March 10, 2025

Buy This, Not That: How to Shop for Supplements

29 minutes

Overwhelmed by all the different supplement brands out there? Dr. Jennifer Greer, Thorne’s Director of Medical Education, joins podcast host Dr. Amanda Frick to talk about how to read a supplement label, red flags in the supplement industry, and how cost is a matter of quality.

During this episode you’ll learn about:

How to choose a supplement brand [2:15]

Look at the label for third-party certifications [3:58]

Read up on ingredients and nutrient forms [7:21]

What does it mean when an ingredient is trademarked? [10:04]

Cost: Cheap vs. expensive supplements as a matter of quality [12:05]

How to interpret health claims [15:08]

Questions from the community

What is “bioavailability”? How do I know if a nutrient is “bioavailable”? [18:56]

What minerals are most important in a daily multi-vitamin formula? [22:39]

What “other” ingredients should I avoid? How can I tell if a brand is using a clean formula? [24:24]

How can I tell if the dosage in a product’s Supplement Facts is effective or backed by science? [26:07]

Are there any red flags to look for in the supplement industry? [27:14]

Resources to topics mentioned in this episode:

Find the Best Form of Magnesium for You

Product Quality: Thorne's Defining Characteristic

Thorne Supplements are 3rd-Party Contents Certified

Why Are Supplements’ Daily Value Percentages So High?

Get the Most Out of Mineral Supplementation

The Best Quiz to Find Which Nutritional Supplements You Should Take

What is NSF Certified? What Thorne’s NSF Certifications Mean for You

What is Methylation and Why Is It Important?

Anatomy of a Multi-Vitamin: Micronutrients, Minerals, and More

Products mentioned in this episode: Magnesium, Curcumin Phytosome, Quercetin Phytosome, Boswellia Phytosome, Green Tea Phytosome, Vitamin B12

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