Your Summer Supplement Refresh: What To Prioritize When The Season Changes

For many families, summertime brings a big change in routine! It makes sense that your supplement routine might need a seasonal refresh too. In this article, you’ll learn about five supplements that may be worth prioritizing when the weather heats up.

If your kids are anything like mine, they spend half the summer in a pool. Chlorine is essential for keeping pool water safe, but it doesn't come without trade-offs. When chlorine reacts with organic matter in the water (think sunscreen, sweat, and skin cells), it forms disinfection byproducts that have been linked to oxidative stress and may deplete the body's antioxidant defenses, particularly vitamin C (1, 2).

To learn more, read this article: Vitamin C & Chlorine: Tips For Summer Pool Season

Vitamin C is one of the body's primary antioxidants, and supporting your child's levels during heavy pool season is a simple way to give the body a little extra protection during times of higher exposure to oxidative stress.

Practical tip: Beyond increasing vitamin C intake, you can also make a simple vitamin C spray and spritz it on skin after rinsing off post-swim to help neutralize any lingering chlorine on the skin.

To learn how to make your own, read this article: How To Minimize Chlorine Exposure + A DIY Chlorine Neutralizing Skin Spray Recipe

Park play is part of the joy of summer. But it is worth being aware that the more perfect the grass looks at public parks and playgrounds, the more likely it probably is to have been treated with glyphosate. The US EPA lists turf grass, parks, and residential areas among the registered non-agricultural uses of this herbicide (3) - meaning perfectly manicured public green spaces are often maintained with it.

To learn more about glyphosate, read this article: The Risks of Glyphosate — And Why We're A Glyphosate Tested Company

I truly believe all kids need to play outside, roll in the grass, and dig in dirt - and all of that is absolutely good for them (learn more about this in my article on animals, dirt, and the microbiome). But here is the other side of that coin: research confirms that children are especially vulnerable to glyphosate exposure due to their smaller body mass, and that they are more likely to be exposed through contact with contaminated playground dirt.

Glyphosate levels in children's urine samples have consistently exceeded those measured in adults (4). A separate longitudinal study found that lifetime exposure to glyphosate was associated with liver inflammation and metabolic disruption in young adulthood (5).

This is not a reason to keep kids indoors. The benefits of outdoor play are huge. But it is a reason to think about supporting normal liver function and healthy elimination during high-exposure summer months.

As part of a summer wellness routine, herbs like burdock root, yellow dock root, and chlorella have a long traditional history of use for supporting normal liver function and healthy elimination.

Practical tip: Wash hands and feet thoroughly after outdoor play, especially after time on grass or in playgrounds. Rinsing off before eating makes a real difference for reducing ingestion of soil-bound residues.

Most parents know omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain development and supporting a healthy inflammatory response. What fewer people know is that that a healthy omega-3 to 6 ratio may help support healthy skin during sun exposure.

To learn about additional nutrients that can support healthy summer skin, read this article: 5 Nutrients That May Reduce Your Risk of Sunburn

A review published in Experimental Dermatology found that omega-3 fatty acids show potential to support skin health in the context of UV exposure through multiple mechanisms (6). Human studies have shown that fish oil rich in EPA and DHA was associated with reduced UV-induced skin inflammation and may support skin's natural resilience to sun exposure (7).

To learn more, read this article: Omega Fatty Acids: Nutritional Sources & Health Benefits Explained

This does not replace sunscreen, shade, and protective clothing - please keep in mind that those absolutely remain the foundation of summer skin health. But making sure your family's omega-3 levels are well supported through the summer months is worthwhile, too!

You might like this article, too: DIY After-Sun Spray For Natural Sunburn Relief

Magnesium is lost through sweat just like other electrolytes, and with kids running around in the heat all day, their levels can quietly drop in ways that show up as muscle cramps, growing pains, irritability, or trouble winding down at night.

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of processes in the body, including muscle relaxation, nerve function, energy, and sleep (8,9,10), and low magnesium is more common than most people realize.

Try this yummy hydration drink recipe!

Food sources of magnesium include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocado, and whole grains.

To learn more about supplementing magnesium, read this article: Magnesium 101: Benefits, Food Sources, Daily Needs, and Supplement Types

Summer is a lot. The mental load of managing everyone's needs while also trying to actually enjoy the season is real!

Kava has a long traditional history of use for supporting a calm, relaxed state of mind. Kava is a gentle option for moms who need to take the edge off a chaotic Tuesday afternoon… A squirt of Kava added to your favorite summer mocktail is a great way to support your peace and calm this summer!

To learn more about Kava, read this article: Kava: A Natural Way to Support Calm, Clarity, & Restful Sleep

We are all different, and lifestyle and genetic makeup can all influence our individual nutrient needs. To learn more about choosing the right supplements for your family read this article: How To Build A Thoughtful Daily Supplement Routine For Your Family.

Summer is a great time to reassess your family's supplement routine. Vitamin C, seasonal liver support, omega-3s, magnesium (...and a little kava for mom) are all wonderful supplements to incorporate into your routine during the summer months!

1. Li JH, Wang ZH, Zhu XJ, Deng ZH, Cai CX, Qiu LQ, Chen W, Lin YJ. Health effects from swimming training in chlorinated pools and the corresponding metabolic stress pathways. PLoS One. 2015. PMID: 25742134.

2. Llana-Belloch S, et al. Disinfection by-products effect on swimmers oxidative stress and respiratory damage. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016. PMID: 26364906.

3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Glyphosate. Ingredients Used in Pesticide Products. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/glyphosate 

4. Gillezeau C, Lieberman-Cribbin W, Taioli E. Update on human exposure to glyphosate, with a complete review of exposure in children. Environ Health. 2020. PMC7664019.

5. Eskenazi B, et al. Association of lifetime exposure to glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) with liver inflammation and metabolic syndrome at young adulthood: findings from the CHAMACOS Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2023. PMID: 36856429.

6. Pilkington SM, et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: photoprotective macronutrients. Exp Dermatol. 2011. PMID: 21569104.

7. Rhodes LE, et al. Dietary fish oil reduces basal and UVB-generated PGE2 levels in skin. J Invest Dermatol. 1995. PMID: 7561154.

8. Guo W, et al. The mechanisms of magnesium in sleep disorders. PMC12535714. 2025.

9. Rawji A, et al. Examining the effects of supplemental magnesium on self-reported anxiety and sleep quality: a systematic review. PMC11136869. 2024.

10. Tarsitano MG, Quinzi F, Folino K, Greco F, Oranges FP, Cerulli C, Emerenziani GP. Effects of magnesium supplementation on muscle soreness in different type of physical activities: a systematic review. J Transl Med. 2024 Jul 5;22(1):629. PMID: 38970118.