Taking nutritional supplements can contribute greatly to your health when you use them properly and for the right reasons. During my years of practicing medicine, and now through my books, lectures, and website, I have taught women (and men) about all the different ways they can become healthier. And I have recommended supplements as a way to give your body the support it needs.
However, there is never one magic bullet that works for everyone. The reason for this is simple: We are all different. The good news is, when your body needs support, there are ways you can determine if a vitamin (or diet or other therapy) is right for you.
7 Ways to Know if Nutritional Supplements Are Right for You
Do Your Research. If you are considering using a supplement or any therapy, research it thoroughly to determine the benefits and whether it is suitable for your condition, especially if you are pregnant, take prescription medications, or have an illness. Be sure to read labels for ingredients and research the company’s manufacturing standards as well.
Trust Your Intuition. Believe it or not, you know what will work for you and what won’t. You just need to trust your intuition. You can tune into your body’s intuition by sitting quietly and listening to its signals. You can also ask your body to tell you what it needs. You may hear a response immediately, or you may get signals later on. A friend of mine told me that a medium recommended she take several supplements. She began taking one at a time, and when it came time to add one particular supplement, my friend could not get the bottle open no matter how hard she tried! She realized that this was a sign that, even though it was recommended by a trusted source, the supplement was not right for her.
Try the Sway Test. If you are considering taking a medication or a supplement or even trying a new diet plan, you can do the sway test. Simply hold the item in your hand (or state your intended plan, such as “I intend to eat more healthy fats”) and close your eyes. Then, say something like “My supplement [fill in the name here] is good for me” or “My intent to add more healthy fat to my diet is good for me.” Wait and feel which direction your body sways. If it sways forward, that is a positive indication that the supplement or plan will be beneficial. If you sway backward, that is an indication that the therapy may not be right for you at this particular time. If your body stays centered without moving forward or backward, it means that the particular therapy is neutral for you right now. You can also use the sway test to determine how many times per day you should take a supplement.
Use Muscle Testing. Muscle testing is similar to the sway test, but you will need a partner to help you. Extend one arm at shoulder level. Then have your partner push down on that wrist to get a baseline for where your arm moves. Retest while holding the remedy in question. Notice if you are able to continue to hold your arm up. If you are able to keep your arm extended, that remedy is likely a good one for you. If your arm falls below your baseline, the remedy does not match your needs. (Some people teach muscle testing using your own hands and fingers. I have never been able to get this to work for me. My intellect overrides this every time.)
Take the Supplement. Of course, the easiest way to determine if a supplement will work for you is to try it for 7–10 days. Use only one supplement at a time, and monitor your results. Write down how you feel after you take it as well as how you feel over time. If you have any additional symptoms that arise, be sure to write them down. They may be due to your body releasing toxins, or they could mean that the supplement is not working for you.
Address Your Emotions. While the underlying cause of a condition may be a virus, bacteria, or even an injury, there are always emotional triggers at play. For example, the reason a virus becomes activated may be due to stress, anger, resentment, or other hidden emotions. Once you identify the emotions associated with your condition, ask your body if the supplement you are considering will support you in releasing the emotions and healing your condition at its source.
Meditate on It. Meditation is a great way to receive guidance from the Divine part of yourself. You can ask for guidance about anything, including whether you should take a medication or supplement.
My Daily Supplement Routine
I’m very healthy and stable. When it comes to supplements, I am not seeking a magic bullet for anything but rather support for my long-term health. As such, I take a number of supplements to support my body’s specific needs. And I continue to try different things just to see what happens and if I can improve on the health benefits I am already receiving.
My supplement use has evolved over time and will continue to evolve as my specific needs change. Some supplements I always have in my arsenal include:
Vitamin D supplement (5,000 IU/day). In the summer, I bank vitamin D by getting out in the sun as much as I can. But I live in Maine, so I take a vitamin D supplement to enhance my immune system and keep my blood levels where they should be all year round.
Vitamin/mineral combination. Every day I take a pharmaceutical-grade vitamin and mineral combination that is loaded with antioxidants. I have done this twice per day for about 15 years!
Magnesium. Pretty much everyone needs more magnesium in their diet. I take a highly absorbable magnesium and a mineral formula by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. I do this first thing in the morning with water and some Himalayan sea salt and a little apple cider vinegar for taste.
Chinese herbs. I have Chinese herbs formulated specifically for me by an acupuncturist to help increase my yin energy and decrease dampness (which in Chinese medicine is associated with weak spleen energy). The herbs change monthly as my constitution changes.
I have also tried daily coffee enemas and have used a joint supplement formula. Joint supplements can help with a wide variety of joint pain. I keep one handy that is loaded with curcumin to help with the pain of frozen shoulders, which weren’t really frozen but hurt when I moved in certain ways.
6 Immune-Boosting Supplements to Take Right Now
During times of stress and uncertainty, be sure to support your immune system with messages of love and hope. In addition, you may also want to take some or all of these powerful immune-boosting supplements:
- Vitamin C. Try to take liposomal or regular ascorbic acid, including ester C. But don’t worry if you can’t find this. Just take 2,000–5,000 mg/day of whatever vitamin C you can find. Increase the dosage if you start to get sick. Take it until you experience loose stools. This indicates tissue saturation.
- Vitamin D. Take 10,000 IU/day. Check your blood level before starting in the event that you already have optimal blood levels (40–80 ng/ml). You should also get out in the sun as much as possible.
- Zinc kills many viruses. I personally take at least 2 droppers of Vimergy liquid zinc daily and more if I am coming down with a cold. If you feel a sore throat coming on, take a dropperful, put it in your mouth, and hold for a minute before swallowing. You can do this 3–4 times per day if needed.
- Herbs. Many herbs have powerful antiviral properties. Some herbs that I like for their immune support include elderberry, nettle, oil of oregano, sage, rosemary, and tea tree.
- Mushrooms. Chaga, lion’s mane, and betaglucans have solid antiviral activity. These are available as powders and teas.
- Pico silver. Silver is a powerful antiviral. I use the RNA Reset brand formulated by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. I use about 1 teaspoon/day and increase to 6 times per day if I’m coming down with something.
Learning to trust your body’s capacity to heal is a journey. Whether you choose to use supplements is a personal choice. Remember, there is no such thing as a magic bullet. I was reminded that people often think this is the case when someone recently said that I had forgotten to mention a vitamin that another expert recommended as a “cure.” (By the way, I am certain that the word cure was not the term this expert used.) This is a prime example of someone who is looking for a magic bullet.
Whenever we imbue a single therapy—whether it’s a drug, a diet plan, an exercise routine, a vitamin, or anything else—with the power to fix what ails us, we have a problem. This is no different from the allopathic approach, which, while necessary sometimes such as when you are in extreme pain, is rarely a sufficient way to create true health and healing.
So, I encourage to use supplements and other therapies with integrity. When you do, you can receive many health benefits and a renewed sense of connection to yourself.
Do you take supplements? If so, I would love to know how you use them and what benefits you receive.
Thank you so much for all your health insights! This is most helpful. In terms of supplements, I used to use Dr. Carolyn Dean’s Magnesium lotion which I loved. Since the world situation changed, this product is no longer available, but hopefully it will soon be. The vitamin C I use is the THORNE brand that I get from my homeopath as he has tested for it’s purity. Vitamin D I use is the Sisu Brand and also can be tested as to how much I need to use..I have used the Vimergy products in the past but some do not agree with me such as the Zinc and B12. Thanks again for your article and all your work!
Thank you for sharing this article. I agree that proper nutrition plus vitamins will help our immune system. Keep Safe and be healthy.
Just curious of the brand of supplement you take?
You mention D. Do you specifically recommend D3?
I’m a 69 year old female and I take a Vitamin D supplement (2000-3000iu), depending on the time of year. With the Covid19 outbreak, I’ve added an extra 1000 units extra, daily. I made sure I did a test before hand, to check my levels and make sure they weren’t too high before supplementing. I also take MegaRed daily for my joints, which I feel has really helped with keeping my pretty active lifestyle up. I then also take COQ10 (100mg) daily to help keep my heart functioning properly and my energy levels up. Also, since Covid19, I’ve added some elderberry extract and Astragulus supplement once daily.
I take all of the things you recommend and more! Have taken JHS Coriolus since a diagnosis 18 years ago, IP-6, and others. I just read this release from Andrew Weil using many of these for prevention and immune boosting but also about stopping some of these if we become ill or diagnosed with Covid to reduce the possibility of a cytokine storm. https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/covid_19.html Do you concur Dr. Northrup?
By the way, the very best support I got during my diagnosis and one that became ongoing, was your recommendation of Sacred Choices and Judie, the author. We were deeply connected then and still connected now Thank you. Debbie
I have taken vitamins off and on for years
At the present time I take salmon oil for heart health and to help joints, Vitamin D as we have long winters, a multivitamin, curcumin for joints, Vitamin B complex as I tend not to eat enough vegetables more fruit and Calcium Magnesium to help with muscle cramps. I am going to try the seven to 10 day trial for each one to see which ones I notice a difference. Thanks
Hello Christine,
I take everyday liquid form zinc, B12 complex and then on capsules magnesium, echinacea and vitamin D- plus iron since i have iron deficiency ( i rarely eat meats) my grandmother swore on injecting B12 complex. I also do reishi mushrooms , maca powder on my coffee or sometimes a dirty coffee with ginger n curcuma powder.
I write this in Spain during the Covid 19 outbreak. I can vouch for the USANA supplements which I have been taking for decades after meeting my friend when I was training for the London Marathon and I could hardly walk having just done my long 20 mile training run. This was 2 weeks before the actual marathon. I had tried different type of glucosamine and whatever I had been taking obviously wasn’t working. I took the USANA Procosa and within the week was able to return to training and actually did a reasonable 4h 25m time on the day.
Now I have added more vitamin D, vitamin C and betaglucans – reishi mushrooms.
PS I have completely changed my diet over the last 8 years to primarily vegetarian/pescarian and I have no joint stiffness or pain whatsoever despite doing about 2 hours of flamenco dancing a day (before lockdown) and I am nearly 70 and fitter than most of the thirty somethings in my classes.
Dr. Northrup, I love this post. Thank you for sharing. I used to take a little raw ginger throughout each day but currently that’s on pause. Of late, I’ve been roasted and eating garlic with my meals. I roast about 8-12 bulbs at a time. The soft flesh is easy to remove & put on my food. That amount lasts in the fridge for a week for my husband, son and myself. Also, parsley from the garden. Quercetin & B12 too. Lots of water, often with lemon, lime or apple cider vinegar I appreciate what you wrote about listening to one’s own body. And that the process is an ever-evolving one. Thank you for the love, light and healing you share. from Lauren in Texas
I have a wonderful naturopath that many years ago introduced me to living a healthier life which includes supplements. My greatest success is the complete disappearance of psoriasis. It began when I was only 11 years old and I was completely covered from literally head to toe with this skin disease. My positive attitude even at a young age never failed me
I remember even trying our for the highschool cheerleading squad and the testing cheerleader staring at my crusty knees! I was presi of my sorority; had loads of friends; and boyfriend’s and notnpnce felt self conscious because of their total acceptance. So positivity was always part of my makeup. But back to the present. Without any mesixarionu psoriasis has completely disappeared! I believe it is a supplement I take Phyto ADR that has made the difference. I will add that up until 5 years ago there was always a small patch on each knee and both elbows. Now there is no visible sign anywhere. Just wanted to share this with you. Truly believe health is always related to your mental attitude. I am the eternal happy person. My health proves it. I am 65 years old and will be baling 700 bales of hay with my 71 year old husband again this summer and with a sweaty smile on my face! Thanks for your awesome inspiration!
at this time, I am taking vitamin c plus zinc and cbd in combination of mouth spray and skin cream for aches and pains. as I am in perimenopause, I also take iron supplement in spray and liquid form for heavy periods.
