Ep 09 - Are Your Supplements Even Working? Fullscript vs Retail Explained

If you’ve ever stared at a shelf (or let’s be honest… your Amazon cart) full of vitamins wondered which supplements actually work, this episode is going to make your life a whole lot easier. Today we’re breaking down one of the most misunderstood corners of the wellness world: supplement quality, sourcing, and why where you buy them matters just as much as what’s on the label.

As two people who have definitely been influenced into buying supplements because of social media (Sandi) and who track biomarkers like it’s a sport (Dan), we’ve both learned the hard way that not all supplements are created equal or even stored the right way.

In this episode, we dive into:

🌿 What Most People Don’t Know About Supplements

• Why two bottles with the same ingredients can have completely different quality
• How heat, humidity, and poor storage can destroy potency
• The risk of counterfeit or expired products sold through third-party retailers
• Why “good price” doesn’t always mean “good supplement”

🔍 What Practitioner-Grade Supplements Actually Mean

We explain why clinicians rely on practitioner-trusted brands that are:

• Third-party tested
• Transparently sourced
• Stored in climate-controlled warehouses
• Formulated with clinically backed ingredients
• Verified for purity, potency, and safety

🛒 Why We Built Our Own Fullscript Store

Fullscript is a professional supplement platform used by functional and integrative practitioners. We break down:

• Why we switched from Amazon to Fullscript
• What makes Fullscript safer and more reliable
• How their storage, shipping, and sourcing prevents potency loss
• Why buying directly from practitioner-grade brands matters
• How we set up our store so listeners get top-tier quality at lower-than-retail pricing

Yes… we are trying to save you from the expensive supplement graveyard on your counter. 

🧪 How Dan Uses Biomarkers to Track Whether Supplements Work

Dan shares how he tests:

• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Omega levels
• Vitamin A
• Sleep-related markers to determine what’s actually working and how you can do the same (with your clinician’s guidance).

🤦‍♀️ Sandi’s Confessions from the Supplement Trenches

Including:

• The enormous wicker box of “must-have” supplements
• Fear of stopping cognitive supplements in case her brain stops working
• Pill-swallowing PTSD (yes, it’s a thing)
• Why auto-ship is saving her sanity

✔️ How to Get Started with Better Supplements

Inside the episode we walk you through how to:

• Browse our Fullscript store
• Start with just your core essentials
• Compare brands and ingredients
• Understand supplement benefits directly from the product page
• Track changes in energy, sleep, focus, and mood
• Use biomarkers to take the guesswork out (not medical advice)

If you're committed to improving your health, you deserve peace of mind knowing what’s in the bottle is actually what your body receives.

👉 Ready to upgrade your supplement game?

Click the link below to explore the Health Hunt Fullscript Store and get access to practitioner-grade brands at up to 25% off.

https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/thehealthhunt

If this episode helped you rethink your supplement strategy, share it with a fellow health hunter! Your reviews and shares mean the world and help our community grow.

Have questions? Want a supplement deep dive in a future episode? Email us anytime at info@thehealthhunt.com
or reach out on Instagram @thehealthhunt_podcast.

All views, opinions, and commentary expressed on The Health Hunt Podcast are solely those of the hosts. They are shared in a personal capacity and do not represent the views, policies, or positions of any current or former employer, including any organizations with which the hosts may be professionally affiliated.

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Transcript

Intro & Why Supplement Quality Matters

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Welcome back to the Health Hunts, a human, humble, and humorous exploration of how to level up your health. I'm Sandy, here with my co-host Dan, and today we're diving into a topic that's surprisingly misunderstood, but massively important. Supplements. And more specifically, why, where you get them, matters just as much as what's on the label. As a recovering, sort of, supplement hoarder, this is a topic that really speaks to me. So if you've ever stared at a shelf, or probably more likely your screen full of vitamins, wondering which ones are legit, which ones actually work, and which ones are just expensive hype, trust me, we're not alone. Supplements can be confusing, and the quality differences between brands are bigger than most people realize. And that's the topic of this episode. We're not here to tell you what supplements take because we're not doctors. And on that note, let me remind you that the Health Hunt Podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. We're not medical professionals, and nothing shared should be considered medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making changes to your health. And this is going to be kind of a shorter episode, but we thought it was really important, so let's get right into it.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Hey everyone, as Sandy mentioned, today we're diving into something we all rely on in the wellness space. Yes, supplements. You know, the vitamins, powders, potions we trust to help us sleep better, balance hormones, boost mood, improve digestion, all of it. But

