02/10/2026
Have you read Dr Xand van Tulleken's s book Make Me Well? If yes, you might well feel confused about supplements.
I haven’t read the book myself (and probably won't), but I have seen Dr Xand dismiss many vitamins and supplements on (social) media.
As a nutrition practitioner, I find his broad statements about supplements very frustrating because supplements are an important part of my clinical practice. But they are always used appropriately, with the right forms and doses, for the right reasons.
Sweeping, black-and-white statements, such as 'supplements don't work', overlooks the complexity of how supplements are studied in trials and, importantly, how they should be used in practice.
If anything, I think he should blame the ways many supplements are marketed with big, compelling health claims, rather than dismissing supplements (and the wellness industry with them) as a whole, as a waste of money.
No properly trained and qualified practitioner should be recommending supplements simply because they’re the latest trend or because everyone is talking about them.
We always start with the individual in front of us: their health issues and symptoms, diet, lifestyle, sleep, stress levels, health history, medications, and even genetics.
Where appropriate, we may also use blood or other functional tests to help us understand their biochemistry and any nutritional needs.
Like Anthony says, it’s about recommending the right product, for the right reason, for the right person.
I get questions like these all the time:
"Is this this a good supplement?"
“Should I take this supplement?”
My answer is almost always:
"What do you want to take it for?"
And then: "To be able to say if you need it, I need to know you better."
This is not the way we want to go about with supplementation. We don't start with the supplement!
We start with the individual and their needs and find a supplement (with evidence from scientific trials or clinical practice) that meets their requirements.
If you are confused about supplements, I don't blame you! I often am!
I have almost 10 years of clinical practice and 5 years of uni studying nutrition before that. And I do 30 hours of CPD every year.
If you are confused and don't know what you should be taking, then it's time to talk to a qualified practitioner who will be able to support you in different ways, not just with prescribing you supplements but who will look at the wider context of your health, diet and lifestyle.
Supplements should never be considered as a quick fix for any health issues without addressing the foundations.
Because they never will be that; you will be disappointed and just wasting your money.
Get in touch to chat more.
P.S. Beware of the cr@ # marketed to you - there's a lot of that around!
Image by Jonathan Borba via Pexels, 17820728