I am an OBGYN and get lost in the business of work in a public hospital plus a small private practice. It heartens next to see you take time off to look after yourself so well… this has encouraged me. God bless you. Will certainly check out the supplements by Carolyn Dean and find time to meditate. God bless you
I have read all your books, taken all your information and it has changed my life, to say the least. Thank you for that. The sway test was fascinating! What is the rationale, is it the spirit guide, what do you believe causes this? Amazing.
Hi Christine, I dowse with a pendulum to select what I need each day. My herbal teacher told me that taking the same things 7 days a week can build toxicity in the body, so I dowse each day to see what my body needs that day. If ill, I dowse after each meal to see if I need anything else.
Many thanks for all that you do and many blessings x
Nice Blog!! The content you have shared is very elaborative and informative. Thanks a lot for sharing such a great piece of knowledge with us.
How many mg of zinc should we take if it is not in a liquid form?
Can anyone recommend your favorite or best vitamin/supplment brand? Thanks!
Dr. Northrup, I have been a follower of you for 30yrs. I’ve never reached out it you but now that we are now in this pandemic, I have no medical professional I can talk to, and my feeling of overall discomfort coupled with a feeling of anxiousness and some lethargy has been going on for some time. I’m 68 and I’m very good physical shape. I eat a pescatarian diet. I am single and the job market has been difficult for me as I e aged in terms of getting work I am capable of. Finances are tight and aging is a real and frightening thing for me. Because I want to have a clean body, I started weaning myself off two anti depressants I have been on for decades, Wellbutrin and Lexapro. I’ve taken several months to do this and the only withdrawal symptoms I have had is the typical occasional electrical jolts one gets in the brain. I find myself extremely emotional now with the pandemic. I’m a Pisces so very feeling and emotional anyway. Sleep isnt great which is age related too but when I wake up in the morning, feed my pets, get a cup of coffee, all my body wants to do is go back to bed. When I’ve given in to that urge, I sleep very hard and deep for at least two hours, nothing like the sleep I have during my nights sleep. I fight the urge to cry almost every day especially if I listen to the news now. When I do my workout, which now seems like drudgery, I push thru it and do get a tremendous amount of relief from all these feelings but it doesn’t last. I ordered your supplements from Amata but am still waiting to receive them. I haven’t been on any types of HRT in a decade fearing all the cancer implications but wondering if these feelings of “general malaise” could be hormone driven. I realize I’m asking a lot in this one question so any ad use would be much appreciated. Thank you. Janine Johnson
First, breathe. A deep cleansing breathe. You are so deeply loved and need to feel that love in order to relax. Be encouraged to know that many of us are in the same place. I am 69 and in good physical shape as well. But mentally it’s hard to not be depressed these days. I take a half of a Tylenol PM at night and can sleep for 6 hours straight. Maybe that will work for you. I just stopped my HRT and really miss that but I need to for the same reasons you feared using them. I think a lot is hormone driven and it’s upsetting. But know that you are not alone. We can go into our senior years wailing and screaming, or laughing and rejoicing. Pick the latter choice. Take care my friend.
Janine J,
Ashwagandha root powder may help reduce stress in some people. It may also help support focus and concentration, as well as sexual health and may boost libido, increase testosterone and fertility. Ashwagandha extract may also help boost energy and strength and help with athletic endurance.
Promotes healthy mood and concentration
Helps boost libido and support sexual health
Increase fertility
Assists in boosting energy, strength, and athletic endurance
Works to benefit overall health
Relieve stress & anxiety
Promote better sleep
Adaptogen
Lower blood pressure
Info is from Bulk Supplements
Hope this helps, Blessings To You.
