Personalized vitamins, with their all-in-one packaging and promise of better health, have a unique allure in the age of ultra-customized health hacks. But are they worth it? This guide will tell you everything you need to know before you fork over the money for a personalized vitamin subscription.
As a registered dietitian, I’m always answering multiple questions about the validity of vitamins and dietary supplements.
And it’s fair to question, considering the enormous amounts of money invested in the research, formulation, manufacturing, and marketing of these products. According to Statista, the average annual spending person for non-prescription vitamin supplements was just over $130 in 2022. That’s a sizable increase from just over $50 to $60 per person from 2010-2015.
When surveyed, most people say their motivation to take supplements is for overall health and wellness. Or, to fill nutrient gaps in their diet.
Is it working? Well…
If you want the TL;DR version, here it is: the science is a little shaky. Though there might be some benefit for some people with certain health goals, for the most part, money or effort spent on vitamins and supplements might be better invested elsewhere for improving health.
I talk about this a lot in my day job as a dietitian. Whether it’s client, friends, or families, they’ll ask me for supplement recommendations. So here’s some of the advice I share with them, and hopefully it can help you think it through to arrive at a decision that will work for you.
But first, here’s a bit caveat: Even though I’m a dietitian, I’m not your dietitian. So the information here is meant to be just that, informational. It’s not intended as a substitute for medical advice and it’s not going to treat or manage your health conditions. If you have specific questions, you’ll need to bring those to your healthcare team.
So with that, let’s get into it! Use this table of contents to skip ahead, but don’t miss any of the valuable information in these sections!
What I’ll Cover In This Post
What is “Personalized Nutrition”?
In short, personalized nutrition caters to individual needs. No “one size fits all” approaches here!
This customized approach takes your individual and unique genetics, metabolism, lifestyle, and health goals into consideration. In the past, this simply mean you’d get a tailored meal plan and guidance on how to move or exercise.
But it’s a new dawn for a whole ‘nother layer of personalization. With the advent of wearable technology, genetic testing, microbiome analysis, and round-the-clock access to concierge medicine or integrative and functional medicine practitioners, you can take this concept of “personalizing” your nutrition to new heights. Don’t even get me started on the potential of artificial intelligence-driven analysis of labs and genetic testing!
The goal is usually to optimize your energy levels, lower your risk of future chronic disease, or “biohack” your way to better health. If you have new data points to measure and track, you’ll know if there’s a good ROI on the time and energy you invest in your health. Right? Well, that’s the hope. But that’s not always the case.
Does it work?
Yes…and also no.
That’s a very non-answer type of answer, so stick with me here.
In theory, yes, this extremely personalized approach to health and nutrition can work. Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the United States. There are certain risk factors that increase your risk of either or both, including what you eat. And it’s intriguing to imagine that if you could only peel back the layers to the molecular level, you’ll learn what you need to do to ensure you achieve and maintain good health.
But in a recently published update, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) stated that, “Evidence is lacking and the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined.” In other words, we don’t have enough information to confidently say there’s benefit or harm. Some studies show positive results, but another one might have a null effect (no difference) or even potential adverse effects.
Note that this didn’t apply to apply to children, people who are pregnant or may become pregnant, or people who are chronically ill, are hospitalized, or have a known nutritional deficiency. So again, it’s possible that if you fall into one of these specific categories, personalized vitamins or dietary supplements might be more effective.
But your personal health is impacted by so much more than just what you eat or the daily supplements you take. The social determinants of health (SDoH) are often conveniently ignored. This includes things like:
- Where you live…and if you have reliable transportation, safe neighborhoods, or stable housing
- Your race and ethnicity…and whether you’re marginalized, discriminated against, or experience violence because of it
- Education and job opportunities…and therefore, the money and affluence needed to invest in your health
- Access to food…and whether you can find and afford the things you want and need to eat for better health
…and much more. As far as I know, there isn’t a dietary supplement or personalized vitamin service that can make up for these disparities. There’s so much more I could say about that, but let’s get back to the topic at hand.
What’s the deal with these daily vitamin packs, anyways?
The Growing Appeal of Personalized Nutrition
In short, everyone wants to feel special.
Grabbing a bottle of multivitamin capsules or chewable tablets at the drugstore is so 2003. Multivitamins have been a thing for decades now, with individual vitamins and minerals first being discovered over a century ago. So your first introduction might have been a Flintstone tablet in your favorite flavor, or a bottle of Centrum Silver in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Next came the daily packs from the like of GNC or other mass retailers. With gender-specific formulations, we crept a little bit closer to personalizing a supplement regimen.
No one wants to be just another number or statistic. And these personalized vitamins felt, and still feel, like they’re customized to your unique needs and your unique needs only.
Fast forward to today, and there are endless options. We can purchase subscriptions from our smart phones and get them delivered to our doorstep almost instantaneously. We can gulp down a superfood shot in liquid form, promising to deliver half of our recommended fruits and veggies. We can pour protein powders into our smoothies and replace any of our meals and snacks with food-like substances that claim to provide what we need.
