Top Supplement and Vitamin Offenders in Endocrine Practice: When 'Natural' Becomes a Clinical Problem
ENDOCRINOLOGY UPDATE | SUPPLEMENT SAFETY & LABORATORY INTERFERENCE June 2026 | NP Chronicles Clinical Education Top Supplement and Vitamin Offenders in Endocrine Practice: When 'Natural' Becomes a Clinical Problem By Valerie Watters-Burke, DNSc, MSN, MBA, FNP-BC, GNP-BC, PPCNP-BC From the endocrine practice — evidence-based commentary on supplements that cause real patient harm and laboratory confusion CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE Nearly 60% of U.S. adults now use dietary supplements regularly — and the proportion approaches 80% in adults over 65. For NPs working in endocrinology, primary care, or any complex patient setting, vitamins and supplements are no longer background noise. They are active pharmacological variables that can falsify laboratory results, cause direct organ toxicity, interact with medications, and trigger unnecessary workups and procedures. This post covers the top offenders seen in endocrine pra...