Not All Supplements Are Created Equal

SPEAKER_01 1:36

here's the thing: it's not just what you take that matters, it's where it comes from. Because when you buy something online, you're not just trusting the brand, you're trusting the storage, the shipping, and quality control. So today we're breaking down why your source matters and why I personally use and recommend our full surface store. Let's be honest. Most of us have ordered supplements online without thinking twice. If it's got a label and a good price, it feels safe, right? But not all supplements are created equal. Sometimes what's on the label isn't exactly what's in the bottle. And depending on how it's made or stored, potency and safety can take a hit.

SPEAKER_00 2:12

And that's scary. Imagine not really being able to trust what's in the supplements that you're consuming.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

I really actually do sometimes think about whether or not I've ordered on Amazon supplements for like months and months and months that were supposed to actually do something and we're doing nothing. They weren't even what they were, you know, supposed to be. So it's pretty scary. So that can mean you're not getting the full dose you paid for. There could be hidden fillers or contaminants, or the product sat in a hot warehouse and lost its effectiveness. So

What Makes Practitioner-Grade Different

SPEAKER_01 2:38

in the functional integrative medicine world, that's why the practitioner grade matters. It means higher quality ingredients, tighter manufacturing standards, and products that actually deliver what they claim.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

Yeah, so here's a confession. Uh I am no stranger to seeing a post on social media and being influenced to absolutely needing that supplement. Like I just can't get it fast enough. And so like I'll do some research on what it's supposed to do. I mean, I'll, you know, not just gonna like instant purchase it, but I have stressed over choosing the right brand and wondering if I'm taking supplements that actually have the ingredients that they say they do, right? Because if something's supposed to work, you want it to have that ingredient in it.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

So what separates a trusted source from the rest? There are a few key things. First, we have practitioner-approved products, products which are vetted by healthcare professionals who know what works. Then you have verified quality. Third-party testing and full transparency on the ingredients. So you'll see different certifications and so on and so forth on the bottles and the websites of the entities. Proper storage, heat and humidity can ruin potency. Handling matters, and this is a huge issue with some of those retailers out there that are shipping out products that maybe once were good or otherwise. And then brand integrity, companies that care about consistency, not just sales.

Why We Use Fullscript

SPEAKER_00 3:56

So here's where Full Script comes in and why it's the backbone of our supplement store. Dan and I both first learned about FullScript from our own trusted functional medical practitioners. And, you know, at the time I actually really took note because I was interested in why somebody would recommend purchasing from this particular online store. So not only do we want to share this information for the podcast, but we also wanted the ability to share access to FullScript with our audience. So we actually opened our own store. And this was a little bit of a complicated process, but the short story is that FullScript is a professional supplement platform and online retailer. So in addition to supplements, they also have a lot of wellness products for skincare or even for pets. And there's a number of important factors that make FullScript the best option, at least in our opinion, for purchasing supplements.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

As we've alluded to here, um, FullScript partners directly with practitioner trusted brands. I think there's over 300 of them. And so you know exactly what you're getting. There's no middleman, no mystery sourcing, and no question about it, the authenticity, which is extremely important in the supplement world. Um, they also handle storage and shipping the right way. Uh climate controlled warehouses to track to batches. Um, you could even set up auto refills and get recommendations tailored to your goals. So uh and the best part to me is because how we set it up, the Health Hunt store, you'll actually pay less in the retail while getting the top-tier versions of what you already take. So we really believe that our cost benefit with the discount, and then the price as

Storage, Shipping & Brand Authenticity

SPEAKER_01 5:22

it is is competitive or better than anything you'll see out there.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

