Options for nutrition supplements are seemingly endless — and it can feel overwhelming trying to sort through all the marketing and packages to determine what’s helpful, what’s necessary, and what’s made with quality ingredients and processes.
In our experience, having served thousands of clients and Life Time members, we’ve found that there are certain high-level bullet points to look for when shopping for your supplement routine to help you make more informed decisions. Below are the top 10 eye-openers that our customers have found to be the most helpful.
1. Aim to include methylated folate instead of folic acid.
While folic acid isn’t dangerous, it is a synthetic form of folate that some people don’t utilize or process well due to some common genetic variants. And even if you’re not someone with one of those genetic variants (which most tend to be unaware of), often folic acid on a label also indicates that a company is using the cheapest nutrient forms in their formulations. Instead look for forms of folate such as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium.
2. The most active form of vitamin D is vitamin D3 — and you want to take it with vitamin K2.
Vitamin D is often available as vitamin D2 or vitamin D3, with vitamin D3 being the most effective form for supplementation. (Vitamin D2 has to be converted to vitamin D3, and the body does a poor job at that conversion.) And due to the synergy of vitamin D with other nutrients in the body —such as magnesium, calcium and vitamin K — it’s ideal to find a formulation of vitamin D3 that also comes with vitamin K2 to help better direct the vitamin D to where it needs to go in the body.
3. Activated forms of vitamin B12 include methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.
Cyanocobalamin is a cheaper, synthetic form of vitamin B12. These other ones are improved forms with more bioavailability and usability that can be supportive for health. (Cyanocobalamin would also have to be converted in the liver to the more active form, methylcobalamin, which some of us have trouble doing.)
4. There are alternatives to artificial sweeteners such as sucralose.
When it comes to sweeteners, options such as stevia (which could also show as RebA or RebM on a label), monk fruit, and allulose are more naturally derived than common synthetic options such as sucralose or Ace-K.
5. A certificate of analysis (COA) and third-party testing can confirm product quality.
While product testing is not always easily found on labels, the best companies do have full product transparency and share details about sourcing and manufacturing. At LTH, we proudly share our story and processes, which you can learn more about here: “LTH: A New Chapter of Wellness and Supplements” and “All About LTH: The Story of Life Time’s Nutritional Supplement Line.”
6. Look for omega-3 supplementation that is potent in EPA and DHA and in the triglyceride form.
The most usable forms of omega-3 that are found in fatty fish are EPA and DHA. Most of the research shows maximum benefit from between one and four grams of combined EPA and DHA daily, depending on your unique health needs and metabolism. A lot of lower-quality brands require eight or more daily capsules to get to that amount, while better quality options such as LTH Glow Omega-3 Fish Oil provides a potent 2.4 grams in just four capsules.
It’s also important to consider the formats of omega-3s, with the most common ones typically found in supplements being ethyl ester or re-esterified trigyclyerides (rTG). The rTG form is how omega-3s are typically transported and metabolized in the body so the utilization is closer to natural. You want to avoid the ethyl ester format if you can.
7. “Proprietary blends” are usually a no-go.
While there can be exceptions to this rule, many lower-quality supplement brands hide their formulations behind “proprietary blends,” which are generic blends with lists of individual ingredients — but without individual ingredient amounts. Most customers rightfully demand transparency so they know how much of each active ingredient they are taking to make a difference.
8. Look for vitamin B6 in the pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (P-5-P) form.
Some companies choose to use vitamin B6 in a form called pyridoxine hydrochloride (HCL) which has lower bioavailability and usability since it needs to be converted by certain enzymes in the body to be usable. The most active form of vitamin B6 is pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (P-5-P) and is not only more efficient but also has a reduced risk of toxicity.
9. Minerals should be chelated for optimal absorption.
In general, minerals can be hard for the body to absorb. The process of chelating minerals means they are wrapped in amino acids or organic compounds to make them more stable and absorbable. Chelated minerals are also gentler with less risk of digestive or other harsh side effects. Non-chelated mineral forms often include sulfates, oxides, or mineral salts.
10. Protein powders should include more protein than carbohydrates and no added sugar.
In the last few decades, advancements in protein manufacturing and ingredient options have made it possible to produce high-quality protein support without the use of added sugar or additional carbohydrates for palatability and mouthfeel. When looking at the label, a good general target is 20 or more grams of protein without a comparable dose of carbohydrate in order to more effectively boost protein intake without non-protein calories.
Learn more about how to identify high-quality supplements and why it matters:
