Meet the Chic New Vitamin Packs That Are Fine-Tuning Your Diet
Photo: Irving Penn; Courtesy.
At a time when the world is awash in wellness gurus, Gwyneth Paltrow holds her own. There is the woman herself, puzzlingly ageless in a who-needs-makeup sort of way; her lifestyle website, Goop, where everything from microflora to V-steams are lively topics of discussion; and an organic skin-care range with Juice Beauty, launched last year. If it all inspires an “I’ll have what she’s having” reaction, now there is one more way to do just that: with Goop Wellness vitamin packs, curated by her handpicked team of doctors.
Paltrow is diving into a newly energized market, joining recent subscription-based start-ups like Ritual and Care/of, which put a premium on data-backed ingredients, smart design, and transparency in sourcing. Goop’s iteration is both simple and comprehensive, with four daily protocols targeted to different needs, like a multiple-choice test for the self-care-obsessed. Looking for well-rounded support for a fast-paced life? There’s Balls in the Air, an antioxidant-powered blend developed with Amy Myers, M.D. that’s geared toward healthy immune function. High School Genes, created in collaboration with Sara Gottfried, M.D., sets out to recharge the metabolism and balance the gut. Alejandro Junger, M.D. targets adrenal fatigue in Why Am I So Effing Tired?, a millennial-dialect-named blend that includes the adaptogens ashwagandha, bacopa, amla, and holy basil. And for post-natal women, The Mother Load, overseen by Oscar Serrallach, M.D., dials up the calcium, magnesium, and choline, all key during lactation. Rounding out each regimen are a phytonutrient-rich multivitamin and omega-3s.
Who really needs supplements? It’s a reasonable question, considering that the industry is largely unregulated, the options confusing, and the science less than conclusive. (The recommended intake of vitamin D, for instance, is an ongoing subject of research.) But for Junger, just about everyone grappling with a modern lifestyle could use a boost. “In an ideal world, there would be no need for any vitamins because we would be eating what is designed for us to eat; those things would be grown in the way that nature designed them to be grown; and our digestive systems would be working according to how nature designed them to be working,” Junger says of a utopia far from our day-to-day reality, where “edible products” qualify as food and the fight-or-flight response regularly swings into overdrive. If depletion is more rule than exception, supplements can help, he goes on. “The principle of functional medicine is when you restore what is missing and you take away the obstacles”—such as chemical additives—“the body heals by itself.” But it’s important to remember that supplements are exactly that, simply part of a larger, balanced program of whole foods, exercise, and restorative practices like yoga, Junger adds. A conveniently delivered, single-serve pack of vitamins just happens to be a good place to start.
Goop Wellness vitamins, $90 for a 30-day supply, goop.com
This story originally appeared on Vogue.
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