And you know what…that makes it pretty easy. It’s just so convenient! Now, you don’t have to diligently plan your meals, fill the gaps, or think as hard about getting the recommended amounts of every nutrient under the sun.
Outsourcing this oversight to a personalized nutrition startup seems to be a logical next step for the time-poor, cash-rich American who wants an insurance policy for a future of good health. Speaking of insurance, that’s another theory of mine. I think part of the appeal is that we (as humans) crave the feeling of being cared for by other humans. And with our healthcare system keeping physicians rushed and costs high, it’s unlikely that most of us get to experience that on a regular basis. If you felt like your specific needs weren’t getting addressed in a traditional medical setting, wouldn’t be it easy to turn to a digital experience that is designed around what you need?
After all, getting care through a screen might seem better than no care at all.
And I don’t know if we’ve even hit peak market saturation yet. Since we’re only beginning to see where this trend is taking us, let’s talk about some practical ways to decide if they’re right for you and how to get started.
How Do Personalized Vitamin Subscriptions Work?
I recently spent a few minutes going through the onboarding survey offered by a savvy supplement company.
The first step is actually kind of fun. It’s basically a vitamin quiz, or a sort of virtual choose-your-own-adventure game. You select your health concerns or wellness goals and respond to a series of questions designed to hone in on the specific nutrients you might benefit from.
This could include, but might not be limited to:
- Specific vitamins and minerals you’d normally get from food, but need more of (such as supplemental vitamin D or iron to address potential iron deficiency)
- Amino acids, or combinations of amino acids
- Fatty acids, such as an omega-3 in the form of fish oil
- A prenatal vitamin or a “stack” of supplements for menopause support (if either of those applies to you)
- Fiber powders, prebiotics, or probiotics for gut health
- Adaptogens, herbal formulas, or “proprietary blends”
I paused before sharing my email address because God knows I get enough emails as it is. But that didn’t stop the sophisticated algorithms from targeting ads to all of my social media accounts. You probably don’t need me to warn you, but if you do enter your email, just be prepared. You’ll have to unsubscribe to escape them and even then, the devices are listening so it won’t be the last you hear of them.
So anyways. After that step in the process, you get an invitation to review the recommended products, place your order, confirm your ongoing subscription, and take control of your health. Yay, you’re done!
The process may seem simplistic but it’s actually quite complex. Startups sink untold amounts of money into developing the best user experience and yielding the best results based on the responses we provide. At this point, we have a good foundation for AI in medicine and healthcare. The algorithms are more sophisticated than ever but the answers they spit out are only as good as the questions being asked. They still can’t replace the human element of talking to a real-life, in-the-flesh healthcare provider. And they certainly can’t diagnose nutritional deficiencies or account to varying intake due to daily life.
But we want to be involved in the process and have some say in the outcome. So perhaps what these personalized assessments are really offering is not better outcomes, but simply an invitation to participate. If that’s the goal, then sure, they are “working”.
It’s worth asking…
Is “Better Health” One of Your Goals?
If you’re like a lot of people, it is. After all, the survey I mentioned earlier reported that the #1 reason people say they take supplements is for overall health and wellness. And I have to imagine if you’re here, on a blog post written by a dietitian, you have some interest or shared value around nutrition and eating well.
But it’s also perfectly fine if, for any reason, health and wellness isn’t a top priority for you. Now, or ever. We’re conditioned to believe that we have to strive for optimal health at all times, and be relentless in our pursuit of it. And it costs us, both with time, money, energy, and relationships. That relentless pursuit might be more aligned with society’s values over your personal values.
Living in alignment with our values is one of the factors that drives our behaviors. Another factor at play is our self-identity and how we perceive our actions in relation to our overall health. In American culture, we see many examples of how health is used to indicate value or worth; that’s healthism 101.
As screwed up as that is, it’s easy to see based on how quick we are to judge habits that seem somehow “less than” or unhealthy.
A Note About Health-Promoting Behaviors and Healthism
Consider for a moment your visceral, gut reaction to the following habits:
- Eating highly processed food or fast food instead of cooking meals from scratch at home
- Drinking soda instead of water
- Living a sedentary lifestyle or avoiding opportunities to get active
- Skipping healthcare appointments or a yearly physical
- Waiting it out instead of getting medication for an illness
There are many more, but taken out of context, it would seem like someone doing any of the above doesn’t care about their health. If we assume we value our health more, we suddenly feel superior. Anyone who doesn’t want to admit that is either lying or somehow immune to the cultural messages we’ve received since birth.
On the flip side, there are also examples of aspirational behaviors. These are things we feel obligated to do in the name of good health. Who among us wouldn’t want to be uplifted and revered for their dedication? But they can quickly become performative and shallow, done for the approval of others instead of an internal motivation.
Consider how you would feel if you or someone you know engaged in the following habits:
- Purchasing fresh fruits and veggies and eating them every day
- Consistent meal planning and prepping with beautiful, balanced meals
- Getting good quality, restful sleep every night and waking every morning feeling physically refreshed
- Dedicating time, energy, or resources to personal or professional development and hobbies or interests
- Maintaining an active lifestyle
…and, of course, taking vitamins or supplements.