Our goal at the store was to help encourage our listeners to purchase high-quality brands through the right source. As we mentioned, there's a lot of things that can go wrong if you don't do that. And we wanted to help set up a discount so that we you can purchase higher quality supplements at a lower cost than you normally would. I also want to say that I'm actually very impressed with Full Scripts interface, especially on the mobile app. The product page for each supplement includes a lot of great information about sort of the benefits of the supplement. You can actually learn about what it does and why it's important. I've gone down a lot of deep rabbit holes learning about different supplements because I'm kind of nerdy like that. But it is actually very useful, even if you're already a supplement junkie, to understand what you're putting in your body and what it's designed to do. Also, full disclosure, before I knew any better, before I'd been exposed to full script, before we did a deep dive into why we should care about full script, I was buying all of my supplements from Amazon. And that's not to knock Amazon, but like I am an actual Amazon whore because if something doesn't come the same day or by 4 a.m. the next day, I don't want it. And so I, for me, it was just a go-to. But when I learned about how things can be stored or other issues that we talked about, it just made more sense for me to start ordering from FullScript. And because I have, I'm now on auto ship, and so I don't have to worry if something doesn't show up overnight.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

It's fascinating on Amazon, you can go on and get a supplement or two, and literally it's happened to me, I'm sure some of our listeners, three or four of you, just you get it like two hours later. Like just it's like right there. And so you're wondering how long is it sitting ready for in these warehouses for you know distribution. So, you know, again, um, nothing wrong with Amazon, but um something to just keep note of. I think it's we mentioned I alluded to this, and I want to kind of bring it back is is the supplement I'm taking even doing anything for me? I think that's really kind of at the end of the day, um, the most important thing is what am I taking and is it actually improving anything? Because as we all know, supplements don't give you really a feeling like that moment or even within a 24 hour, is it like it's doing anything for you? It's not like a five-energy feeling you get when you down a five energy hour energy drink, and all of a sudden, you know, you're you're Spider-Man and you're on the ceiling. Um,

Do Supplements Actually Work? Biomarkers Explained

SPEAKER_01 7:38

so that's why I always start with data. Um, this is something I'll be talking about, data and biomarkers throughout a through line throughout most of these podcasts when I can, is I always check baseline biomarkers, and um several of mine um when I do that were were not optimal. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A, omega levels, um sleep quality. You can't really measure that, but um magnesium glyconate, which is our favorite keywords, um, always helps that. And um so how did I know I was actually moving the needle? So I um took blood, I took biomarkers on on all of these um these things zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A, and all of them through supplementation prior to um post to taking my initial baseline biomarker, all of those things improved. And so now you know that you know, at least that the brands I'm getting from my functional doctor and the dosages that the brands are offering and the quality is actually doing something. So it's not about guessing, it's about connecting with what you take and how your body responds. And in doing so, you should take baseline biomarkers and follow-up. It's the most thorough way to understand if these supplements are actually helping you.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Yeah, and I I get this because, again, as I mentioned, I need Amazon things to arrive at my house within three hours. And so instant gratification is something that I crave. Now, just to kind of paint a picture, maybe give you a visual. I already kind of talked about how easily I'm influenced by social media supplements. So I am someone who thinks I need all the supplements. You know, some were recommended by trusted practitioners in the health field, and others I found on my own based on things that I felt like I was missing. And I have in my kitchen a

Sandi’s Supplement Box Confession

SPEAKER_00 9:12

very large and I think stylish wicker box on my counter that houses all of my supplements. Again, it's quite a large box. And if I'm being honest, because I like to be authentic here, I really can't tell you if most of them are doing anything. And unlike Dan, I have not been up to date on getting my biomarkers checked. So it's sort of a hit or miss thing. But also I have a fear that if I stop taking some of them, let's say like the cognitive function ones, my brain will stop working. So, you know, like spoiler alert, nothing bad has happened, but I'm still my brain has not sort of come to terms with the fact that I maybe could cut some of these out. So we're working on that because that's something I might talk about in a later episode. But the reason I mention the box is because I think it's actually helpful. Um, I know for anyone that has trouble remembering to take their supplements, have having it on the counter actually reminds me. It's actually less cumbersome because I don't have to pull a bunch of stuff out of the cupboard. It's sort of just right there and I can go through and take the ones that I want at the time that I want. So I just feel it's a useful tool in being able to get through my supplements on a daily basis.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

