Image credit: The above image was created using OpenAI’s DALL-E neural network using the prompt: “20,000 human genes in the shape of a human body in the style of Salvador Dali”
Do the dietary supplements you take actually work?
Unfortunately, in most cases the answer is no.
Dietary supplements represent a $70 billion industry, and nearly three-quarters of Americans buy supplements with hopes of boosting their overall health, supporting their immune function, and filling nutrition gaps—among other goals.
But with more than 90,000 supplements on the market, how do you separate good quality from good marketing?
When Tony Robbins and I were writing Life Force, we learned a ton about the supplement industry. And thanks to Dr. Hector Lopez, MD—world-renowned expert on dietary supplement formulation, ingredient discovery, and safety—we also learned what it would take to create a line of effective nutraceuticals.
In today’s blog, I want to share the top five lessons we learned in the process of writing the book and looking at creating our own supplements.
These are 5 lessons you can consider whenever you head down the supplement aisle.
Let’s dive in!
Supplement companies with the flashiest brands often have the lowest quality ingredients.
Dr. Lopez recommends scanning the nutrition label for trademarked ingredients, which are more expensive and usually more effective. As he puts it, “When developing the Lifeforce nutraceuticals, we were fortunate enough to have no cost of goods constraints. And that’s huge because those are guardrails that will prevent other brands from putting together high-quality products such as these.”
For example, Lifeforce Vitamin D+K features ampli-D®, a new form of vitamin D that’s absorbed three times faster than standard variations. “Most forms of vitamin D take two to three months to raise levels. We wanted to create something that helps people feel better much more quickly than that,” Dr. Lopez explains.
Most people have access to exactly zero data to confirm whether their supplements are working.
Regular blood tests like the Lifeforce Diagnostic will tell you precisely which supplements you need, and which ones you don’t—including critical nutrients like vitamin D, homocysteine, and magnesium. The 40+ biomarkers measured by the Lifeforce Diagnostic also include hormone balance, metabolic condition, organ health, and key risk factors that other diagnostics often overlook.
Results are interpreted by a team of highly trained functional medicine doctors who are experienced in helping people achieve their optimal range safely.
Many “premium” supplements include dozens of ingredients at ineffective dosages to create the illusion of value.
Look for credible research studies backing up their ingredients, and then verify that the dosage used in the study matches what’s used in the product.
Take Lifeforce’s Peak Rise™, an all-day energy and cognition booster, for example. It includes TeaCrine® and Dynamine™ at dosages that have been shown to improve energy, focus, and working memory within 1 hour, Dr. Lopez notes. In multiple studies of professional gamers, researchers also found that key ingredients Cognizin®, TeaCrine®, and Dynamine™ produced statistically significant improvements in accuracy and reaction time.
“You'd be hard pressed to find another product that puts together so many ingredients where there's no redundancy or overlap, and using doses that are this efficacious,” says Dr. Lopez.
Overwhelmed by the 90,000 supplements available? So are we.
Generally speaking, the market is divided into a small number of excellent brands, and many mediocre-to-poor ones.
Unless you love the thrill of online supplement hunting, pick one high-quality brand and stick with it to save time and effort.
Most people manage their supplements separately from other parts of their health regimen.
Think of supplements and pharmaceuticals as a set of tools for improving your health and performance. Talk to a functional medicine doctor about everything you’re taking and how it should all fit together.
A good supplement regimen should be just that—supplemental to a healthy diet, lifestyle, and sleep routine.
It’s not a substitute for any of those things.
This September 14-18, 2022, I'm taking a group of VIP entrepreneurs, investors, and longevity-focused individuals on what I call my “Platinum Longevity & Vitality Trip” to San Francisco and San Diego.
The Trip will be a luxury, 5-Star deep dive to meet with the top scientists, CEOs, clinical-stage biotech companies, and research institutes leading the charge against age-related diseases and extending the human healthspan.
During the Trip, Dr. Hector Lopez will lead us on an exploration of nutraceuticals and hormone optimization. He will cover the most popular nutraceuticals (NMN, NAD, etc.) and explain the high yield concepts to know which ones are best for you.
The Trip is capped at 35 participants. If you join, I’ll be there to assure you have a hyper-personalized, action-packed program. My mission is to give you first-hand exposure to the major players, scientists, companies and treatments in the longevity and vitality arena.
What you get: All your questions answered. First-hand insights and early access to diagnostics, therapeutics, and investment opportunities.
To learn more and indicate your interest, click here!