user search icon     shopping cart icon 0   email icon       email icon

dinner plate with wooden utensils depicting time to illustrate intermittent fasting

Intermittent Fasting 101: What It Is, How It Works, and Its Benefits

  blog post author icon   blog post published date icon   09/08/20

Disease  Nutrition  Sleep  Weight Loss  

If you're looking to lose weight, boost your energy, and increase your overall health, intermittent fasting is worth investigating. Read on to learn more and explore its basic principles, plans, and benefits.

  • Blog Post

    When they hear the word "fasting," many people think "starvation," "hunger," or "discomfort." However, intermittent fasting done well need not involve any of these uncomfortable experiences. In fact, intermittent fasting may bring precisely the positive health changes you seek.

    dinner plate and wooden utensils depicting 8 o'clock
    Should you consider Intermittent Fasting for your lifestyle?

    What Is Intermittent Fasting?

    Intermittent fasting involves alternating periods of fasting and eating. An intermittent fasting plan does not restrict certain foods or certain food groups. It does not limit you to a set number of calories. As such, it is not a diet.

    Intermittent fasting is, instead, an eating pattern. Individuals who engage in intermittent fasting refrain from eating for extended periods. Different plans define fasting and eating periods differently.

    Whole-Day Fasting

    As the name suggests, whole-day fasting involves complete fasting for one to two days per week. In some variations of this plan, individuals may eat a small amount-up to 25% of the normal calorie intake-on fasting days. Otherwise, only water, coffee, and other zero-calorie drinks are allowed.

    On non-fasting days, people on this plan eat normally without any restrictions.

    Alternate-Day Fasting

    Alternate-day fasting is similar. Alternating a fasting day on Monday, for example, with an eating day on Tuesday, this plan creates more structure in designating caloric intake on particular days. Like whole-day fasting plans, alternate-day fasting can entail a complete fast or a significant reduction in calories.

    Another variation of alternate-day fasting is the 5:2 plan. The "5" in this plan refers to five days of the week when a person eats normally without restrictions. On the remaining two days, a person fasts completely or significantly restricts calories.

    Time-Restricted Feeding

    One of the most popular forms of intermittent fasting is time-restricted feeding. Under this structure, particular hours of the day-rather than particular days-are designated as fasting and feeding times.

    The most common time-restricted feeding schedules are the 16/8 or 14/10 plans. On these plans, a person fasts for 14-16 hours per day. During the remaining 8-10 hour window, they consume all of their calorie needs.

    The Warrior Diet

    The Warrior Diet is another form of intermittent fasting. On the Warrior Diet, individuals do pay some attention to the types of food they consume. Aside from the evening and overnight hours, they also don't designate any portion of the day as a complete fast. Rather, they combine the elements of food choices and timed feeding. In this way, they create a distinctive eating plan.

    On the Warrior Diet, individuals eat some raw fruits and vegetables early in the day. Then, they "feast" on a large dinner of whole foods.

    This diet-and its name-derives from practices of ancient warriors. Like Warrior Dieters, these warriors ate little during the day. After all, during this time, they trained and battled enemies. When the day's battles were done, however, they enjoyed a large feast to prepare for the next day.

    In terms of food choices, the Warrior Diet is similar to the paleo diet.

    Spontaneous Meal Skipping

    Some people are intrigued by intermittent fasting but not ready to make a structured commitment. These individuals can ease into the practice with spontaneous meal skipping. Without designating particular times or days as fasting periods, people can use their own hunger as a guide. On this plan, individuals simply choose to skip meals when they don't feel hungry.

    How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?

    Calories equal energy, and your body needs energy to work. When you deprive your body of energy from calories, however, the body can adapt.

    Burning Fat: Helping Your Body to Access Stored Energy

    One way the body adapts to reductions in caloric intake is by looking elsewhere for energy. When you fast, your body looks to fat stores for energy.

    To make these fat stores more readily available, the body adjusts hormone levels. In particular, levels of human growth hormone (HGH) increase. As HGH increases, fat stores decrease, and muscle mass increases.

