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'm 44 and only take vitamin D because I'm often low on that when I have blood tests. Though tbh I often forget - but I notice I feel better when I remember for a few days. I'm very cynical about all the stuff advertised on social media. A few of my friends have tried various things like Nutrition Geeks and said it didn't make any difference.

My mum's nearly 80 and other than arthritis (which her mother had too) she's still strong and healthy with not that many wrinkles, so I can't see that they're essential. Of course if you're low in something it's worth supplementing that, but otherwise I'm convinced you're just making expensive wee.

ETA - the only other thing that I really notice I need is first class protein. My partner is veggie so we don't eat meat at home, and I find if I don't eat actual meat for a few weeks I start to feel very tired and low. I was veggie for a while in my teens and again in 20s, and had the same thing. So I make sure I have chicken and fish a couple of times a week. Not convinced protein powder would have the same effect.

I have had my ovaries removed and can't take HRT due to a history of cancer. Therefore supplements are my only option for managing menopause symptoms. I take quite a few - vitamin B, D, magnesium, calcium, omega 3. However i'm not sure if I would necessarily need them if I was able to replace the oestrogen in my body with HRT? I think its very individual and as others have said, needs to start with consideration of what symptoms/problems you have or what do you feel deficient in.
I also use protein powder and collagen powder but do this at random really - e.g. if i'm making smoothies or pancake batter i'll chuck some in but can go days without using either.

I take turmeric, Vit D, glucosamine and magnesium.

Everyone in the UK should be supplementing vitamin D in the winter regardless of age.

I also take magnesium, zinc, B12, Vitamin C, cinnamon and green tea supplements - £10 for each and they last 6-12 months depending on which brands.

Edit to add: I’m 37.

Vit d, b complex, collagen, glutathione, lysine, sage, lemon balm, milk thistle and CBD

I don't know if they help but I don't have any aches or pains and can sleep for 9 hours straight if dh doesn't wake me getting up in the night

Oh and cod liver when I remember

In my 50s and take Vitamin D - as that seems fairly universally recommended. I take a b12 sublingual tablet as I don't process b12 from food very well.

Other than that I try and eat a wide variety of foods, fish, vegetables, beans and lentils and not too much crap. I suspect anything else I took would be pissing money down the toilet - literally.

Depends on your body’s needs.

a blood test will show if a person is deficient in anything

Nope. I had blood work done recently and my doctor told me my results were excellent and my diet and exercise must be the same! Yay!

So in short, yes! Those of us not taking anything are the unusual ones!

I don’t know if I have any deficiencies and haven’t had a blood test for years. I’m 48 with a bit of middle aged spread but other than that I feel okay.

The vitamin D recommendation is only for certain groups

The NHS says 10 mcg daily throughout the year should be considered if you:

• are not often outdoors (for example housebound or frail)
• live in a care home
• usually cover most of your skin outdoors
• have dark skin (for example African, African-Caribbean or South Asian background), as you may make less vitamin D from sunlight in the UK.

Babies and children

• Babies under 1 year: 8.5 to 10 mcg daily, unless formula-fed with more than 500ml/day of fortified formula.
• Children aged 1 to 4 years: 10 mcg daily all year round.

I take my minibox of vitamins with me everywhere!
I take a load, vitamin b, c,d. Biotin, collagen, cod liver, milk thistle, fibre, tumeric. I’ve been taking them consistently for 5 years and notice the difference.

I'm on HRT and take magnesium for restless leg syndrome (recommended by someone one here - whoever it was, thank you! It's been a game [sleep] changer!)

73 and take vitamin D. No health problems

I take Vitamin D as it was recommended by my GP. I have also taken glucosamine since my late 20s, as years of competition level kickboxing has been hard on my knees.

I was feeling horrendous and blood tests revealed I had low iron and vitamin D so I've been on supplements since then and I feel so much better. I also take omega-3 because it seems to help with joint pain and a vitamin b complex for fatigue, which also seems to help. I think most midlife women taking supplements will be doing it in response to symptoms they are experiencing. If you feel fine, there's no need to bother.

45 and don't take anything. Never crossed my mind. I hadn't realised anyone did tbh. I feel OK generally.

53 here do not take anything but low dose HRT. Try to eat food that will give me all the things I need

I wouldn't consider bone broth a supplment. Just good food.
I take vit d (previously deficient), multivitamins, joint supoort (issues since ever) and occasinal amino acids.
I do have pill box for them by the water so I don't forget because vit d deficiency is quite an experience....

I take vitamin B and D daily, and an apple cider vinegar supplement as I find it helps control my blood sugars (type 2 diabetic). I did try berberine recently but my digestive system was not a fan!

I don’t take anything at the moment, but manly because I keep forgetting (and got thoroughly bored of washing up the smoothie maker). I must get back to it as I did notice a difference

I have Creatine (strength training at the gym) and Collagen (I noticed a big difference to my hair and skin), I do have some vitamin D which I take in the winter

Also, HRT

I don’t - and I’m in my mid 60’s. No regular medication either - that makes me stand out from all the colleagues in my Department at work, too, and I’m the oldest!

I’m 54 and until recently was taking collagen , special woman’s vitamin and nmn. Have finally admitttd to myself that the collagen was not doing anything and the nmn probably not so have stopped those. I still take the pricy woman’s vitamin. The challenge is that when I was taking the others I attributed feeling well to taking them but now I’m not I would imagine the slightest twinge I’ll start telling myself ok it’s because you arent taking the x. Our brains are not helpful they tell us stories! I’m eating more protein though, eggs are a lot cheaper than collagen powder.

I think for me it was a combination of seeing no difference, listening to the bbc investigation on collagen and then seeing a recent advert for a new collagen company where the woman has loads of lines in her cheeks then four weeks later they were all gone that made me think this is just not true.

well I did know it wasn’t true but that was the push I needed!

I’m 59 and I don’t take any supplements. I’m on HRT and, when I remember, I have six prunes a day, which is good for maintaining bone density, and 20ml ultra high polyphenol olive oil, which is good for a number of things including brain function, cardio health and blood sugar levels. I’m not terribly consistent but try to have both of those most days.
Not all supplements are good, and they’re not all created equal. The more research I did the less inclined I was to bother, although I know lots of people who recommend creatine - but you have to be careful to get the good quality stuff.
I do Pilates twice a week and a half an hour of low impact cardio twice a week, and that is probably more important and beneficial than the prunes and olive oil

I ran out of joint supplements, went a couple of weeks without and really noticed the difference. I won’t be running out again! Also I have collagen supplements but don’t really notice a difference with them tbh.