My family doctor in Canada flat out told me that he received no special education regarding supplements and is not qualified to give any recommendations, except to say that everyone in Canada needs to take vitamin D.
Mine (Canadian) certainly did.
One of his concerns was patients taking supplements sold by friends or relatives who claimed the supplements were the answer to everything...cancer, back problems, sleep issues. The entire gamut. My spouses physician is the same....she wants to know if DW is taking that could impact what she might prescribe.
He also recommended dealing with a qualified pharmacist for supplements and vitamins....not your friends who may sell them at incredibly high prices accompanied by grossly exaggerated claims. And very seldom know the least thing about what they are selling other than what they are reading form the promo detail sheet.
Sometimes they were reluctant to admit to taking them. His view is that he wants to know any drug or supplement that a patient happens to be taking prior to recommending any
treatment.
In my case, in my 60's, he recommended vitamin D. That's it. Plus the basics to good health. Keep my weight in check, eat healthy foods-especially fruits, less meat, more fish, pass on fried or fatty foods, regular exercise and a good sleep. His advice has worked well for the past 10 years.
I have a SIL who is obese, eats all the greasy foods, cakes, and breads that is put are front of her. Her view that the only good vegetable is one served in a sea of cheese sauce. She also buys all the vitamins, weight loss cures, sleep aids, anti oxidents that are sold by her church friends. Her health remains the same yet she continues to spend money she cannot afford because the either does not want to say no sale to these folks or expects a miracle weight loss cure out of a bottle in thirty days or less. Go figure.