I’m willing to bet you’d assume the person performing the second set of habits would have better health. And yes, over a lifetime, that’s likely true. But in the case of vitamins and supplements, it really boils down to this:
We like the idea of being the type of person who can prioritize health and wellness. We want to be the person who can, and does, invest in their wellbeing. We want to buy into the notion that we are in control and have the bandwidth to say, “Yes, I am healthy, just look at how hard I work for it.”
Let me pause for a moment to say there is nothing inherently wrong about this.
As I mentioned, we’re conditioned to believe this is part of life, that if we have the ways and means of securing good health, we’re obligated to do so. But where I take issue with this “health halo” effect is when it creates a social hierarchy or enforces the idea that health is equivalent to morality. Healthism is highly problematic and needs to be addressed internally, externally, and on the institutional and systemic levels. It contributes to weight stigma, bias, and fat discrimination.
It’s uncomfortable to think the years, dollars, and effort sunk into personalized nutrition may have been misguided. I’m not saying that’s the case for each and every person, but in my experience as a registered dietitian, I often see other opportunities to make deeply impactful and long-lasting changes that have nothing to do with vitamins and supplements.
Key Considerations for Vitamins and Supplements
If you’ve made it this far, congrats! We’re in the home stretch and you already have some food for thought.
To be very clear, I’m not anti-supplement. I’ve seen first-hand how targeted supplementation and personalized nutrition, especially in high acuity clinical settings, can support wound healing and recovery from really serious health conditions. If you’re committed to trying them yourself, here are a few things to consider first:
- We don’t eat nutrients, we eat food. If there’s ways to adjust how you’re currently eating, are you willing and able to do that?
- Do you have a support team? Before you add any kind of new supplements, you should talk to your healthcare providers (which hopefully includes a dietitian!) so you can ask questions.
- Should you get any baseline labs done to see where you’re starting at? If your progress towards a health goal can be measured, it’s helpful to know how those values change over time. It’s a good idea to ask if these can be covered by insurance to avoid even more out-of-pocket costs.
And don’t overlook those other aspects of your lifestyle. Things like sleep, stress, travel, activity level, time of year, and more can impact your nutritional needs.
How to Choose a High Quality Supplement
Finally, here are a few things to look for when shopping to ensure you’re staying safe and informed. Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the way food and medications are. It can feel like anything goes in a highly competitive market, and vitamin brands know that!
Before you shell out your hard-earned dollars, check for the following:
- Is it a reputable brand? Look for a history of high quality supplements, not a shiny new startup with no track record. Or, see who is serving on the Advisory Board or kicking in funding for newer companies and brands.
- Look for third-party testing and a certification of Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). This means the supplement was tested for purity, quality, potency. Basically, it lets you know that what’s inside the bottle matches the label on the outside, and it was made in a facility that meets strict standards for safety and quality.
- Check the dose and bioavailability. Some supplements use a less bioavailable, or less effective or harder to absorb, form of some nutrients. Others use a dose that’s far less or far more than what you need. If you aren’t sure, this is a great time to reach out to a nutrition professional who can alert you of any red flags in the ingredients.
- Watch out for claims that seem too good to be true. If it seems exaggerated or completely unrealistic, or is very vague and nonspecific, skip it because you’re probably wasting your money.
If, after three to six months there’s no change…you might also want to scale back on spending in this category. Health outcomes don’t change overnight, but by that point you can expect to see or feel some kind of benefit if you are indeed benefitting from whatever you’re taking.
Closing Thoughts
Personalized vitamins and supplements can be a powerful catalyst for other healthful behaviors. You could even built a new habit around the routine of including them in your day-to-day lifestyle. If you’re reminded to get active, go to bed on time, eat nourishing foods, and so on each time you reach for your daily dose of nutrition, that’s a net positive. The big health shift comes from first, your mindset, and second, the compounding effects of other factors.
But don’t forget that the nutrition in food is greater than the sum of its parts. You get some much more from the total package beyond just the individual nutrients.
Taking a vitamin might not move the needle. There are always exceptions, but the average person eating a diet with a variety of foods and adequate energy is not likely to develop a deficiency disease or wind up severely malnourished. We have known, documented cases of what mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition and deficiency diseases look like, and a healthy diet full of essential nutrients is one of the best ways to prevent them.
There is an immense amount of privilege wrapped up in being able to invest in your health to this degree. There is an expense associated with everything, and it takes a certain level of affluence and societal privilege to even think about dedicating resources to something like taking daily vitamins, personalized or otherwise.
But it’s clear they aren’t going anywhere. The market will continue to grow, more startups will enter the space, and existing brands will expand their offerings to gain a competitive edge. It’s a multi-billiondollar industry for a reason, so just keep these things in mind next time you’re preparing to swipe your card or sign up for the latest and greatest subscription service.
Did you enjoy this deep dive? Before you click away, be sure to check out my other posts about Gentle Nutrition and Intuitive Eating. You’ll also find plenty of new recipes to inspire more fearlessly nourishing meals. Thanks for reading!
Disclosure: This post was originally published in March 2020. It has since been updated to improve the overall quality of the information and/or images.
