Would it help if I add a single-nutrient supplement?

I've had several different conversations lately, with people asking me about the value of adding in a single-nutrient supplement. For example: "to boost my magnesium". 

My answer is rooted in a conversation I've shared before. My response is lengthy, yet definitely worth the time to read. 
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Q:
I've read the facts panel of the minerals - the mg in the minerals seem really low.  I think I need more magnesium. Should I add a magnesium supplement to my daily regimen?
 
A:
Thank you for asking! This is an important question. There are many facets of your question. I’ll address each facet as succinctly as I can.
 

FIRST, FOUNDATIONAL CONTEXT

First, for context, and to set a foundational understanding, please remember that when we’re referring to the fulvic & humic mineral complexes from Mother Earth’s Elements, we’re talking about:
 
Plant-sourced fulvic and humic mineral complexes – which include naturally complexed minerals and trace elements, yet are much more than just minerals - respectfully sourced from ancient plant deposits deep in Mother Earth, subsequently undergoing a unique proprietary extraction process – simply using harmonic energies and a specific pH of water - preserving the integrity, life-force and nutrients innately found in the ancient plants.
 
No harsh processing or chemicals are ever used. Ever.
 
Ever.
 
What also needs to be said, is that there is no addition to, or alteration of the naturally occurring, naturally balanced nutrients in the supplement.
 
The whole-food nutrients found in Mother Earth’s Elements fulvic & humic mineral products are naturally occurring – as already stated – the nutrients listed on our nutritional facts panel are the bare minimum that have been identified in full spectrum mineral analysis that are run on every batch.
 
Each batch will vary some – much like different oranges in an orange orchard will vary some in nutrients - but none of the fulvic or humic mineral complexes we’re talking about will fall below the nutrient facts you find on the label.
 
You might say, we want to under-represent, and over-deliver on the nutrients we say are in each bottle.

IN CONTRAST
In contrast to the product scenario I just shared with you, many of the single-nutrient supplements on the market are both synthetic AND ‘fortified’ to meet specific label and nutrient specs.
 
Please understand, the single-nutient supplements aren't a naturally-occurring nutritional product. It would now be a synthetic product. Much like fortified cereals, breads, milk, etc. This particular point is crucial and will be discussed further in this article.
 
Not only is fortifying foods and supplements a dangerous practice – it’s also not doing consumers much good; the unnaturally-occurring nutrient boost is difficult for the body to deal with, much less assimilate. Often, it’s just downright toxic.
 
In our fast-paced, more-is-better culture, people don’t realize that more is not always better.
 
For example, many people in our culture are now slamming down a packet or handful of vitamins every day, while subsequently eating and drinking their ‘guilty pleasures’ more often than is healthy – thinking that their vitamins will cover the nutritional deficits.
 
They won’t.

Most products on today's market have been ‘fortified’ to meet specific label and nutrient specs.
 
ANOTHER EXAMPLE

Adding in a magnesium supp will add a mostly-if-not-completely synthetic source of a single-nutrient you're thinking will solve a particular issue. The challenge is:

#1 -very little, if any of the magnesium will actually be able to be utilized; the sources aren't bioavailable., which is why there are so many different forms of mag in the product.

#2 - the synthetic 'schtuff' that they call magnesium has now given your body something it has to DEAL with - rather than heal with. This creates a domino effect with the body having to rally, struggling to buffer the impact of all the synthetics that were ingested.
 
IN THE WORLD OF SUPPLEMENTS

It’s common in today’s world of supplementation, to boost the nutrient profile of a given supplement by adding synthetic – or even concentrated, formerly naturally occurring nutrients  - to boost the nutrient profile on the label; yet the boosts really add nothing to the nutrients that one is actually assimilating, because the nutrients are NOT bio-available. The nutrients aren’t actually able to be utilized by the body. The fortifying nutrients are difficult for the body to actually assimilate, if at all.
 
So, the label for a supplement reads with a seemingly impressive list of nutrients – albeit synthetically derived or fortified nutrients - yet the body will struggle to get ANY value from said supplement. It becomes something that the body has to actually work harder to process, and is, in the long run, counter-productive. Again, it becomes something that your body has to DEAL with, rather than something that it can use to HEAL with.
 
You’ll find this in vitamin and mineral supplements, in protein powders that have been ‘spiked’ with un-digestible proteins, in collagens, as well as in ‘fortified’ cereals, ‘fortified’ breads, and ‘fortified’ processed foods.

This is most definitely true in the case of single-nutrient supplements

Again, the label may look impressive. A chemist may be able to identify the ‘vitamins & minerals’ in an analysis, yet the body will struggle to deal with the unnaturally occurring fortification.

Adding in all these synthetics, because we think our body will 'heal faster' or whatever the perceived benefit may be, is much like trying to force a rose to bloom. It won't go well in the long-run. 

YOUR BODY HAS TO DEAL WITH IT

As previously stated - what is actually occurring, is that the body is now having to DEAL WITH synthetic ‘nutrients’, which unnecessarily throw off the biochemistry of the system as it has to flush out the synthetic ‘nutrients’  - rather than being able to HEAL WITH nutrients that it resonates with and that support true nourishment and deep healing.
 
We’re beings in a carbon-based body. Our body resonates best with and thrives on naturally occurring carbon-based naturally-occurring nutrients. They’re bioavailable and easily assimilated. It takes much less of said nutrient to actually fulfill the needs of the body.
 
SIDE NOTE: many of the synthetic ‘fortifying’ nutrients are manufactured and isolated with industrial chemicals and compounds that aren’t even fit for our consumption – another topic for another day.
 
EVER HEARD OF VITAMIN TOXICITY?
It’s a thing.
 
There actually is such a thing as vitamin toxicity – vitamin poisoning. It’s becoming more and more common, due to the unnatural megadoses of synthetic nutrients that are being ingested by unsuspecting, unknowing consumers.
 
Again, taking too much of a good thing can be too much. It can be as harmful and damaging to our body as its deficiency. It can actually cause deficiencies as other nutritional aspects within our system rally to help the body balance.
 
Not to mention the added strain on our liver, kidneys and other eliminative organs to get rid of the synthetic schtuff.
 
As I said, it becomes one more thing for our body to deal with.
 
Real nutrients need the right co-factors AND the right biological concentrations to truly be in service to our bodies.
 
ANOTHER FACTOR
There’s another important factor to address. . .
 
That is the fact that in many cases, mankind has yet to identify many of the naturally occurring co-factors that provide easy assimilation of nutrients by our body.
 
It’s one reason why ANY supplements I take are from whole-food sources. Including the fulvic & humic mineral complexes.
 
Again, we can make a comparison:
 
Compare the nutritional value of eating a fresh, organically grown orange – to taking some form of vitamin C that we think an orange would provide for our body.
   

• No form of vitamin C will include all the naturally occurring co-factors that an orange would. In fact, some forms of vitamin C are actually very difficult for our body to utilize. 
• The vitamin C content of a synthetic vitamin may look impressive on a label, yet it won’t be in the same balance and definitely won’t provide the same bioavailability as what nature provides for us in a fresh, organic orange. 
• SIDE NOTE: did you know that isolated ascorbic acid, a common form of synthetic vitamin C is one of the most toxic things we can ingest? It's made (MADE being the operative word here) from fermented GMO corn and sulfuric acid.