    Lower insulin levels-or reduced insulin sensitivity-also help the body access energy stored as fat.

    Importantly, the body's response to intermittent fasting is different than its response to other types of fasting. During extended periods of caloric restriction, like starvation diets, your body can adapt to calorie restrictions. Eventually, this adaptation-while suboptimal-allows the body to function on fewer calories. As a result, fat burning gradually slows or even stops.

    Intermittent fasting, in contrast, keeps the body off balance. Periods of fasting and feasting prevent the body from adapting to any one energy level. Thus, the body continues to shift to fat burning as an energy source when calories become scarce.

    Cellular Autophagy: A Cleaner Body Uses Energy More Efficiently

    Besides using energy stored as fat, your body also adapts to caloric restrictions by becoming more efficient. When you fast, you prompt your cells to "clean house."

    The word "autophagy" comes from the Greek "auto," which means "self," and "phagein," which means "to eat." In the process of cellular autophagy, your cells clean themselves by eating themselves. In other words, cells identify and remove parts that are old and worn out. These include proteins and structures, like organelles and cell membranes.

    By removing this build-up and replacing worn out parts with new ones, your cells become more efficient energy users.

    The hormone glucagon is responsible for stimulating cellular autophagy. Fasting is, in turn, responsible for increasing glucagon levels. In fact, glucagon levels increase as insulin levels decrease. Thus, fasting decreases insulin levels, increases glucagon levels, and prompts cellular autophagy.

    Gene Expression: Following the Body's Instructions

    Intermittent fasting also affects the body by changing gene expression. Gene expression refers to the process by which cells implement the instructions built into our DNA.

    Gene expression allows the body to use these instructions to adapt to its environment. As they adapt to changes in their environment, your body's cells turn various genes on and off. They also produce different proteins depending on their needs.

    When you fast, your body exhibits positive changes in gene expression related to longevity and immune response.

    What Are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?

    Many people investigate intermittent fasting as a tool for weight loss, and the method is promising. However, intermittent fasting benefits actually extend much further.

    Weight Loss

    To lose weight, you need to burn more energy than you consume. On your part, this generally means decreasing calories and increasing activity. On your body's part, it can also mean increasing your metabolic rate. Intermittent fasting acts on each of these factors.

    Reduced Calories

    When you engage in intermittent fasting, you eat fewer meals. Of course, the meals you do eat tend to be larger and contain more calories than any one meal did before. However, most people have a limit to how much they can comfortably consume in one sitting. Thus, your "feasting" periods on an intermittent fasting plan are still likely to include fewer calories than your previous eating habits.

    Increased Energy

    As your body adapts to intermittent fasting, you are also likely to experience increased energy. Feeling tired after eating is common and normal. After all, your body needs energy to digest the food you just consumed. When you follow a traditional three-meal-a-day plan, you're likely to experience this tiredness at least three times a day.

    When you follow an intermittent fasting plan, however, you are most likely to eat your largest meal in the late afternoon or evening. Fortunately, this is precisely when you expect to feel tired and want to get a good night's sleep. Thus, any sleepiness associated with your "feast" meal is an added bonus.

    Increased Metabolism

    Finally, intermittent fasting can speed up your body's metabolism. In one study, intermittent fasters saw their metabolism increase by 3.6-14%. Increased metabolism, in turn, promotes weight loss.

    Decreased insulin sensitivity and increased levels of HGH and other hormones promote an increased metabolism. As we saw, intermittent fasting produces each of these effects.

    Thus, research shows that intermittent fasting can promote weight loss through each of these mechanisms.

    Fat Loss

    Losing weight can be beneficial to a person's overall health. However, losing the right kind of weight is even more important. The greatest health benefits derive not from weight loss but from fat loss. Here again, intermittent fasting is a powerful tool.

    When you consume more energy (i.e., calories) than you expend, you add to your fat stores. These fat stores are excess energy, but the calories you eat each day remain your body's go-to energy source. Your body won't burn stored fat as long as you provide it with enough energy from calories.

