Public protocols
Dr Sandford's Curated Supplements's general recommendations, available to anyone who visits this store.
Chinese Chicken Soup
2 more items in Chinese Chicken SoupFor 15 years, I've told people "The instant you even think that you're starting to get sick, start Yin Qiao 3 pills 3 times per day for 4 days and it'll head most things off." I recently evaluated the main makers for yin chiao, settled on TCM Zone, and discovered a few items along the way, in the PDF here. I'll be using the Jade Windscreen before flying, as well as for patients that get sick often, and Yin Qiao as I always have, and the six gentlemen for that illness constipation.
-My Morning Smoothie
4 more items in -My Morning SmoothieI sometimes like to cram as much as I can into a single delivery vehicle, reducing/eliminating pills for the day. When I do this smoothie within an hour of waking (when I'm not intermittent fasting), it provides solid energy and alertness that lasts through the day. In addition to the below, the base is: Oat milk, water, Orgain's Chocolate or Peanut butter protein powder, vital proteins collagen peptides, bulletproof inner fuel, chia seeds, blueberries, blackberries, banana, avocado, sometimes flax if I'm looking to boost my SHBG. Protein sources - I put a lot in. A quality whey (I like Antler Farms on Amazon right now), regular Orgain Pea protein plus Metagenics Perfect Protein pea protein that supplements in the missing essential aminos. Need to connect?
-The Basics
4 more items in -The Basics(Click here for details!) Having looked at thousands of individuals bloodwork, there are certain nutrient supports that are almost always relevant. If you handle the below, you'll be a good step ahead of the game. I have put a few of my favorites into this protocol, but you have many more options in my Favorites "Vitamins" section. A solid multivitamin ... smooths in the gaps where diet is not fully meeting your needs. It should be said, though: No supplement is a replacement for proper eating. Pure Encapsulations Pure Packs are great. A single tear open sachet that replaces 4 different bottles. These are excellent when you're not heavily deficient in any given nutrient. I use the Men's and Women's regularly, with the Athletic or Ultra when the others are out of stock. ITI's Clinical Nutrients HP is a solid, less-expensive lighter-weight multi, for when you're using other supplements to push areas that are deficient, when the Pure Packs just aren't strong enough. Magnesium ... is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies around, and one of the few where you can feel it increasing in your body. For magnesium, the FORM matters - all of them work everywhere, but each form has areas that it shines. Magnesium glycinate and malate are great for the nervous system and sleep. Magnesium citrate is a good jack-of-all-trades magnesium, doing ok work on sleep, muscles, mood, bowels. Magnesium carbonate or oxide are mainly only good for helping bowel movements. In addition ... to the above which cover the basics, people will very often be low in the below, but you should DO LABWORK BEFOREHAND so that you know exactly what you're targeting. I mention lab ranges with Quest/Labcorp as the reference ranges change significantly between labs. Vitamin D (with K2) ... is another extremely common deficiency. In my practice, I'm targeting blood levels around 60 with Quest/Labcorp ranges. The maintenance dose to keep a person there is generally 2000-5000, depending on their sun exposure. If a person is significantly lower than 60, a higher temporary dose might be needed. This is one to absolutely work with your doctor on, as there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you are taking it and not seeing the numbers move, get the liquid version and take with food. Omega 3's ... are obtained from fatty fish and from high consumption of omega plants. Even your healthy LA diet often is deficient here, as noted by Quest and Labcorp's Omega Index testing. Omega 3's are what the white matter in your brain is made of, and is what your internal anti-inflammatory chemicals come from - so are key for emotional and mental health, as well as cardiovascular and inflammation health. A few caveats for getting this right - You're looking for 1000-4000mg of the DHA plus EPA in the nutrition facts (not the total omegas). For plant based omegas, it hard to hit those numbers, as you need 10mg of ALA to get 1mg of DHA - so supplement, but definitely emphasize food sources (see the wikipedia entry - note Perilla on there, which is amazing for allergies as well, you're looking for a "2 for a") Calcium ... Predominately needed in the peri and post-menopausal seasons. For that, I'd suggest going to Algaecal's website for theirs. Else, DFH's OsteoForce Supreme. Sulfur ... is often surprisingly low. Epsom salt baths are a good way to drive up basic magnesium and sulfur levels (sulfur is another key deficiency in the US diet). 4 cups in the water (it won't all dissolve). Weekly for 1 week, then just once per week. Iron (as ferritin) ... frequently low in women that have regular periods. In other individuals, we shouldn't see low ferritin unless they consume limited meat. I measure iron by Ferritin, with a target level of 75-150. Free iron and red blood cell levels change in bloodwork only after sustained deficiency - ferritin drops first. Pro Tip: A bit of vitamin c (I like the 500mg chewables, it's like candy) will improve absorption, as will taking it later in the day. Salt ... Quite common in LA. If you run with lower blood pressure, get lightheaded on standing up, are fatigued often, you want to consider investigating temporary salt dosing with your doctor. Iodine ... Not only is the soil in America denuded of iodine, most folks in LA never eat iodized (morton's, etc) salt, which along with processed foods are the main sources of iodine here. Dosing iodine requires your doctors input, as while too little iodine means you can't make thyroid hormone, too *much* slows the thyroid production. Blood target is generally middle of the lab range for iodine. If you are doing this on your own, use kelp, not iodine pills. Food No matter what your basic philosphy is (and if you're looking for one, go lower-grain mediterranean) if you do the three below items you will always come out a ahead. 1) Eat all 7 colors of the rainbow of plants every day 2) Eat 30+ different types of plants per week (we'll consider white and purple cauliflower as different plants) 3) Water. Half your weight in ounces of water each day, at a bare minimum. Much more if you're sweating. Is a supplement "junk"? It's always hard to tell, but here are a few items that I look for, to get an idea if it's designed for maximum profit, or for patient health. The following are red-flags for me: 1) If B12 CYANOcobalamin. 2) If Folate is folic ACID. 3) If Calcium is carbonate. 4) If Magnesium or Zinc are oxide. Probiotics are tricky - many, but not all, good brands will list the strain and not just the species (i.e. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, not just lactubacillus rhamnosus). If it's just 3-4 a couple of species without strain name or if it's unexpectdly cheaper than peers, those are poor indicators. Need to connect?
-Click here to read about Doc Sandford's Curated Protocols
Fullscript is your go-to platform for a wide range of top-quality supplements, all at prices that often beat Amazon, thanks to your Doc Sandford discount. But let's be honest, the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming. That's where these Protocols come in. They offer a quick snapshot of the reasoning I use to recommend supplements for my patients. However, remember, this is high-level guidance. For personalized advice tailored to your unique health needs, consult your healthcare practitioner or book a session with me. Want to explore more? Click on the Catalog above to browse my personal favorites, sorted by category. Your path to better health just got a bit easier to navigate. Want to connect?
Shop the entire wellness catalog, held to a higher standard
Shop practitioner-grade products, each meeting the same bar for quality through Fullscript's standards.
Powered byVerified
Sourced straight from the brand — no resellers or fakes
Enhanced testing
Select products are tested in-house — get exactly what the label promises
Stored and shipped
From certified facilities, to protect product integrity