Should you increase your supplements? Clarissa Berry, nutritionist for DIRTEDreveals how Temporarily suspending your supplements can prevent tolerance and maximize benefits
Pulse supplementing basically means taking supplements intermittently to prevent the body from building up a tolerance, to reduce the risk of adverse effects, or to maximize the intended benefits.
This usually involves taking a supplement for a set period of time, such as three months, before intentionally taking a break when you notice changes. During this rest period, an alternative supplement may be added, “pulsed,” or not.
Supplement pulse can also refer to listening to your body to assess when you might benefit from a supplement or when you can go without it.
What are the benefits?
Pulse supplements have several benefits. Some supplements can cause the body to develop a tolerance when taken continuously over time, so that a larger amount of supplement is eventually needed to achieve the same effect.
Our body is incredibly adaptive: it continually reacts and adapts to new situations. The body is always trying to reach a point of balance, called homeostasis in biology.
This means that the body sometimes creates adaptations in response to a supplement in an attempt to keep it in a balanced state, resulting in a dampening of the supplement’s effect. It’s tolerance. Injecting or cycling a supplement can reduce the risk of tolerance buildup.
The supplement pulse may also help alleviate unwanted effects. Just like medications, supplements often have far-reaching effects on the body, often beyond the purpose for which they are taken.
by periodically taking a break from supplementation, you can reduce the risk of adverse effects
In some cases, and for some people, certain supplements taken over extended periods of time can cause negative side effects. By periodically taking a break from supplementation, you can reduce the risk of adverse effects.
There is also an argument that supplement pulsations more closely mimic our natural rhythms, something I always consider in my own practice.
When we think about the natural variety of our daily diet and how we are exposed to different foods at different times of the year, it is rare that our bodies are continually exposed to a single nutrient or food.
It might therefore seem more natural and more consistent with the body’s natural rhythm to take a supplement intermittently.
Finally, there are many supplements that are simply not wise to take for long periods of time, either because they interfere too powerfully with biological functions, e.g. supplements that affect hormonal balance, or because that they are intended to offer temporary support during the underlying processes. are restored.
LEARN MORE: Experts Reveal 5 Healthy Supplements You Probably Don’t Know About But Definitely Should
How to Pulse Your Supplements…
The exact method of pulsing varies depending on the supplement, its expected effects, potential side effects, and your specific goals.
When taking nutritional supplements, it is always wise to consult a health professional, such as a nutritionist, a naturopath or a doctor, who will be able to advise you adequately taking into account your particular situation.
Generally speaking, you should first define the length of your cycle. A short cycle can last from a few days to a week, for example a program of five days of work with two days of break.
A longer cycle may last several weeks or even months, such as three weeks on, one week off or three months on, one month off.
start with just one supplement at a time so you can identify the cause of any effects you may experience
You’ll also need to determine your supplement dosage, ideally with the help of a professional, and consider titrating your dose, which means starting with a lower dose and gradually increasing it to the full dose.
Always start with just one supplement at a time so you can identify the cause of any effects you may experience. Consistency is also key.
When taking supplements, it’s important to listen to your body and how it feels. No one can know your body better than you, no matter how many degrees you earn or what lab results you look at.
During the on and off phases, note how you feel, including any positive or negative changes when you start supplementation, when you increase a dose, and when you stop supplementation.
It can be helpful to keep a journal to record these and make adjustments to your protocol based on what you are experiencing.
LEARN MORE: Do you feel tired all the time? Boost Brain Power With These 7 Super Supplements
How does it work in practice…
Although many supplements can be taken continuously without adverse effects, there are some supplements for which pulsing may be considered due to the potential for developing tolerance, risk of side effects, and individual health goals.
Some classes of supplements often considered for pulsation include:
Stimulants, like caffeine. Prolonged caffeine consumption is known to lead to increased tolerance and even dependence. Pulsing may actually maintain its effectiveness and reduce the risk of side effects.
Nootropics. These are supplements that improve brain function and interestingly include both synthetic and natural supplements. Synthetic nootropics should definitely be pulsed (and treated with caution) because they have a greater potential to cause side effects.
Natural nootropics, such as lion’s mane and bacopa monnieri, can also be pulsed to maintain optimal benefits, but they are considered safe over prolonged periods and often have cumulative effects when taken long term.
I’m a big fan of DIRTEA Lion’s Mane Extract Powder, £39.99 to improve concentration and general cognitive health.
Some vitamins and minerals taken over extended periods of time can actually cause more harm than good.
Certain herbal supplements that affect hormonal balancesuch as chaste berries, black cohosh, fenugreek and tongkat ali, are particularly potent and can benefit from pulsations to prevent a process called feedback inhibition whereby the body reduces its natural hormone production due to of supplementation, reduce the risk of side effects and guarantee the expected benefits.
Other powerful herbal supplements that are important to consider include those that impact the intestinal environment, such as antimicrobials and binders.
Performance Enhancing Supplements, such as creatine and beta-alanine. These supplements can help improve athletic performance, and while many athletes take them continuously, some choose to cycle or pulse them depending on their training phases.
Adaptogens, such as reishi, cordyceps, ginseng and ashwagandha. Adaptogens are supplements that improve resilience to stress and help the body achieve a state of balance, meaning they are generally considered safe to take daily.
However, some people choose to pulse them to avoid desensitization or to align with periods of stress. DIRTEA Reishi Extract Powder, £39.99 is my favorite way to relax and prepare for sleep in the evening, and because of its particular potency, it is beneficial to turn on and off in a cadence of three months on to one month off.
Certain vitamins and minerals taken over prolonged periods can actually cause more harm than good. For example, single nutrients like iron or zinc taken in isolation can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients and even risk accumulation and potential toxicity.
I would like to emphasize that the decision to take a pulse supplement should be made after careful research and ideally in consultation with a healthcare professional or nutritionist.
DIRTED is a unique range of powders and Super Blends which harness the healing powers of functional mushrooms, adaptogens and Ayurvedic herbs to naturally improve your well-being.
Like this article ? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive more articles like this straight to your inbox.