    To burn fat, you need to force your body to look elsewhere for energy. During fasting periods, the bodies of intermittent fasters must do just that. Without calories coming in, your body fuels itself by burning its fat stores. Increased levels of HGH promote fat burning.

    Importantly, it also promotes muscle mass. This highlights another advantage of intermittent fasting over continuous caloric restrictions, which can actually cause muscle loss.

    Better Sleep

    Most people design their intermittent fasting plans around other important aspects of their daily schedules. These include work and sleep. On many intermittent fasting plans, fasting periods coincide with sleeping periods. Because active digestion can interfere with sleep, intermittent fasting can create ideal sleeping conditions.

    On a 16/8 plan, for example, an individual might eat the majority of his or her calories during the afternoon and early evening hours. Such a schedule allows adequate time for digestion before bedtime.

    Sleep and intermittent fasting can further complement one another as intermittent fasting promotes precisely those cellular repair processes that go on in your body while you sleep.

    Protection from Disease, Inflammation, and the Effects of Aging

    Your body constantly interacts with and adapts to its environment. In doing so, it attempts to maintain homeostasis, or internal balance and physical well being.

    Factors in the environment threaten this balance, and if the body is unable to deal with them, negative health consequences can result.

    Free radicals are among these threats. Highly reactive free radicals create cellular oxidation, which can damage other important molecules. These include proteins and DNA.

    Damage from oxidative stress and inflammation is a significant factor in aging and a host of chronic diseases. Intermittent fasting may allow the body to respond more effectively to oxidative stress. It may also fight inflammation. In these ways, it can promote overall health and longevity.

    Besides protecting against damage from oxidative stress, intermittent fasting promotes mechanisms that fight common chronic illnesses.

    Intermittent Fasting and Type 2 Diabetes

    By reducing insulin resistance and fighting obesity, intermittent fasting may reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

    Studies in animals also show that intermittent fasting can protect against kidney disease, especially as a complication of diabetes.

    Individuals at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes may find intermittent fasting beneficial.

    Intermittent Fasting and Heart Disease

    Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Risk factors for heart disease include:

    1. High blood pressure
    2. High cholesterol
    3. High triglycerides, or fatty acids
    4. High blood sugar levels
    5. Certain inflammatory markers
    6. Obesity

    Intermittent fasting shows promise to improve each of these factors.

    Intermittent Fasting and Cancer

    By promoting cellular autophagy and protecting against oxidative stress, intermittent fasting keeps your cells working efficiently. Proper cell function, in turn, protects against cancer.

    The increased metabolism you experience on an intermittent fasting plan may further enhance these potential anti-cancer effects.

    Intermittent Fasting and Brain Health

    Intermittent fasting's ability to stimulate cellular autophagy may also protect against Alzheimer's disease. Likewise, intermittent fasting's potential to promote nerve growth may protect against Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

    Finally, intermittent fasting may promote brain health and protect against depression by increasing hormones that may be deficient in the brains of depressed patients.

    Overall Longevity

    With the above benefits, intermittent fasting has the potential to increase lifespans.

    Additional research on the relationship between intermittent fasting and longevity in humans is needed. However, animal studies show staggering benefits. In one study, rats on an intermittent fasting plan lived 83% longer than rats in the control group.

    Intermittent Fasting: A Fast-Track to Better Health and a Longer Life?

    The potential benefits of intermittent fasting are encouraging. The body of research documenting them is growing. Nevertheless, more research is needed. Furthermore, it is important to remember that intermittent fasting results vary across individuals.

    Experiment with various plans and explore their benefits for you. Then check out our blog. There you'll find more ways to use nutrition and supplements to promote your health.

    Bibliography:

    Breus, Michael J. "What Is Intermittent Fasting, and Will It Help Your Sleep?" Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 11 Apr. 2019, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201904/what-is-intermittent-fasting-and-will-it-help-your-sleep.

