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Let’s Talk Supplements

Growing up working in & managing—health food stores, from small family-owned grass roots shops to large corporate retailers across North America, then managing health clinics and working in clinical practice, I’ve learned a lot about dietary supplements.

One thing I’ve learned is that quality and reputation matters. Many well-established supplement companies invest heavily in quality control, ingredient testing, manufacturing standards, stability testing, and batch testing. Companies that have built strong reputations over many years often do so because they consistently produce reliable products and earn consumer trust. While the amount spent on research and quality can vary widely by company, established brands have often invested significantly in developing and testing their products and could quite literally be the same product but just a different label.

Private-label supplements can sometimes be excellent, but because they are often newer or produced for a specific clinic or retailer, there may be less publicly available information about their quality-control processes. They are also sometimes recommended because practitioners have chosen to carry them in their clinics. That doesn’t necessarily mean the product is better or worse—it simply means it’s worth looking at the company behind the label, the ingredients, and the quality standards rather than assuming every private label is superior.

All governments in North America are very strict on natural supplements ( possibly pharmaceutical companies influence) so if there was a potential side effect from a natural supplement they would be reported and all over the news. Natural supplements are Herbs, Plants, medicinal food products like amino acids, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, good fats, homeopathic remedies, etc they are food sourced but usually a more concentrated version

Healthcare practitioners such as naturopathic doctors, functional medicine practitioners, and nutrition professionals often recommend practitioner-grade brands like Pure Encapsulations, Thorne, NFH, and Designs for Health. These companies generally follow high manufacturing standards and often formulate products with therapeutic doses and carefully selected ingredients. However, “practitioner grade” doesn’t automatically mean they’re the best choice for everyone. For many people with MCAS or multiple chemical sensitivities, simpler formulas with fewer ingredients are often easier to tolerate, and practitioner products can also be significantly more expensive.

Many ingredients found in practitioner products are also available in more affordable retail brands. Sometimes the biggest differences are the formulation, added ingredients, practitioner distribution, and pricing rather than the active ingredient itself. In many cases, retail versions can work just as well depending on the individual.

Canada has strict regulations for natural health products, which helps improve product quality and safety. At the same time, many practitioners and consumers feel that increasing regulatory requirements have made it more difficult and expensive for companies to bring certain supplements to market, reducing the number of products available compared with other countries.

The United States offers a much larger selection of supplements, which is why I often purchase products from reputable retailers such as iHerb or other trusted online stores.

For many people with MCAS, I find that single-ingredient supplements are often the best place to start. Simpler formulas make it much easier to identify what you’re reacting to. It’s also important to check inactive ingredients. For example, many fish oil products are flavored with lemon or other citrus oils to reduce fishy burps, which may not be ideal for individuals who are sensitive to citrus. Unfortunately, many practitioners are not aware of just how sensitive people with MCAS can be to fillers, flavors, dyes, preservatives, or multi-ingredient formulas Preservatives such as sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, Alcohol-containing tinctures, Citric Acid.

One of the biggest challenges I see with clients isn’t finding the right supplements—it’s consistency. Life gets busy, people forget doses, or they stop after one bottle because they expected dramatic improvements. Supplements usually take time to work and you’ll need to address multiple issues to see a full recovery. They work best when they’re taken consistently and combined with nutrition, gut repair, sleep, stress reduction, movement, and addressing the underlying factors contributing to illness.

Most chronic health concerns didn’t develop overnight. They often build over many years through a combination of infections, stress, gut dysfunction, environmental exposures, nutritional deficiencies, and other factors. Recovery can also take time. For some people, meaningful improvements may take many months or even a year, but each small improvement moves you forward rather than backward.

Most dietary supplements have a good safety profile when used appropriately, although side effects and interactions can occur depending on the supplement and the individual. Before developing MCAS, many people tolerated supplements without any problems. In my practice, I’ve noticed that clients with significant mold exposure or digestive dysfunction often have the most difficulty introducing supplements initially. While this is an observation from my clinical experience rather than a proven rule, it makes sense that when the gut and immune system are already under significant stress, even helpful supplements may need to be introduced very slowly.

Mold exposure can affect the gut, digestion, immune system, and overall tolerance in some people. Supporting digestive health, improving elimination pathways, and addressing liver and gut function often helps people gradually tolerate more supplements over time. The goal isn’t to avoid supplements forever—it’s to help your body become resilient enough to benefit from them.

Healing is rarely about finding one miracle supplement. It’s about consistently supporting your body, addressing the root causes, and giving yourself enough time to recover. Healing is a marathon, not a sprint, and every small step forward matters. So when I hear , I tried that supplement and it didn’t work, I’d like to educate you on the process as it could take years to get better but at least you are getting better and not worse. Supplements are not bandaid effects and sometimes can make you feel worse before you get better but I encourage you to keep going. It’s hard work to get better and you deserve the results


Yolanda Larabee

Nutritionist | Supplement & MCAS Specialist

Root Cause Health • Gut Health • Autoimmune Support • Mold & Long COVID • Peptide Education • Healthy Aging

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