If you take dietary supplements, you’re not alone. About half of all adults in the U.S. do. But is popping a pill the best way to get your nutrients? Are you taking the right vitamins and supplements or overdoing what your body already needs? Will your body secrete what is not needed as you’ve heard from your friends? Or will you end up with unwanted side effects that leave you in a worse situation than when you started? Let’s dive into the big question – do you need all those vitamins and supplements?

What Do The Experts Say About Supplements? Do you need all those vitamins and supplements?

“I get some concern when I see people take one of these and one of those, just because they’ve read somewhere that a supplement is helpful,” says Linda Van Horn, a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University. “Imbalances can easily occur, and you may not be aware of it.”

The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is from food. But it’s not always easy to eat enough fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, and other healthy options. A multivitamin can be a safe way to give your nutrient levels a boost. Getting advice from your local functional medicine doctor in Overland Park will help you to review your lifestyle, symptoms and more to find out how to get a healthy balance that improves your health and well-being.

Is the Supplement in the ad Safe For You?

From groceries to drugs, we rely on labels to give us information. But when it comes to supplements, you might not be getting the whole story.

Supplements are a $30 billion industry in the US, with multivitamins making up a large chunk of that. We take them to protect our health, but ingesting too much of certain nutrients can have the opposite effect.

“At high doses, (supplements) are drugs,” says Donald Boyd, MD, a registered dietitian and assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

Dietary supplements aren’t regulated like medicine. That means there’s no way to know exactly what’s in them. The FDA only steps in when there’s evidence of a problem. That’s why it is important to speak to your local Functional Medicine doctor to find out which supplements are best for your body. An appointment can help you avoid side effects like nausea and bleeding and help you get the nutrients your body needs.

How Do I Know if My Body is Out of Balance?

Although the world has started to accept the conditions below as “normal”, they aren’t. These conditions are your body telling you that something is not in-line. Take a look at the list. Are you experiencing any of these conditions? These are conditions that functional (or integrative) medicine can help with.

  • Adrenal/HPA Axis Dysfunction
  • Gut Health, Dysbiosis, Stomach Complaints
  • Female Hormone Balance
  • Menopause/Perimenopause
  • PMS/PMDD
  • Brain Fog
  • Inability to Concentrate
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Sports Performance and Endurance

How Do I Figure Out What Vitamins or Supplements I Need?

do you need all those vitamins and supplements

We could play the guessing game all day long. However, the best way to know what your body needs is to have a consultation with Dr. Melinda and run the proper tests. 

Types of Tests Offered By Dr. Melinda of Functional Medicine KC in Overland Park:

  • Thyroid Panel
  • Adrenal Stress Index
  • Hormone Panel
  • Food Sensitivity
  • Advanced Celiac Profile
  • Stool Analysis
  • Genetic 
  • NutrEval 
  • Organic Acids

How Much Does Functional Medicine Cost?

At Functional Health KC we are upfront about costs. In addition to our package plans, we offer an integrative approach that could include chiropractic or acupuncture care. These aren’t required but are a nice perk to have right there on-site. Below is a breakdown of what a treatment plan will cost you:

  • New Patient Consultation – $300
  • Review of Findings and Treatment Plan Appointment – $300
  • Follow Up Phone Consultations to monitor treatment progress will be billed at $300 per hour. Follow-up appointments are typically between 15-30 minutes. A follow-up phone call is recommended 2 weeks after beginning supplements, 4 weeks after beginning supplements, then monthly while the active treatment plan is taking place (approximately 6 months).
  • Patients should budget $500-$850 for Functional Medicine laboratory testing and $200-$300 per month for supplements.
  • Lab interpretation fee of $40 per laboratory test performed.

Contact Us For Your Initial Consultation

If you’re looking for an integrative medicine doctor in the Kansas City area, consider making an appointment with Dr. Melinda in her Overland Park office. She is a highly experienced functional medicine doctor who takes a natural approach to treating her patients. Dr. Melinda has been a chiropractor for over 20 years and started functional medicine training after seeing the impact it made on her mother who had an autoimmune disease. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for health with each of her patients. You can fill out a form on our website to get started setting up your appointment.