5 Reasons You Should Stop Blindly Trusting Supplement Trends

Heather Bedard, C.H.E.

Let’s be real: it’s really easy to get pulled into the latest supplement trend.

Whether it’s a podcast ad, a confident Instagram reel, or a well-meaning friend raving about what “totally changed their life,” the message is the same — this is the supplement you need. Take it, and you’ll finally have more energy. Fewer cravings. Better sleep. Glowing skin. Perfect gut health. The works.

But here’s the hard truth: while supplements can be helpful tools, many of them are overhyped, misused, or completely unnecessary. Worse, when we blindly trust the latest trends, we actually risk doing more harm than good.

So today I want to walk you through five solid reasons to pause before jumping on the supplement bandwagon — and what to do instead so you can make informed, confident decisions that actually support your health and your family’s well-being.

1. Supplements Aren’t Well-Regulated

This might surprise you, but most supplements are not evaluated for safety, effectiveness, or quality before they hit store shelves. Unlike prescription medications, the FDA doesn’t pre-approve supplements. Manufacturers don’t have to prove that what they’re selling is safe — or even that it contains what it says it does.

Now this could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. The FDA doesn’t necessarily get a gold star for honesty or making sure that the right things are regulated. But it does mean that the burden is on you as the consumer to figure out whether what you’re taking is legit.

And the research? Not encouraging. Independent labs frequently test supplements and find discrepancies between the label and what’s actually inside. Some are underdosed. Some are contaminated. Some contain ingredients that aren’t even listed.

That “natural” capsule you’re taking to support your hormones? It could have fillers, heavy metals, or a fraction of the active ingredient you think you’re paying for.

And that’s not fear-mongering. It’s a nudge to get curious about what we’re putting in our bodies and not assume that it's automatically safe because it’s sold in a health food store.

2. Marketing Moves Faster Than the Science

Supplement companies are really good at selling hope. They use big, confident words like “clinically proven,” “science-backed,” “bioavailable,” and “doctor-formulated”—even when the actual evidence is shaky at best.

The reality? Many trending supplements are based on early-stage studies (think: mice or test tubes), cherry-picked results, or research funded by the company itself.

Remember raspberry ketones? They were once hailed as a miracle fat burner. Or how about Vitamin D (which isn’t a vitamin, it’s a hormone), which exploded in popularity after one researcher’s claims? The effects weren’t proven or thoroughly disclosed, but the supplement shelves were already stocked.

Here’s the kicker: when a study does show promising results, it doesn’t always mean that same outcome applies to you. Dosages vary. Quality matters. And context — your diet, stress levels, sleep, and overall health  —makes a huge difference.

So before you spend $60 on the latest adaptogen or “energy elixir,” ask: Is this based on real, peer-reviewed science — or just savvy marketing dressed up to sound like it?

3. You Might Be Taking the Wrong Thing for Your Body

This one is personal for a lot of people I work with.

It’s so common to think: “I’m tired… I must be low in iron” or “Everyone’s taking magnesium… I should, too.” But supplements aren’t like water or sleep — more is not always better. And the wrong kind, even of a “natural” vitamin, can throw off your system.

Let’s take vitamin D, the hormone, for example. It’s essential. But studies have shown that vitamin D levels are lower when there’s inflammation or your body is fighting something. Plasma levels do not always indicate what is stored in your body, and many different types of vitamin D are regulated tightly by the body. The best bet is to get your vitamin D from the sun.

Or maybe you’re loading up on zinc during cold season without realizing it could deplete your copper levels, which play a key role in your immune system.

Supplements can absolutely be helpful when they’re targeted to your actual needs. But guessing based on someone else’s experience or a trending post isn’t the same as using real data from your own body.

And that’s where root-cause testing, thoughtful food foundations, and personalized guidance come in. You deserve better than a random guess in a pretty bottle.

4. Supplements Can Distract You from the Bigger Picture

Here’s a truth I had to learn the hard way—and it’s one I see in a lot of the women I support:

Supplements can give us the illusion that we’re “doing something,” even when the foundation of our health is shaky.

Greens powder instead of real vegetables, a pill for energy instead of more sleep, and a hormone-balancing blend instead of addressing chronic stress.

We want relief. We want quick fixes. And supplements promise that.

But when we use them as shortcuts to avoid making deeper changes, we’re not just wasting money — we’re avoiding the work that actually creates transformation.

It’s not that supplements are bad. It’s that they should be tools, not crutches.

The moms I work with don’t just want band-aids. They want clarity. Confidence. And health strategies that actually work.

That starts with asking: Am I taking this because my body needs it — or because I’m hoping it will fix something I haven’t fully addressed?

5. Supplement Quality Varies Wildly

Two bottles of the “same” supplement can be completely different.Different forms. Different dosages. Different levels of absorption. And wildly different levels of quality.

For example, magnesium comes in several forms—citrate, oxide, glycinate, malate—and each has a different effect on your body. Most people don’t know that. And some cheaper brands use the least effective, hardest-to-absorb forms just to save money.

Even worse? Many supplements contain unnecessary fillers, artificial colors, or even ingredients you didn’t sign up for. And again — there’s no pre-approval process to catch these things.

So how do you know what you need?

The reality is that very few people in the U.S. are actually deficient in anything. What we really have are diseases of excess. This does affect your body’s ability to process nutrients but that won’t be fixed by taking a supplement. That’s fixed by getting to the root and healing that. You may need to take a supplement for a time. But that’s all it is…a time. When it’s needed and nothing more.

Focus on a healthy eating pattern and getting to the root of your health issues and you won’t need to worry about a supplement. If you do, you’ll want to look for one that has been third-party tested.

The Bottom Line: You Deserve Better Than Trendy Health Advice

You don’t need to be afraid of supplements. But you do need to be informed.

The supplement industry is massive. It’s fast-moving. And it thrives on people feeling confused, overwhelmed, and desperate for answers.

But that’s not you anymore. You’re the kind of person who asks questions. Who slows down and investigates. Who doesn’t just follow what’s trending but looks for what’s true.

So, before you add something to your cart—or your cabinet—ask:

• Is this based on evidence, or just emotion?

• Is it solving a root issue or masking a symptom?

• Is it right for me — not just everyone else?

  
  

You are your own best advocate. And if you need help discerning what’s worth your time, money, and trust — I’m here for that.

All the best,

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