    "Can Genes Be Turned on and off in Cells? - Genetics Home Reference - NIH." U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/howgeneswork/geneonoff.

    "Cardiovascular Diseases." World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases/.

    "The Difference between Weight Loss and Fat Loss." Men's Journal, 27 Apr. 2020, www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/whats-difference-between-weight-loss-and-fat-loss/.

    Hwangbo, Dae-Sung et al. "Mechanisms of Lifespan Regulation by Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting in Model Organisms." Nutrients vol. 12,4 1194. 24 Apr. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12041194

    Johnstone, A. "Fasting for weight loss: an effective strategy or latest dieting trend?." Int J Obes 39, 727-733 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.214

    Karp, Mathew R, CM, Beaudoin B, et al. "Autophagy suppresses tumorigenesis through elimination of p62" [published correction appears in Cell. 2011 Apr 15;145(2):322]. Cell. 2009;137(6):1062-1075. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.03.048

    Mattson, Mark P., and Ruiqian Wan. "Beneficial Effects of Intermittent Fasting and Caloric Restriction on the Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Systems." The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Elsevier, 26 Feb. 2005, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095528630400261X.

    "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2016." NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2016/press-release/.

    "Paleo Diet: Eat like a Cave Man and Lose Weight?" Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 25 Aug. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182.

    Piña, Benjamin. "SupplementRelief.com." Whole Foods and Pharmaceutical-Grade Supplements, 10 Oct. 2019, supplementrelief.com/the-role-of-supplements-in-our-lives/.

    Ries, Julia. "This Is Your Body On Intermittent Fasting." HuffPost, HuffPost, 3 Jan. 2020, www.huffpost.com/entry/body-intermittent-fasting_l_5e0a3220c5b6b5a713b22dcb.

    SupplementRelief.com. "SupplementRelief.com." NuMedica Antioxidant Supplements for Aging and Disease Prevention, supplementrelief.com/how-antioxidants-slow-the-aging-process-and-help-prevent-disease/.

    Tikoo K, Tripathi DN, Kabra DG, Sharma V, Gaikwad AB. "Intermittent fasting prevents the progression of type I diabetic nephropathy in rats and changes the expression of Sir2 and p53." FEBS Lett. 2007;581(5):1071-1078. doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2007.02.006

    Varady, Krista A, et al. "Short-Term Modified Alternate-Day Fasting: a Novel Dietary Strategy for Weight Loss and Cardioprotection in Obese Adults." OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 30 Sept. 2009, academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/90/5/1138/4598070.

    Wolfe DM, Lee JH, Kumar A, Lee S, Orenstein SJ, Nixon RA. "Autophagy failure in Alzheimer's disease and the role of defective lysosomal acidification." Eur J Neurosci. 2013;37(12):1949-1961. doi:10.1111/ejn.12169

    Zauner C, Schneeweiss B, Kranz A, et al. "Resting energy expenditure in short-term starvation is increased as a result of an increase in serum norepinephrine." Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(6):1511-1515. doi:10.1093/ajcn/71.6.1511

    Zhang, Y., Liu, C., Zhao, Y., Zhang, X., Li, B., & Cui, R. (2015). "The Effects of Calorie Restriction in Depression and Potential Mechanisms." Current Neuropharmacology, 13(4), 536-542. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159x13666150326003852

  • Related Content


headshot of Jay Todtenbier 2018
Author

Jay Todtenbier is an original founder of SupplementRelief.com in 2010 and has operated the business ever since. He is also a tennis instructor and gospel musician. Formerly he spent 25 years in business development, technology and marketing with startups and major corporations having gone through the tech boom in Silicon Valley in the 90s. He became passionate about, and began studying and practicing Wellness as a Lifestyle after experiencing chronic, personal health challenges including depression, auto-immune disorders, and being overweight that impacted his ability to live a healthy, vibrant life. Since then, he has been an advocate for healthier living encouraging others to live better through making small, gradual changes to lifestyle behaviors relating to whole-foods nutrition, stress management, reasonable exercise, proper sleep, and the use of targeted, high-quality supplements.

