By Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Medical Director, Vively
We know what it is like, you walk into any chemist and you will find thousands of supplements. Shelf after shelf of potential, specials and confusing labels. Most people leave with something, but very few leave confident it was the right something for them.
At Vively, we do this differently. Our dietitians recommend evidence-based supplements based on your actual blood results, your goals and your risk factors, not on what happens to be on special this week, helping to cut through the confusion so you can feel confident knowing that you have a quality product you can trust. I want to explain how that works, what it includes, and just as importantly, what it does not.
It starts with your blood results
Every supplement recommendation at Vively begins with your Baseline Health Check. Your dietitian looks at your results across more than 70 markers, alongside your goals, risk factors and health history, before anything is suggested.
This matters because supplementation without data is guesswork. If a marker suggests a gap, a targeted supplement, alongside food and lifestyle changes, may be worth considering. If you are taking a certain medication or have a dietary deficit, a supplement may help to support your body. Your dietitian will always explain why something is being recommended and which markers we will watch.
Evidence first, always
We only recommend supplements where the evidence supports their use for the situation in front of us. That means well-studied nutrients, reputable products, sensible doses and clear reasoning. It also means we will often recommend nothing at all, or suggest food-first changes instead. A shorter, more targeted list that is backed by your results will always beat a cupboard full of bottles.
Before any supplement is added to your plan, your dietitian runs a safety check covering your medications, other supplements, allergies and relevant health history, reviewed alongside your blood results. Nothing is recommended until that check is complete.
Quality you can trust
The supplements we recommend come from reputable practitioner-grade brands, chosen for their manufacturing standards, quality testing and forms of nutrients with good absorption. They are made and tested in Australia under strict regulatory standards. You will never need to stand in an aisle comparing labels or wondering whether the cheaper option is the same thing. It usually is not.
Quality matters. Not all supplements are made the same. Some are not well formulated and some contain fillers that can be detrimental to your health.
What we can and cannot do
Being upfront about scope is part of practising good medicine, so here is where our program fits.
Our recommendations are curated, not exhaustive. We work from a carefully selected range that covers the most common, well-evidenced needs we see in our members' results. There will be nutrients and products we do not offer, and that is deliberate. Curation is what keeps the quality and safety bar high.
We may not be able to assess everything you are already taking. Many members arrive with self-prescribed supplement routines built up over years. Your dietitian will ask about what you take because it matters for safety, but a full review of every product in an existing regimen is often outside what we can responsibly do within our program. If you have a large or complex supplement routine, we recommend reviewing it with your GP or prescribing practitioner.
We are a preventative health program. Vively is designed to help you understand your health early, act on risk factors and build long-term habits. It is not a substitute for medical care. If you have complex or multiple health conditions, are managing significant illness, or need a comprehensive integrative medicine assessment, our program may not be the right fit on its own, and your dietitian will tell you honestly if that is the case. Your GP or a specialist remains the right first port of call.
What you can expect instead
What we do offer is something most people have never had: a supplement approach built on your own data, with a clear starting point and a way to check whether it is working.
Your dietitian can help you establish a program based on your goals, your history, your particular risk factors and your Baseline results. Then, rather than taking something indefinitely and hoping, you can recheck with a follow-up blood test or, where relevant, a CGM, and see what has actually changed. Supplements that have done their job may be stopped. Doses can be adjusted. The plan evolves with your results and your lifestyle choices.
That is the difference between supplementing without guidance and supplementing with data. No more decision fatigue in the supplement aisle, no more bargain basement choices. Just a clear, evidence-based plan, reviewed by your dietitian, with the changes to make next.
This article is general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice. Always speak with your doctor before starting or stopping any supplement, particularly if you take medication or have a health condition.