{"id":474157,"date":"2026-03-13T21:56:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T21:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/474157\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T21:56:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T21:56:10","slug":"im-a-family-medicine-doctor-here-are-the-2-supplements-i-take-to-stay-healthy-and-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/474157\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m a Family Medicine Doctor\u2014Here Are the 2 Supplements I Take To Stay Healthy and Well’"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a perfect world, everyone would get all the nutrients they need through diet and there would be no need for supplements. But for many people, this isn\u2019t realistic. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/a>, 75% of Americans take at least one dietary supplement every day (although not everyone has a known deficiency, so always check with your doctor first!)<\/p>\n

It can be hard to know what supplements are right for you and actually worth the money. For example, maybe you\u2019ve heard about certain herbs (like ashwagandha<\/a> and reishi mushrooms<\/a>) that help with anxiety<\/a>, or that curcumin supplements help with achy joints. Or perhaps you\u2019re considering a calcium supplement because you don\u2019t drink cow\u2019s milk and are concerned about your bone health. Will taking supplements every day truly help?<\/p>\n

Related: The Popular Supplement Doctors Say Isn’t as Harmless as It Sounds <\/a><\/p>\n

An individual\u2019s supplementary needs vary greatly, and as noted above, if you have any questions about what you should or shouldn\u2019t be taking, it\u2019s important to talk to your primary health provider. This is especially important if you are taking any prescription medications because some supplements can negatively interfere with them<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We talked to two family medicine doctors about what everyone should keep in mind before taking supplements. They also reveal the supplements that they take themselves!<\/p>\n

\ud83e\ude7a<\/a>SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week<\/a>\ud83d\udc8a<\/a><\/p>\n

2 Supplements Taken by a Family Medicine Doctor\"Evgeniia<\/p>\n

Evgeniia Siiankovskaia&sol;Getty Images<\/p>\n

(Evgeniia Siiankovskaia&sol;Getty Images)<\/p>\n

When it comes to taking supplements, Dr. Parth Bhavsar, MD<\/a>, a family medicine physician and founder of TeleDirectMD, says that he prefers to keep it simple. Personally, he takes two supplements: vitamin D<\/a> and vitamin B12<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Many] people in the US are deficient in vitamin D, especially if they spend more of their time indoors,\u201d Dr. Bhavsar says. Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D<\/a> is not abundantly found in food; the primary source of it is sunlight.<\/p>\n

Related: This Is Hands-Down the Biggest Daily Supplement Mistake Doctors See People Make<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Kathy Nguyen, MD,<\/a> a family medicine and sports medicine specialist with Memorial Hermann Medical Group, says that she also takes a vitamin D supplement. \u201cVitamin D plays a strong role in bone health and also immune function<\/a>,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

As for vitamin B12, Dr. Bhavsar says that he takes this supplement because he\u2019s a vegetarian and this is a vitamin primarily found in animal-based foods. \u201cSeveral studies<\/a> have proven that individuals who avoid animal products can develop deficiencies of vitamin B12, and it can develop gradually,\u201d he explains. Not getting enough vitamin B12 can lead to fatigue, memory problems and depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other Supplements Recommended by a Family Medicine Specialist<\/p>\n

For Dr. Nguyen, in addition to taking a vitamin D supplement, she also supplements with creatine, collagen and magnesium. \u201cI love creatine<\/a>. It helps with exercise performance but also plays a role in brain health, bone health, joint strength and overall muscle recovery,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Related: The One Supplement Pharmacists Say People Take Incorrectly the Most Often<\/a><\/p>\n

She adds that collagen<\/a> is also beneficial for people who live an active lifestyle, helping to support tissue health. \u201cThis includes joints, tendons, ligaments and also skin health,\u201d Dr. Nguyen says, adding that her collagen supplement is not a replacement for high-quality proteins in her diet and is more of an enhancement.<\/p>\n

As for magnesium<\/a>, Dr. Nguyen says that she takes this supplement to help with muscle recovery and support sleep quality.<\/p>\n

How To Know What Supplements Are Right for You<\/p>\n

While taking vitamin D and B12 supplements are right for Dr. Bhavar and Dr. Nguyen\u2019s health benefits from creatine, collagen and magnesium supplements, it doesn\u2019t mean that you should start taking these supplements too. Everyone has different needs. Both doctors emphasize that maintaining a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet is a better way to get the nutrients your body needs than taking supplements.<\/p>\n

\u201cA person should consider taking a supplement if there is a proven deficiency, a proven physical need and a life stage where there is evidence of benefit,\u201d Dr. Bhavsar notes. For example, he says that scientific studies have shown<\/a> the benefits of a folic acid supplement for pregnant women and, as mentioned earlier, a vitamin B12 supplement for people who are vegan or vegetarian.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should think of supplements as an enhancement after optimizing our foundational health habits such as good sleep, nutrition, hydration and physical activity. Some examples where supplements are helpful include athletic performance and recovery needs, pregnancy outcomes and health and body maintenance with age,\u201d Dr. Nguyen says.<\/p>\n

She adds that, medically, supplements can help if someone has a proven deficiency of a vitamin or nutrient, or has specific dietary restrictions that prevent them from getting the nutrients they need through their diet alone.<\/p>\n

What To Keep in Mind When Shopping for Supplements<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to know that supplements are not regulated by the FDA the way that prescription medications are. \u201cThe most researched and high-quality supplements will be third-party tested,\u201d Dr. Nguyen says. With this in mind, she recommends only buying supplements that are third-party tested and certified by organizations like NSF<\/a> or the United States Pharmacopeia<\/a> (USP).<\/p>\n

Dr. Nguyen emphasizes that just because a supplement is labeled as \u201cnatural\u201d does not mean it\u2019s safe. \u201cTreat supplements like a prescribed medication. Too much or improper dosing could be harmful or ineffective,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

To this point, when shopping for supplements, it\u2019s also important to consider the dose. \u201cMore is not necessarily better, particularly with fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, which accumulate in the body and have the potential for toxicity with high doses,\u201d Dr. Bhavsar says. Before buying a supplement, ask your doctor or do thorough research on what dosage is safe and appropriate.<\/p>\n

Dr. Bhavsar points out that supplements can also interfere with prescription medications, which is another reason why it\u2019s important to check with your doctor before you start taking any.<\/p>\n

While supplements can be beneficial, both doctors emphasize that maintaining a balanced, nutrient-rich diet and having healthy lifestyle habits in place is more important.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fundamentals of living a healthy lifestyle remain diet, exercise, sleep and stress relief. Supplements can be beneficial in cases of deficiencies and certain medical issues, but they should not be taken as shortcuts,\u201d Dr. Bhavsar says.<\/p>\n

No supplement is more powerful than maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Up Next:<\/p>\n

Related: \u2018I\u2019m a Cardiologist\u2014This Is the One Supplement I\u2019d Be Especially Careful With’<\/a><\/p>\n

Sources<\/p>\n

This story was originally published by Parade<\/a> on Mar 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness<\/a> section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a perfect world, everyone would get all the nutrients they need through diet and there would be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474158,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[12365,169185,102,169186,6636,22190,12375,56,54,55,13511],"class_list":{"0":"post-474157","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-bone-health","9":"tag-family-medicine","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-kathy-nguyen","12":"tag-nutrition","13":"tag-prescription-medications","14":"tag-supplements","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-unitedkingdom","18":"tag-vitamin-b12"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=474157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474157\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=474157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=474157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}