Testing Before Taking Supplements
Testing before taking supplements is highly recommended, and many companies now offer blood and DNA testing to identify your needs. Baseline blood tests identify specific deficiencies, prevent toxic over-supplementation, and guide targeted dosing. Otherwise, you risk taking vitamins you don't need, wasting money, and potentially causing adverse side effects or interfering with future medical laboratory results. While low-dose daily multivitamins rarely require a test, it is essential if you plan to take therapeutic or high-dose supplements (e.g. Vitamin D, B12 or Iron).
Last year I tested my Vitamin D to see if I needed a supplement, due to poor bone healing in a broken toe. At 58 nmol/L, my level was 'normal' for my GP, but my consultant wanted a range nearer 95 nmol/L. A quick trip to my local independent health store and I left with a supply of D3 and K2 mix, plus Magnesium Glycinate, another vitamin suggested by my ENT consultant. Knowing what vitamins to take together is essential. My vitamin D had to be taken later in the day so it didn't disrupt my Levothyroxine.
In March, after many months of feeling exhausted, advice suggested I would benefit from an iron supplement, or maybe a pick-me-up dose of Floradix. However, blood tests showed my iron level was borderline high; an iron supplement was the last thing I needed. Following an appointment with my GP, my symptoms were similar to before I started Levothyroxine, so they increased my thyroid medication to the next level.
Furthermore, comprehensive blood tests taken at The Longevity Show by Re+Balance offered a results-driven suggestion of what I seemed to be lacking, and what dietary changes needed to be addressed. A low T3 blood test showed the T4 was not converting adequately, so the Thyroxine increase was a good place to start. The complete test is available online for £130 at Rebalance.Health. After diet and supplement adjustments, I will be repeating the same tests with them. Many of the suggestions highlighted by Re+Balance were found in some of the sample products we had already purchased at The Longevity Show.
ProCollagen & Hyaluron+ Neutral Starter Bundle from Biogena, developed to support your natural radiance. The drinks are mixed each morning in the supplied bottle and have a really fruity taste. Since I am already on a skin journey with a dermatologist, and I only have a 21-day supply, it is hard to judge whether Biogena has helped. However, it hasn't caused any harm, and I checked with my doctor before taking them. With more blood tests planned, and because this Biogena product contains biotin, I will stop them before my next round of tests. Biotin (vitamin B7) can cause falsely high or low results on certain tests - most notably thyroid tests, hormone panels, and troponin heart tests so it is advisable to stop taking it around three days before testing.
We found a selection of exhibitors at The Longevity Show offering multivitamins, minerals, and supplement support. One company, founded by Jill and Mark Thornton, is Family Doctor. Meilleur All-in-One Smart Multivitamin, which costs £35.50 per month. Meilleur offers low-dose daily vitamins, created after Jill and Mark lab-analysed supermarket food and found it was depleted of the very vitamins and minerals it was supposed to contain.
After a lifetime of believing “real food” was enough, we couldn’t ignore the evidence. When you appreciate that vitamins and minerals are essential for life and realise they are not abundant in our food, we have a choice: do without or do something about it. I have never taken supplements in my life but now believe intelligent supplementation makes good sense. All I want is the nutrients no extras, no gimmicks and no false promises. We couldn’t find exactly what we wanted, so we created it. Not as a miracle cure, but as sensible insurance - the nutritional equivalent of wearing a seatbelt.
Family Doctor
Myoform goes further and completes DNA testing to understand how you are built to train, then creates a formula that matches your needs. Myoform is a personalised nutrition platform, launched in London, that creates bespoke, single-daily-scoop powdered supplements for athletes. They offer insights into your predisposition, risk or current deficiencies across vitamins, minerals, micro- and macro-nutrients - as well as muscle mass, training adaptation rates, and injury risks.
For my personal journey, I will be looking to balance my thyroid via medication and diet before re-testing with Re+Balance to see if the results have changed in any way. All the testing is completed with the support of my own NHS doctor. The private blood tests go further than the NHS will test, as they will not include T3 in standard tests. It then gives me optimal ranges rather than just satisfactory levels. I can then tailor the supplements to support my needs.
For an everyday low-dose vitamin, testing may not suit everybody, but for a specific high-dose supplement, I would strongly recommend testing first.