Kelly Rodriguez
I really liked the sway test and I tried it this morning for different things. First with my multivitamin drink (Daily Biobasics from Lifeplus) and the answer was a definite Yes. Then with cookies: NO! Coffee: NO, washing powder:NO. Lemon and plum: YES, and so on. Then I thought that I need to eliminate my conscious mind from affecting which way I sway. Afterall its obvious that washing powder is not what my body needs. I tried with dog food thinking that it is definitely good fo me, it is organic, lots of meat and vegetables and vitamins. Saying YES in my mind trying to convince my body I did the sway test, but my body was not fooled. It definitely said NO to dog food. I keep this my measuring tool when I decide what to take as supplements. And besides I think it will work in many other areas as well. Thank you for sharing Dr Northrup
The body doesn’t lie!!!
Dr. Northrup, as with many others asking this question on the forum, would you kindly tell us the pharmaceutical grad vitamin and mineral supplements you take? It’d really be helpful
I too, would like to know the answer to this as well. Thank you!
I do not take any supplements but I do drink nourishing herbal infusions daily. I love linden flower infusion because it is delightful. I also love nettle infusion because I find it gives me lots of energy and it tastes like green tea. I also drink chickweed, red clover, and comfrey leaf infusions. I find that they give me just what my body needs.
Mine are supervised by a naturopath and have served me well for decades. I definitely feel more youthful than I did when in my teens and twenties and am now 54. So, although they change occasionally, my regimen involves Vitamins C, B Complex, magnesium, selenium, NAC (for liver support), I3C for reduction of breast cancer risk, zinc, an osteo mineral supplement, Amata (from your company, Dr. Northrup), adrenal support supplement, kelp, and garlic tabs. Through Spring and Summer I take Milk Thistle combination for the liver, and kidney essence through much of Autumn and Winter. All this is great, but without a healthful diet based on whole foods, I am not meeting my potential. Add exercise and decent sleep patterns, and my health is pretty solid and stable.
This is a very solid and well thought out regimen. Thanks for sharing!!
Hi regarding muscle testing with your fingers. You need to establish a yes and a no.
First make a circle with the tip of your thumb and first finger.
With the first finger of your other hand put it inside the circle and pull it through where the gap would be between your fingers.
Now you need to establish that yes and no.
Using the above method say aloud yes yes yes while you are doing this pull your finger through it will either go through easily or you will not be able to do it.
Repeat the same with no no no. It should come out the opposite of yes.
Now you have established a yes and no you can ask all sorts of questions and get a yes and no answer to them.
I also use it to ask about books and courses I might do by saying on a scale of one to ten how useful will this book/course be for me then start to muscle test from one up to ten.
This is a very powerful tool to have in your life, if in doubt muscle test. Lol
Just tried this! Very cool, thank you.
Thanks so much for this. I just can never get this to work for me. I have a strong intellect that over powers this every time. So I use tarot cards!!!
Hey – I do too!! I thought I was the only one ha ha
Rosemary, I’m a visual person. Is there a name for this routine? Can I see this done on Youtube, once I get the name of it?
I found it on youtube and tried it. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.
Hmmm. You forgot to tell people that only Vitamin D3 is truly helpful. The synthetic D2 is way less effective. Also, did you tell people about the study showing that less than 10% of synthetic vitamins are absorbed, therefore we should only be taking whole food vitamins?
Coffee Enemas bring me such great peace. Truly, if I’m feeling off, this is a wonderful solution for me. Thanks for all your great tips, Dr. N.
Oh thank you so much for telling us!! Always builds faith!!
Hello:
It would be very helpful if, when you are discussing intake (vitamins, liquids, etc), that you state how much….i.e. for vitamin D, 1,000 milligrams per day? 2,000 milligrams per day? In the morning? At night? Simply suggesting that your audience “take” something without being specific about the amount is not being very helpful.
She states in her article 5000 iu of vitamin D per day.
She stated in the article that she takes 5,000 iu of vitamin d per day. What I took from the article was to investigate what supplements or vitamins would pertain to your particular condition you were wanting to address. I assumed that she was only giving examples of what she felt she needed.
Dosages vary. I have listed in suggested ranges in all my books. And also in other blogs.
Hi! What is the joint supplement formula you take? Also do you take your own Amaya Life supplements?
