Am I the only middle aged woman NOT using supplements?

[PoliteSquid]

Away on a weekend with friends and the conversation was constantly turning to supplements… probiotic powders, protein, creatin, bone broth and so many more!!!!
I’m no paragon of health but WTF? Where has all this come from? I can’t afford the prices mentioned, but I am starting to wonder if I’m the odd one out for not using any supplements at all!!

I take iron and vit d because blood tests showed I’m very low. I take a multi vitamin too because it contains folate which I’m also low in.
I take creatine to support muscle and general health.
I take collagen at the moment but i won’t buy any more when it runs out because i think its a fad and I don’t see any difference.
i was taking the triple magnesium but stopped when i ran out because it upset my stomach but my sleep is bad so i might try the glycinate.
related to OP’s post I’ve also recently started using retinol, vitamin C and peptides on my face because I heard there is some evidence behind these. I don’t get nails or anything else done apart from a haircut every three months so I don’t think I’m spending excessively, just trying to slightly slow the inevitable decline!!

I don't even know what half of those things are. I doubt there's any genuine medical or scientific evidence & they're just expensive placebos.
I take a multivitamin but that's it

Every Brit should be on vit d from October to march at minimum

Which magnesium do you take please?

I’m 43 and I take vitamin D, multi vitamins, a probiotic and creatine each morning and nutrition geeks magnesium before bed. The latter has definitely improved my waking in the night. I don’t absorb b12 from food so get injected with that every 3 months, I guess that’s technically a supplement too!

I wasn't taking any supplements. Then earlier this year blood tests have shown me to have low iron levels and low vitamin D and I've been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and have started medication for that. I'm having further blood tests this week as I'm still feeling unwell.

There seems to be so much reluctance to take it and “I get enough sun” and I’ve no idea why
even my friend who works outside 8-6 was deficient

I think you have to go through the online consultation on this page.

onlinedoctor.boots.com/vaginal-dryness

try to take D daily with Spatone liquid iron sachet, magnesium in evenings and collagen and a year stuff when I remember!

think the vitamin D makes most difference to my joint aches and pains, hoping the magnesium helps with sleeping

It’s insane very few are actually proven to do anything then you get so confused wondering what does what. If you can afford them and it makes you feel good great but don’t be taken in too much or worry your missing out

I'm 61 so not middle aged but only take vitamin d, there seems good evidence for this

Not entirely correct. There is a systematic review evidencing cognitive benefits from creatine https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35984306/

Also, a research paper came out recently looking at creatine supplementation in early stages of Alzheimer's disease showing some promising results.

what is middle age?

They need to say that vitamin d helps with wrinkles , that may solve the issue of people not taking it!

Yep, literally everyone in the country will be! Unless they're mainlining herring

I have no idea why either.

There’s a ton of evidence out there that it is important in the prevention of many diseases. It’s advised by the government (and they don’t advise any other supplements on mass). It’s also very cheap. The spray bottles are about £8 on Amazon. It must be lack of education.

Well I'm not sure but I'm pretty confident I'm not going to live to 120

I had this argument with someone when I said at 39 that I am middle aged😂 math worked, but apparently it's unacceptable notion😂

A doctor told me I was middle aged when I was 38 and I was very offended…. The women in my family live in to their 90s! I’m 59 now so will admit I have finally reached middle age!

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.

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 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.

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!

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.

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!