FAQs

• What are nutritional supplements?

  Nutritional supplements are concentrated quality foods. At Doctor’s Natural, all of our nutritional supplements are made from natural ingredients.  That means our bodies easily identify and absorb them into our systems.  Unlike synthetic nutritional supplements, natural nutritional supplements often have no side effects.  Cultures around the world have been using natural herbs and other nutrients as supplements extensively for thousands of years.

• Once I start taking nutritional supplements, how long will it take to see results?

  Research suggests that nutritional supplements typically take 12 weeks to produce an effect. That’s because the doses of supplements you ingest every day need adequate time to be distributed throughout the billions of cells in your body. 

• Will I get a greater effect if I take nutritional supplements longer?

  Yes!  Many scientific studies show that the longer you take nutritional supplements, the stronger the disease-resistant and life-prolonging effects.  This trend is long term.  The more years you take them, the more measurable the effect becomes.
  
  

• Why is it important to take nutritional supplements every day?

  If you want to get the best possible benefit, you need to take nutritional supplements every day in the correct dosage.  Dosage is as important to the effectiveness of supplements as it is to prescription drugs.  Taking an insufficient dosage or neglecting to take your supplements will diminish the results you achieve. 

• Do comparable supplements from different brands work the same?

  No.  The purity of ingredients, the potency and concentration of active nutrients, the formulated dosage and how much is absorbed by your body are all determine how effective a supplement is.  Unfortunately, some manufacturers use cheaper, synthetic ingredients that don’t have the potency of natural nutrients.  Others may not have strict laboratory testing to ensure the purity of their raw materials the way we do at Doctor’s Natural.  So be aware that other brands’ Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin D3 and other supplements are not identical to Doctor’s Natural, nor will they work as effectively.  If you’re in doubt, ask a medical professional experienced in nutritional medicine who may help you get the most out of your nutritional supplement regimen.
  
  

• Is it possible to take too much of a nutritional supplement?

  In general, most nutritional supplements can be taken safely in higher doses than the recommended dosages.  However, a few dietary supplements (mainly fat-soluble ones and some minerals) should only be taken in the recommended amounts.  For example, too much vitamin A or vitamin D can have harmful side effects, especially for pregnant women.  Before taking nutritional supplements, talk to an experienced nutritional medical professional.
  
  

• Do nutritional supplements have side effects?

  In general, when taken as recommended, nutritional supplements do not have any side effects. However, you may experience some detox symptoms during the first few weeks of taking a nutritional supplement.  These symptoms may include skin irregularities, nausea and fatigue, but are just temporary until the body has cleansed itself of the toxins.  In most cases, these side effects are not a sign of an intolerance or allergic reaction. Some people, do have allergies to certain ingredients such as shellfish, so it’s wise to seek advice from a medical professional experienced in nutritional medicine before taking nutritional supplements. 

• What do I do if I experience side effects?

  If you experience symptoms of the body detoxifying, it’s usually sufficient to cut the dose in half for two weeks; after detox subsides, you can go back up to your original dose.  However, if your symptoms are more severe or don’t go away within two weeks, contact your medical professional. In case of an allergic reaction, stop taking the supplements immediately and seek advice from a medical professional experienced in nutritional medicine.
  
  

• Can I take nutritional supplements if I am taking prescription drugs?

  Always make your pharmacist and your physician aware of everything you’re taking.  Often, the effects of prescription drugs and other pharmaceuticals are enhanced when taken along with nutritional supplements.  But some medications may interact negatively.  Check with a medical professional experienced in nutritional medicine before taking any supplements.

• Are nutritional supplements safe?

  Yes.  Serious side effects from nutritional supplements are extremely rare.  You may be interested to know it is a scientifically documented fact that pharmaceutical drugs, even when correctly prescribed, are the fourth most common cause of premature death, after heart disease, cancer and stroke.

• Can I trust what I read on supplement labels?

  Yes, if it’s a Doctor’s Natural label.  Our contents are laboratory tested and verified for their potency and purity, so we are confident that the nutritional content shown on the labels is exactly what you’re getting.  Other companies don’t necessarily maintain the strict NSF and cGMP standards that we comply with, nor can we say if their raw ingredients and supplements are laboratory tested multiple times to ensure their potency and purity.
  
  

• Why hasn’t my doctor recommended nutritional supplements?

  There are still many doctors who lack the time or the interest (or both) in reading the thousands of published scientific studies about the proven benefits of nutritional supplements.  Others don’t want to compromise good relations with pharmaceutical companies.  However, more and more physicians are recommending supplements to their patients for conditions that aren’t best treated with prescription medication.  MEDLINE, the world’s largest medical database, contains more than 1.5 million articles from scientific journals.

• If I eat a healthy diet, why do I need supplements?

  Currently, 98 percent of us do not get the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of all essential nutrients to stay healthy and avoid chronic disease and premature death.  A healthy, balanced diet may only prevent you from disorders due to vitamin deficiencies (like scurvy or rickets) but not from the most common diseases.  That’s why all of us absolutely need dietary supplements.
  
  

• Can I ever be too old to take nutritional supplements?

  No.  Most scientists believe that taking nutritional supplements benefits you at any age.

• Can I take nutritional supplements if I am ill?

  You can never be too ill to eat nutritious food.  That means, you can never be too sick to take nutritional supplements.  Keep in mind, it may take your body longer to rebound if you’ve had a prolonged illness or you have a serious health issue.

• Are there scientific studies proving the effects of nutritional supplements on humans?

  Yes.  MEDLINE, the world’s largest medical database, contains the findings of more than 55,000, double-blind, controlled studies regarding the effect and safety of nutritional supplements on people.
  
  

• If I take a double dose, will I get double the benefits?

  Most of the time, no.  However, there are some nutritional supplements with antioxidants that produce stronger effects at higher doses.  As a rule, always follow the recommended doses.
  
  

• Should I mix different brands of nutritional supplements?

  No.  By mixing different brands, you run the risk of over-ingesting some nutrients and taking too little of others.  Mixing nutritional supplements from different companies can pose a risk to your health.
  

• Should I take vitamins and minerals together?

  No.  Take vitamins in the morning with breakfast and minerals in the evening or at bedtime.   Some vitamins and minerals can actually inhibit each other’s absorption by the body if digested at the same time.
  
  

• How long should I take nutritional supplements?

  You should take essential nutritional supplements (vitamins and minerals) for the rest of your life to avoid chronic diseases.  If you’re taking special supplements for a specific condition, follow the advice of your medical professional experienced in nutritional medicine. 

• Why don’t the big drug companies make supplements?

  Since nutritional supplements exist in nature, they can’t be patented—and not much profit can be earned from their production and sale.  For a patented product, like pharmaceutical drugs, manufacturers can charge as much as they want.  It’s not in the financial interest of the pharmaceutical industry to keep people healthy.  Eradicating the cause of a disease eliminates the number of potential customers.  Treating symptoms, however, is financially very rewarding for this pharmaceutical companies.