I take Procosa from USANA ( is an a distributor and you can order from this website or online. Do NOT order from Amazon.. these are NOT the same thing. It’s a scam. And yes.. I take my own Amata supplement.,
Dr. Northrup — what brand of supplements do you recommend for your vitamins, minerals and antioxidants?
I am a very healthy 72 year old woman. I have consistently taken supplements since my early 30’s. I take a lot of them every morning and every night before I go to bed. I believe that this is one of the main reasons I am so healthy. I am going to try your sway test to make sure that all the ones I take are good for me.
I’m 77, in very good health, and take supplements since my 30’s. My approach would include Research and How I Feel. Today, I would add Lab Work (blood and urine, saliva,) from a Functional or Integrative health professional who knows how to interpret well. The other items listed would, for me, bring different results on different days, the weather, life happenings out of my control, and such, so I don’t put much stock in them as reliable indicators. Although, as a psychotherapist, I must add that doing our emotional wellness work is super important. In that vein, I would say Believing in Yourself and valuing your Creativity is of paramount importance as your “best friends”.
In my 30’s, thanks to Adele Davis, I had a daily drink that blended Brewer’s Forte Yeast with Lecithin to keep my arteries in good shape and have great energy. I also took COQ10 for gum health, as I began replacing mercury fillings, and read, through biological dentistry publications, that the Japanese have used this substance for gum and mouth health for ages.
Different plans for supplements are needed for different ages and life stages.
After menopause, I began Vitamin D3, along with some form of K, magnesium, Omega 3 fatty acids, I also added L-Arginine for continued artery health and happy blood pressure, a great probiotic and digestive enzymes. I also drink Bone Broth with collagen daily and have lemon/water/seasalt each morning. My salad dressing is always good olive oil and apply cider vinegar. So far, so good!
I love this! 77 and thriving ! ❤️
Namaste Dr Northrop,
I am interested in the pharmaceutical grade vit/mineral combo, might you pass along the name please
Thank you for sharing this information
I have been following you for years and your input has been a wonderful addition to my health and wellness
Best nicole
I take a whole food supplement, a daily vitamin that is mainly formulated from food sources, CoQ10, vitamin D, a leg vein supplement (Hawthorne), an anti-inflammatory for my shoulders and arthritis (black pepper, curcumin, Boswelia) and using intuition the following on an as needed basis, dandelion, burdock, oregano oil, avocado oil, tart cherry (if I eat a lot of seafood to combat gout – I live in MD and it’s crab season), cranberry, garlic, ginger (upset stomach or I feel a cold coming on) and magnesium (let my bowels guide me).
I have not taken a chemically formulated pill in over 5 years. I never get the flu, haven’t had a real cold in 5 years, never use antacids, use extra of my anti-inflammatory for aches and pains and of course essential oils. I make all of my body butters, facial creams, etc.
Thank you for sharing your routine, I feel better knowing that you follow a similar plan.
Hi Christine, I have had both shoulders frozen some years ago and still get problems and pain from this. I take turmeric which I encapsulate myself, it has helped me stay off the painkillers and anti inflammatories. I also take ginger, liquorice and turmeric in a teabag which I buy from a store. It’s an acquired taste! Thank you for the blog.
I’m finding Formula 33 helpful for calming stress and anxiety symptoms plus it’s a muscle relaxant. Of course addressing causes of stress is important too. A good probiotic had also helped me feel MUCH better. I’m also doing the Heavy Metal Detox outlined by Anthony William
And I wouldn’t be without the B12 he reccomends from Global Healing Center.
Rebecca, could you share the brand of probiotic you like? Thanks!
Could you please explain what Formula 33 is?
Dr Northrop, I love reading your blogs, books and watching your informative clips. I would like to know what brand of multivitamin you take. I am a nurse and have concern on which ones are really the best. I am also a follower of Dr. dean and take her magnesium. I have a fib and took myself off the poison medications and feel the magnesium is what has kept me a fib free for over a year now. I did have three ablations, lost a lot of weight and lowered my stress level. I remain on xarelto and it has caused me to lose half of my hair. Do you have any recommendations to help me with that issue? Thank you for all of your helpful information. Sandi