Supplementation is something of a mystery for many nutrition professionals. Personal trainers and even nutritionists can have a difficult time keeping up with new products and the advancing needs of their clients.
However, it’s also a science that can give you a competitive edge when trying to help your clients achieve maximum results.
Proper supplementation can help clients fill gaps in nutrition brought on by diet, activity, or other medically recognised reasons. And understanding how to advise your clients on what supplements to take can add another dimension to your nutrition practice.
Keep reading to learn more about the ways that supplementation can boost your competitive advantage…
Personal Trainers need supplement knowledge.
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA):
- Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect, whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet
- Food supplements are marketed ‘in dose’ form, for example as pills, tablets, capsules, or liquids in measured doses, etc.
- Supplements may be used to correct nutritional deficiencies or maintain an adequate intake of certain nutrients
There’s a good chance that your clients have encountered a wide variety of different products, complete with grocery and internet ads. With so much information out there, it’s important that you be prepared to properly advise people within your nutrition practice when they reach out for information!
Supplementation is especially important when working with athletes or fitness clients who need a special combination of diet and exercise to achieve optimal results.
Helping clients achieve amazing results reflects on your capabilities as a trainer. The better they perform or the more goals they reach, the more likely you are to see repeat customers and benefit from word of mouth advertising.
In addition to seeing your business grow, there’s nothing more rewarding that watching clients who you’ve helped become healthier and happier!
What other professional opportunities are there with a certification as a supplement advisor?
Supplementation is an essential skill for anyone in the health, wellness, fitness, or even culinary industries.
As mentioned above, personal trainers will benefit from supplement knowledge when advising clients based on their performance needs.
Coaches will also see a marked benefit in understanding the way that different vitamins and minerals can impact athletic goals.
However, supplements have uses in the everyday lives of all sorts of nutrition clients!
- Weight loss professionals often see clients putting themselves on restrictive diets or overeating due to a hidden hunger (or underlying deficiency). Being able to identify these issues and to advise clients on how to fuel their bodies to maximise weight loss without deprivation is essential to business success.
- Personal Chefs work closely with clients to provide for specific dietary needs. Having this ground floor knowledge puts these professionals in a position to provide advice on the best way for their clients to augment their diets with supplements. Having an advanced supplement advisor certification puts those in the culinary arts in a unique position to charge premium prices for their services.
- Corporate Health Coaches can incorporate personal supplement advising into their packages. This would empower them to meet with employees on a one-to-one basis to provide advice about supplementation that fits into their health, fitness, and life goals.
- Professional Advanced Supplement Advisors can work with gyms, fitness centres, doctor’s offices, chiropractors, and many other nutrition and medical professionals. Here, they can offer specialised services as a part of a larger partnership.
Knowledge of dietary supplementation gives you another, unique way to help clients reach optimal results – no matter what industry you work in.
Ready to learn more about becoming an Advanced Dietary Supplement Advisor?
With the Nutrition Business Explorer Program, you can choose to study our Advanced Dietary Supplement Advisor certification along with other specialisations that align with your career path.
You’ll get the best in nutrition science education combined with the business resources necessary for your business success.
