Mark Cuban takes 3 supplements every day — A dietitian grades his routine

Recently, billionaire and TV personality Mark Cuban spoke about the three supplements he takes every day to support optimal health. That trio includes melatonin, vitamin D, and vitamin E. So, does the “Shark Tank” star really have the secret formula for better sleep and nutrition?

Although this is what works for Cuban, according to his interview with Business Insider, it’s important to note that this doesn’t mean that you need to take the same supplements. If you decide to, it also doesn’t mean you will reap the same benefits as Mark Cuban. As such, let’s break down each of the three supplements the businessman takes, the rationale for taking them, and more.

Cuban Takes Melatonin, But Magnesium May Be a Better Option

It’s safe to assume that Cuban is a really busy man who could use some help getting good sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that your body makes in the absence of light to help you regulate your circadian rhythms and promote a healthy sleep/wake cycle. At night, melatonin levels go up to promote sleep, and during the day they fall to help you stay awake. Naturally, our body usually makes around 0.3 milligrams of melatonin.

While some studies have shown that melatonin supplements can improve sleep in some cases, this isn’t applicable to everyone. Given that there isn’t that much regulation on supplements, there can also be great variation in amount and quality that you get depending on the brand. For all you know, you could pick up a supplement that has way less melatonin than what’s listed, or possibly way more than you want.

Some people claim that melatonin can be addictive, suggesting that it’s dangerous to take in supplement form. Current evidence has not suggested this, and much of it has shown its benefit for sleep. Despite this, many people opt for other supplements to improve their sleep quality, such as magnesium.

Magnesium is a mineral that close to 75 percent of Americans do not get enough of in their diet. In recent years, the mineral has become one of the most popular supplements out there.

Even though it can be obtained through a variety of plant-based foods, most people don’t eat enough of these foods and, even if they do, magnesium content in food has declined over the years.

Magnesium can also be depleted from the body due to lifestyle factors like stress and high sugar intake. If you are looking for a supplement to help you sleep better, as well as provide your body with a critical mineral that it uses for hundreds of reactions, magnesium may be the better choice compared to melatonin.

Cuban is One of Many People Needing More Vitamin D 

Cuban says that he started taking a vitamin D supplement after blood work showed that his levels were low. He isn’t the only one, as vitamin D deficiency is very common. Current estimates suggest that this problem affects one billion people around the world.

Generally speaking, this happens because people don’t get enough sunlight and/or don’t consume enough vitamin-D rich foods. Vitamin D is critical for immune health, bone health, nerve function, and more. Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in many different conditions like diabetes, various cancers, and autoimmune disorders.

While many people can successfully raise their levels with a vitamin D supplement, there’s other important things to know about vitamin D metabolism. Namely, vitamin D has co-factors, or “helper” nutrients, that work with it to be effective in your body:

• Magnesium is used for activation within the body.
• Vitamin K2 directs calcium in the body that gets mobilized by vitamin D.
• Boron helps the body increase how long vitamin D works in your body.
• Vitamin A enhances the impact vitamin D has on the body.

It’s important that you have a varied diet to support supplementation with vitamin D given that proper metabolism relies on other nutrients.

Vitamin E is Better Off Coming from Food

The most controversial supplement that Cuban says he takes is vitamin E.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that supports vision, reproduction, and provides your body with antioxidants. It can be found in foods like wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, avocado, peanut butter, and more. However, in the United States, vitamin E deficiency is considered rare.

The research on vitamin E supplementation has sparked controversy on its safety and efficacy. Some studies show that vitamin E supplementation is protective against cancer, while others show that it can actually drive it.

Others have shown that high doses of alpha-tocopherol (the most common vitamin E isomer found in supplements) can increase bleeding risk in the brain. While the jury is still out, it’s recommended that people don’t just pick up a vitamin E supplement and start taking it.

Also, it’s crucial to be mindful of all fat-soluble vitamin supplementation in general (including vitamins A, D, E, and K), as they accumulate in the body and don’t have the easiest route of exit. The accumulation of these substances in the body can lead to negative health impacts.

From the original article, it’s unclear why Cuban chooses to take vitamin E, but he probably could get a variety of vitamin E’s benefits through food without the possible side-effects that may come from supplements.

Bottom Line

In the wake of Cuban’s venture into the healthcare industry with, Cost Plus Drugs, he’s now sharing three supplements that he personally takes for his own health. Vitamin E, D, and melatonin are his supplements of choice. Out of these options, however, most Americans would likely only benefit from 1 out of 3 — vitamin D.

The other two are far more individualized. Before hopping on Cuban’s bandwagon, know that this is what appears to work for him, and it is not guaranteed to work for you. Before starting any new supplement routine, be sure to work with your dietitian and doctor first.

You might also be interested in: 

• Everyone’s an entrepreneur: 3 in 5 people think they’ve got the next ‘Shark Tank’ money maker
• Do multivitamins work? Study concludes supplements a ‘waste of money’ for most people
• A Dietitian’s Take: If you only take one supplement, this is the one to pick