Learn more about Jay Todtenbier.

  • product discussion forum icon Discussion Forum
    Questions or Feedback?

    Ask questions. Share your thoughts.  Note that we cannot answer questions relating to specific medical conditions - please refer those to your qualified healthcare provider.

    Post a new Comment or Reply to an existing one. Help for using the Discussion Forum.

    Post Comment

    help icon Discussion Forum Help

    Comments are displayed in order of the last one posted so the most recent one is at the top and the oldest one at the bottom.

    Replies within a Comment are displayed in reverse order with the oldest one at the top and the most recent one at the bottom.

    Each post identifies comment posted by icon who made the post and the comment timestamp icon date and time the post was made.

    Mouse over the icons for tooltips that explain what they mean.

    audio file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach an Audio file to your post.


    document file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach a Document file to your post.


    image file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach an Image file to your post.


    video file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach a Video file to your post.

    You will see the ban post icon Ban icon (Report Post as SPAM) immediately following the Timestamp of the post. Click this icon if you feel strongly that the content posted is not appropriate and should be reviewed by the Forum Moderator. You will be provided with a confirmation dialog to be sure you wish to submit this post for review. If submitted, the Forum Moderator will be notified to review the post and will determine what type of action to take.

    Click exit icon in the upper right corner of this Help modal or anywhere on the web page outside of the modal to exit Help.

warning icon Session Expired from Inactivity


Do you want to?

You may also close your browser window/tab now to exit the website.

You are idle for seconds.

First Fitness Nutrition logo


FirstFitness Nutrition
Reseller Order Policy Change
Effective December 1, 2023


SupplementRelief.com has been an Authorized Reseller (Team Member) of FirstFitness Nutrition (FFN) since April of 2020, selling FFN products directly from our website to our customers, handling the payment processing, order fulfillment, and customer service.

Effective December 1, 2023 FirstFitness Nutrition REQUIRES ALL Authorized Resellers, who have formerly sold FFN products DIRECTLY from their OWN website, to refer the PRODUCT PURCHASE to the Reseller's FFN Team Member website.

You may continue placing orders on SupplementRelief.com through December 31, 2023 for the remaining products we have in stock.

SupplementRelief.com's FFN Team Member website is:

supplementrelief.firstfitness.com

On the top right of every page you will see our Team Member name to confirm you are on the correct FFN Team Member website:

Your FFN Team Member: SUPPLEMENTRELIEF.COM

Please BOOKMARK this new website supplementrelief.firstfitness.com for future shopping. You may begin using the Team Member website immediately.

You may also place your order directly over the phone by calling either SupplementRelief.com at 888.424.0032 or FirstFitness Nutrition's Customer Support line at 800.621.4348. Please let them know that your FFN Team Member is SUPPLEMENTRELIEF.COM.

You may continue to use this website (supplementrelief.com) for FFN product descriptions and other Wellness content from our Blog, Education, or Recipes, but on December 1, 2023:

  • The "Add to Cart" button will change to a "Purchase on FFN Team Member Website" button, and your browser will automatically open a new page on our FFN Team Member Website to purchase the product. You can stay on the new site and shop for ALL other FirstFitness Nutrition products without returning to this website.
  • If you formerly had a LOGIN ACCOUNT on SupplementRelief.com, it WILL NOT WORK on the FFN Team Member website. You will be given an option to create a new account on the FFN Team Member Website. You WILL NOT NEED your SupplementRelief.com account on this website anymore, unless you want to see your Order History for orders you placed on SupplementRelief.com in the past.

How Does This Affect Future FFN Purchases?


This means that as of December 1, 2023:

  1. You may purchase FFN products only from an FFN Team Member website.
  2. ALL ORDERS will now be PROCESSED and SHIPPED directly by FirstFitness Nutrition. The company name on your credit card statement will no longer say SUPPLEMENTRELIEF but will now say FIRST FITNESS.
  3. You may optionally create a new account on our FFN Team Member website, or you can shop as a Guest— both options work fine. Setting up a new account on the FFN website is recommended to make placing future orders easier, as FirstFitness will already have your information to process your order once you log on to our Team Member website.

