Am I the only middle aged woman NOT using supplements?

ALOT of the fancy supplements that drown our feeds are just underdosed dust. So many are just not worth it unless you know you are deficient in something or are battling an actual health issue.. I do take a few though, cause I'm old 😅

Yes that’s what I’ve been saying. No idea why people have not got this memo!

A lot of women with periods simply can’t get enough iron (and often B12) from their diet either. Iron tablets are necessary for me with endometriosis!

I was feeling the same about the collagen I took for years then my 67 year old friend walked in looking like she’d had Botox. Turns out she had been taking Wild Nutrition collagen. I switched to it and am 2 weeks in and already stunned by the difference in my skin. So not all collagen is created equal. Define worth checking out.

I also take vit D year round, high dose C, multi vit, B vits and omega (all by Pure Encapsulations). And iron.

Last time I was sick was a cold 2 1/2 years ago. Before that was Covid back in 2021. I very rarely get any sort of bug and my DH and DD who also take high quality supplements and vit D year round are the same.

And since it's only available from the sun between end of April and end of August (in the UK) you can't get it year round without supplementation.

You can’t get enough vitamin D from the diet. So a good diet will not provide sufficient vitamin D…

I don’t buy any supplements but I do spend money on high quality food. I buy local meat from the butcher and local veg from an organic farm shop. I grow quite a lot of fruit and salad. I also bake my own bread with stoneground flour. Puddings are a rare treat and we have no sugary snacks in the house. I reckon we have all the nutrients we need in our diet.

Are you taking Levothyroxine?

I take quite a few things, I’m 43 and struggling with some peri symptoms (mainly anxiety, insomnia and mood swings) so doing my best with it! I also have underactive thyroid and anxiety-based SAD.

Multivitamin
Evening primrose oil
Vitamin D all year round
Collagen powder
and I’ve just ordered Magnesium Glycinate to add in.

Bandwagon? How utterly ignorant you sound

I suffer from migraines so I take Coenzyme Q10, vitamin B2 and magnesium for that. Also take vitamin C and D for immune system. Recently started collagen as in peri and muscles and joints are getting very stiff. Also just restarted omega 3 fish oil for this. Also take whey protein as easy extra protein. Taken other things in the past (e.g. iron and B12) but trying to cut costs a bit!

Agree. When I was banging my head against a wall as my head felt like it was going to explode with the pressure I was only too glad to jump on the HRT bandwagon.

I'm happy to accept all the good things being on the hrt bandwagon helps with. Both immediate and longterm.

If your gonna take any, take them after eating for maximum effect.

what was the point of this thread
people are not going to be persuaded if that was the sneaky intention.

And you need sunscreen as well.

I take quite a lot I guess.

Symprove (due to gut issues which are now much improved so I just take a half dose)
Omega 3s (this is the important one as I don't eat oily fish or much fish at all)
Beetroot
A daily multivitamin
An iron tablet every 3 days or so
I add collagen and creatine to porridge but don't have it every day

HRT is a lifesaver (literally) for many women. I finally slept for the first time in 5 years. And nice to know my bones are protected. (And all the other benefits). It’s not a ‘bandwagon’ - women have been denied hormones for years and less still take it than before that heavily flawed WHI study was published.

It’s ok to take nothing. And definitely to not spend money on supplements you don’t need. But quit with the ‘bafflement’ - it’s so smug. You are baffled that women take medication that makes them feel better? Some women were suicidal before HRT..it can save marriages…

I take nothing. No supplements, no medication.
I have the same bafflement with the menopause/hrt bandwagon.
I think most unnecessary supplements cause more harm than good

People don't take supplements to look younger. They take them to feel better.

I had a string of asthmatic chest infections. Vitamin D was just 2 over range.

I now take high strength vitamin D all year round and guess what? Only one chest infection in 18 months which is brilliant.

I have terrible tendon issues. So I now take collagen on advice of orthopaedic surgeon to help them heal. No one can see my tendons!

There is absolutely no point in taking supplements unnecessarily, but it's worth having a look at reference ranges vs optimal ranges when it comes to blood test results, including those for vitamin D.

The OP asked if anyone was taking anything and I answered by telling the truth about myself and agreeing that some people have a medical need for supplements. In a lot of cases, though, supplements do nothing and there's plenty of scientific evidence out there to back this up.
Last time I had a blood test (fairly recently), it didn't show I was short on Vitamin D, so obviously I don't take something I don't need.
I fail to understand how answering a question truthfully is bragging or suggesting it's an achievement!

I don’t take any supplements and I never have. I’m mid 70s now and feel fine. I don’t look older than average, just ordinary.

Everyone should take vitamin D in winter with k2

people post that they don’t take any medication like it’s some kind of achievement or choice rather than genetics/bad luck/etc

I'm 50 and I don't take or use anything at all. No supplements, no medications, and no creams or potions on my skin.
Unless you have a medical need for something, I'm inclined to believe they are all just snake oil. Just me doing me.