you take can play an especially important role when it comes to your micronutrient levels. 

This is because many common prescription medications can cause specific vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Here is just an overview of some: 

  • Mineral deficiency: Can be caused by cardiovascular meds (lisinopril, digoxin, etc), acid reflux meds (famotidine, omeprazole, etc), bisphosphonates (alendronate, risedronate, etc), opiates (hydrocodone, etc), asthma medications (Advair, albuterol, etc), antibiotics, estrogens and hormones, corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, prednisone, etc), and diuretics (furosemide, etc). 
  • Vitamin D deficiency: Can be caused by anti-seizure medications, cholesterol medications, oral corticosteroids, weight loss medications, acid reflux meds, and estrogens and hormones. 
  • Vitamin C deficiency: Can be caused by NSAID pain relievers, opiates, corticosteroids, and certain diuretics. 
  • Vitamin B deficiency: Can be caused by heart medications, antidepressants, acid reflux medications, antibiotics, estrogen and hormones, corticosteroids, and diuretics. 
  • CoQ-10 deficiency: Can be caused by diuretics, antidepressants, type 2 diabetes medications, and heart medications such as beta-blockers and statins. 

As your pharmacists, we’ll give you personalized supplement recommendations based on the specific medications you take and your other health needs. To find out more, you can also check out the individual pages on our website for each supplement or prescription medication. As always, please consult your doctor and/or Honeybee Health pharmacist before making any changes to your medical routine. 

Jessica Nouhavandi