FirstFitness Nutrition's Order Policy


  1. Delivery using UPS in 3 - 5 Business Days
  2. 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
  3. Shipping Charge is a minimum of $10 or 8.5% of the retail price of products purchased.
  4. Sales Tax is automatically calculated and is based upon the Shipping Address.
  5. You will receive an Order Receipt confirmation email directly from FirstFitness Nutrition (no longer directly from SupplementRelief.com) as soon as you complete placing your order on our Team Member website.
  6. You will receive an Order Shipment confirmation email directly from UPS (no longer directly from SupplementRelief.com) with the tracking number as soon as your order ships.

Every FirstFitness Nutrition order, from every FFN Team Member website, is subject to the exact same Order Policy. This means that shipping charges and sales taxes will be calculated the same way for every FFN product purchased from every FFN Team Member Website.


FirstFitness VIP Customer Rewards Program


FirstFitness Nutrition offers a Customer Loyalty VIP Rewards Program for savings whereby you can earn future discounts on product purchased.

This is a monthly autoship program (called a Smart Ship) where you choose the product(s) you want shipped to you each month. You can easily create and then log into your Customer VIP Rewards account anytime and change the products on your monthly auto-ship or pause/cancel it.

  • Receive 20% in VIP Reward Points redeemable for Free Products (4 points for every dollar spent - 400 points = $100) after three consecutive Smart Ships
  • Free shipping on a monthly Smart Ship order of $100 or more
  • Incentives to receive additional Reward Points

Learn more about the VIP Customer Rewards Program.


Transition Customer Support


SupplementRelief.com wants the transition to the FFN Team Member website for future orders to be a smooth process.

Faith Hoffman, our Customer Support Specialist, is happy to assist you. We appreciate your business and are prepared to answer questions and provide additional details on any or all of the above information, policies, products, costs, discount opportunities and programs, etc.

Please get in touch with Faith at your convenience:

headshot of Faith Hoffman

Faith Hoffman has spent 23 years in business practices, research, and customer relations for brand products and national companies. Lengthy hospital stays for auto-immune disorders, including the onset of heart and liver disease, led her to research the benefits of quality all-natural supplements and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

She became a customer of SupplementRelief.com three years ago. Positive results from healthy lifestyle changes and using quality, targeted supplements compelled her to share and recommend SupplementRelief.com products to family, friends, and clients. Studying through her journey and having a passion for helping others, she joined SupplementRelief.com as a customer support specialist in 2023.

When Faith is not assisting SupplementRelief.com customers, she enjoys singing gospel music, volunteering, and spending time with her family and pets.

Faith can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone or text at (225) 316-5716.

Session Arrays & Values

Are you sure you want to remove this item?

Order Policy

Please email if you have questions or need assistance.

Payment Processing

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards.

Payments are securely processed through industry leader Authorize.net of which SupplementRelief.com is a Verified Merchant.

We DO NOT retain or store your credit card information after the purchase. We DO NOT share your information with anyone. We DO NOT auto-subscribe you to anything. Your information is YOURS.

The charge will appear on your credit card statement as SupplementRelief.com with our phone number (888) 424-0032.

Shipping & Handling

A safe and accurate address for delivery must be provided at the time the order is placed. Once an order has shipped, SupplementRelief.com is NOT responsible for lost or stolen packages CONFIRMED BY THE CARRIER to be delivered to the address provided for the order.

Since COVID-19, and the ensuing economic challenges in the USA economy, we respectfully ask that you allow some additional time for delivery for the carriers (USPS, UPS, and FedEx). Most orders still arrive on time, or near on time, but some may run late. We make every effort to get your order packed and into the carriers hands the same day, or by the next business morning if your order came in later in the previous day after carrier pickup, but we have no control over any delays that may happen within the shipping carrier's delivery system. Please order earlier for the time being if you are time-sensitive.