I actually have a pill case. It's a Monday, Monday through Sunday thing. Um, it's laid out so I know that, and it's pretty thoroughly packed with pills. Uh I will say that the creatine powder and the protein powder need to be like put into the middle island of the kitchen for me to have visual presence so that I actually remember to take them. So there's like a little bit of a there's a fail that could happen with the creatine and the protein powder. And then I also have to be disciplined to go to the fridge to get the um acromantia to take because that's actually in the refrigerator stored cold. So there can be there's some weaknesses, but I generally get the pills taken through my process. So I'm sure everyone has a process. And so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

I mean, I I like the idea of the pill the pill box with the organization, but mine just won't fit in there. So we have the gigantic box on the kitchen counter. But in any event, um, I wanted to share something else that this is really sort of tangential to this episode, but it's me and I'm here to be me. So when I was a kid, I had a lot of trouble swallowing pills. And I found that eventually throwing my head back in a sort of violent manner was the way that I could get it to go down. And if either of my sisters are listening, they know what I'm talking about because it's been a family joke forever. So I still do that, but I had gotten much better at taking pills. I could take four to five at a time, and that sort of made the process of getting through my box much easier. But a couple of months ago, uh one of my gigantic fish oil pills got stuck in my throat and made me gag. And so that's unpleasant. And my brain remembered. And since then, I've actually had problems swallowing any pills. I've been trying to take one at a time, and even that is like a mental exercise and telling my brain I'm not gonna choke and die. So if anybody out there has any suggestions for that, talk to Chat GPT, I tried some of their mindfulness things, but still a daily struggle. So if anybody has any tips and tricks, please feel free to reach out.

SPEAKER_01 12:00

The pill popping PTSD. I um totally get it. We've all been there.

SPEAKER_00 12:06

Yeah, like my box actually, I see my box and I'm like, oh, I have to really gear up, and I I sort of take a few throughout the day, so I'm not standing there for 45 minutes trying to swallow pills. But anyway, I digress. I just thought I would share something about me personally.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

I will say I also I oftentimes have random thoughts, and I don't share them enough on here, but I want to share one that just made me popped up. Is that when you walk into other people's homes and you get into their uh kitchen, it's almost like a decoration to see how they store their supplements because usually like the protein powders in the tubs are like laid a certain way on their count like in their kitchen and their pill process and their system is in a way that like is known to them, but uh they also want to show off. It's not like all oftentimes all hidden. And so I always find that to be interesting. You always look at see how someone's what what their system is in their kitchen. Do you ever see that? Do you ever notice that?

SPEAKER_00 12:54

I need to acquire more friends whose homes I would visit before I can make this observation. So I'm gonna work on that and I will report back.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Fair enough. So I hopefully what we've given

How to Start: Building a Smarter Supplement Routine

SPEAKER_01 13:05

you is good information. You're armed with some serious points to move forward with how you're getting your supplements, what brands to take, what doses to take, the quality, and so on and so forth. So um, here's how to start. Click the link in the show notes to visit our full script store. You can create a free account, start with one or two of your core supplements and compare the quality, do some homework, and track how you're feeling energy, sleep, focus, so on and so forth. Even take biomarkers if you need to. Um, not medical advice, but um, again, a great way for baseline to gauge. And if you need some suggestions or are unsure where to start, reach out. And we will most certainly be diving into specific supplement deep dives in future episodes. So stay tuned. So, my closing thoughts on this. At the end of the day, supplements aren't magic, they're tools. And the best tools work when they're high quality and used with intention. If you're investing in your health, you deserve peace of mind and you should know what's in the bottle is exactly what your body needs. So take a look at where your supplements are coming from. If you want to make the switch to something cleaner, safer, smarter, check out our store link below.

Outro & How to Reach Us

SPEAKER_00 14:06

And that's to wrap on this supplement episode. Thanks for tuning in to the Health Hunt. If you enjoyed this episode, hit follow, share it with a friend, and leave us a quick review. It really helps us reach more curious health hunters like you. If you have any questions, topic ideas, grants about sketchy supplements, send them our way at infothealthpunt.com or reach out on social media at the health hunt underscore podcast. As always, and until next time, stay curious, stay intentional, and stay healthy.