Even though it appears to offer some physiological advantages; immediately bombarding a person who has entered treatment with pills and other supplements may not support recovery. The use of supplements should be used with caution, as many folks are likely to prefer a “quick fix” approach to recovery and avoid a painful introspective recovery process.
Additionally, nutritional supplements may give patients the idea that as long as they are taking their pills, they have no need to improve their eating habits. Finally, street drugs can exert a tremendous strain on the liver, and supraphysiological doses of nutrients may actually conflict with the healing process. That being said, supplements can be very helpful!
Nutrition Intervention
Eating behavior should always be the primary intervention and supplements should be used secondarily. The emphasis of Nutrition In Recovery is on long-term behavior change. However, micronutrient supplementation may be indicated in many cases, but should be based upon laboratory tests.
A daily multivitamin can be useful but should often be discontinued around six months of sobriety once eating behavior is normalized and intake becomes balanced. In other cases, supplementation can be warranted but should always be assessed on an individual basis as opposed to overzealous administration.
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