Orders that contain only FirstFitness Nutrition products have a shipping fee automatically calculated based upon the actual shipping weight of the items purchased. The charge ranges from $4.95 to $14.95.

For orders with NuMedica products you may choose from the shipping options below on the Order Checkout form in the Shipping Information section on the first line that says Choose Shipping Method.

Shipping Options

Country Option Schedule Cost
United States Standard 3-6 Days $4.95
United States Priority 2-4 Days $9.95
United States Free 7-10 Days $0.00
International FedEx International 4-7 Days $79.95*
International GlobalPost International 12-21 Days $39.95*
*International shipping costs may be higher depending upon package weight and destination. We will contact you for your approval of the additional amount if this occurs.

SupplementRelief.com may use the email or phone number provided on your Order to call or text you regarding Order Status or to inform you of changes to the Order Policy.

When your order ships we will send you a confirmation email with the delivery tracking information.

International Shipping

Shipping anything these days internationally is expensive. COVID resulted in more rigorous customs import processes, and now with much higher energy prices, international shipping rates are higher.

FedEx is the most reliable and faster carrier, at least for now, but they are expensive. Our FedEx international shipping fee is a minimum of $79.95. It usually makes more sense to get several months of supply (3 months or more) in one order to minimize the shipping expense per order over time. While the added weight of additional items may increase the base shipping price by a little (usually 10-25% depending upon total weight and destination), it is usually not by very much relative to shipping an additional small order later.

We also offer a lower-cost international shipping option using GlobalPost International for $39.95. So far, they have been reliable in getting packages correctly delivered but it takes 2 - 4 times as long to get the package delivered. Packages may take longer to process in the receiving country's customs process and status updates may not be reported as quickly. Please be patient if you choose this option to save money.

Some International orders may cost more to ship depending upon weight and location. If that happens we will contact you first and get your approval for any additional charge before proceeding. International orders may also be subject to additional customs fees and duties/taxes based upon the destination country's customs import laws and policies. These fees are NOT known or included on our order form and are typically charged and collected by the shipping carrier when they are delivering the product to it's final destination once the package has cleared the destination country's customs process. It is recommended that the buyer research custom import fees for the products/services they are importing beforehand to be aware of potential, additional fees.

Shipping Refrigerated Products

Our manufacturers formulate their probiotics to ensure their products retain viability until they reach the consumer. Probiotics that are recommended to be refrigerated remain so until the time of shipment, then shipped alongside an ice pack to ensure potency (Note: Ice pack will not arrive frozen, and product may not arrive cold). Orders placed on a Thursday-Sunday requiring cold shipping will not ship until the following Monday.

Cancellations

If your order has not been shipped yet, you can request a cancellation. Your original purchase amount will be refunded within three business days. If your order has already shipped, see Returns and Refunds.

Changes, Returns and Refunds

If you want to make a change to your order, please email us as soon as possible so we can make the change before your order ships. If your order has already shipped you may incur additional shipping charges for the second shipment and the return label for any products returned.

If we have made a mistake on your order, or the product arrives in a damaged or unusable condition, we will make every reasonable effort to right the situation quickly to your satisfaction.

We accept returns subject to when the return is requested and the condition the product is returned in. All returns must first be authorized by contacting us. In your request, please let us know why you are returning the item(s). We will respond promptly with authorization, the return address, and a return shipping label if appropriate.

If your order has already shipped you can return any un-opened products within 30 days of receiving your order for a 100% refund of the price paid for the product, less the actual shipping charges we incurred to get the product to you originally and then returned, less a $10 restocking fee. Un-opened means the protective seal on the bottle or container, or the shrink-wrap on the box or kit, has not been broken and the product has not otherwise been damaged in any way. You may use the original packaging for the return or acquire your own. We will provide the return shipping label. We DO NOT accept returns for NuMedica products once the protective product seal has been broken.

Upon receipt of returned product(s), we will refund your credit card within three business days for the product(s) returned.