Frequently Asked Questions
DO I NEED TO TAKE SUPPLEMENTS?
Food is the best source of nutrients. However, at some life stage and due to different lifestyle, health conditions and environment, taking dietary supplements is very popular. It is a personal choice. The very existence of our website is to aid you in that decision making.
From multivitamin gummies for kids, whey proteins for young athletes and CoQ10 for middle-aged or senior citizens, there are supplements for different age groups. Generally speaking, the body and its metabolism starts to decline after the youth, resulting in poorer absorption and utilization of nutrients from food, thus justifying the use of nutritional supplements at some point.
Depending on specific supplements, the scientific conclusions could be: effective, likely effective, ineffective, likely ineffective, and inconclusive. Even among the effective ones, the degree of effectiveness varies based on forms of ingredients used by manufacturers. It is a very complex topic, and that’s why we step in to educate the public about it. Generally speaking, the nutrition science has contributed significantly to the longevity of human being in the past 100 years. Another evidence is that the percentage of American population taking supplements has been rising in the past decades. Please read U.S. Supplements Industry.
Clearly there are many fake advertisements throughout Internet. The so-called Health Food in China differs from nutritional supplements in American as well. You need to rely on trustworthy sources to learn and buy supplements.
We object to this false argument. Whoever exaggerates this is unscrupulous. The “best” supplement” is and will always be: healthy diet, be physically active, be optimistic, sufficient sleep, and take supplements when justified by age and health conditions.
WHY SO MANY CONFLICTING INFORMATION ON SUPPLEMENTS?
They typically caution on taking excessive dosage or rely on supplements as meal replacements. National Institute of Health has a website displaying numerous benefits of supplements as well as alerting the public that many supplement benefits are inconclusive.
Honestly, many conventional doctors lack comprehensive training on nutrition science. Doctors put emphasis on treating disease, while supplements are more on prevention of disease and management of sub-optimal health. There are conflicting interests. We encourage you talk to your doctor before and during taking supplements, but make sure he or she has background on nutrition science.
We understand that some supplements, such as herbs and botanicals, lack science-backed evidence and clinical trials, and may remain so in the foreseeable future. They are, however, well documented in human history for handling a variety of medical conditions. If you are in complete denial of the benefits of these supplements before a “scientific” conclusion is reached, you may have to wait for the rest of your life.
The human body is too complex for science and scientists. A simple example is the relationship between fats, carbs and weight loss, which has been heatedly debated in the past decades. Byclue Nutrition is to help you decode these conflicting information and learn how to find the best supplements.
That’s okay. We suggest you not “waste” any time in this website and sincerely wish you the best of health!
WHY SHOULD I TAKE ADVICE FROM YOUR WEBSITE?
We provide research-based, lab-tested and unbiased knowledge on nutritional supplementation, helping you learn, choose and buy the right nutritional products at the right price.
That’s right, for now. We may require paid subscription in the future, so please take advantage of the free-of-charge period. Free Subscription Now!
We are an informational and educational website at this point. Our consulting service is limited to friends and family, but we will launch this service in the near future.
We are a group of U.S.-based scientists, health care practitioners, and industry experts. We track the latest nutritional science developments, relying on independent labs to test the quality of numerous supplements on the market. Please read How to Choose: 3 Steps.
WHAT ATTENTIONS SHOULD I PAY WHEN TAKING SUPPLEMENTS?
All ingredients used in supplements sold in U.S. market must be in compliance with GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) required by Federal Drug Administration. Generally speaking, it is safe to take supplements for a long period of time. However, some nutrients may accumulate in the body to a toxic level so you must exercise caution.
It really depends on the absorption of specific ingredients and your personal preference. In U.S. market, about two-third of supplements are sold as pills which must be broken down before being absorbed. Modern day pills are made from plant fibers and are easy to break down. If you experience digestive problems, and for some children, powder and/or liquid is an alternative. We typically advise against chewable and gummies as they contain sugar or sweeties ( no need to articulate the harms caused by sugars). However, for children and some adults, gummies are still a viable choice.
It is a seemingly simple yet complicated question. Keep in mind of two principles: First, should I take it before or after meals? Generally speaking, or water-soluble supplements such as Vitamin B, C, it is best to take before meals, while the opposite is true for fat-soluble ingredients such as Vitamin A, E, D, fish oil, CoQ10, etc. Second, the synergy among nutrients. For example, calcium and magnesium should be taken together before sleep without iron. Very importantly, make it a habit to take supplements at the same time every day.
By all means, yes, and do so under the guidance of your doctor.
The most common test is blood work. You should also consider microbiome test, hair, saliva or even genetic tests. Keep in mind that a general physical checkup may not include many key nutrient items such as magnesium and Vitamin D unless you specifically request. We will provide lab testing service in the future.
HOW TO CHOOSE SUPPLEMENTS AND BRANDS?
Our online store allows you to find the right supplements based on the criteria you select: health condition, age, product category, brand, alphabetical order, etc.
Through our blog, we also recommend high quality products.
You don’t have to be a nutritionist. However, we suggest you browse our website to gain some basic understanding about vitamins and supplements and particularly read Buyers’ Guide. You shall benefit from these knowledge. We apologize that we don’t provide one on one consultation (only limited to family and friends) but this service will be available in the future.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of supplement brands in U.S. Less than three dozen are listed in our website because: 1) We only list trustworthy brands; 2) We exclude all private labeled products and MLM channel; 3) We believe you should stick to 3 or 4 brands once you make decision.
We acknowledge that we may have missed some good brands or products. You are welcome to contact us. We will research on your suggestions.
QUESTIONS ABOUT PRODUCT ORDERING.
They are essentially the same. We provide you a weblink where you are rerouted to log into your Amazon (or other merchants) account, enjoy the same price, discount, free shipping (if eligible), exactly in the same way as you buy directly from them. We may receive tiny commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact the fairness of our reviews and comparisons.
Certainly. Almost all merchants accept credit cards. Your ordering information are stored in their website, not ours.
You receive an order confirmation by email, where the contact information is listed. We only partner with reputable American merchants such as Amazon, iHerb.
Many merchants do sell and ship outside of U.S. However, each country has its own guidelines for purchasing and shipping certain products, and it is your or your agent’s responsibility to clear customs. For customers living in China, buying at iHerb is a good choice as they do ship to China and even waive shipping costs once the purchase exceeds a certain dollar threshold. You will be required to provide ID # or photocopy to clear customs, which is not a very complex process. Amazon Global provides similar service as long as the products are indicated as being eligible for international shipping.