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!!

OP I currently just take a multi vitamin- but it did include iron and vit D.

I would say I d got a pretty good diet- usually have around 8 portions of fruit or vegetables daily. But over winter I notice the difference to how I feel when I don’t take a bit of help.

I did take something that was supposed to help hair and nails for a while when I was trying to out grow a bad cut, but it didn’t seem to make any difference to hair or nails, although I had good skin while I was taking it.

I have an effervescent vitamin c most days - the big tablet you put in water. TBH it's mostly because I don't always drink enough water and this tastes nice! Squash would probably have the same health benefits.

46 and I take absolutely nothing, I'm feeling totally fine most of the time.

Just because you don't take any doesn't mean you wouldn't benefit from them.

Fun fact, various studies have shown uk people who have office jobs and don’t get enough sun exposure over winter to produce enough vit D. This is a serious problem for anyone following a vegan diet towards the north of the UK. (Also can be an issue for women who dress “modestly” for religious reasons and so don’t expose much of their skin to sunlight.)

This time of year, fine. Over winter when many travel to and from work in the dark- you need Vit D from your diet, and for some that’s going to have to be in supplement form.

Agree!! Same here - vitamin D as advised by doc cos l went through early menopause

It’s called being a redhead. I don’t get enough sun because I burn
if you work in an office how much sun are you getting a day? Not much

I was too until I tried L Tyrosine for brain fog and it improved. I think it's a bit strange that I was sceptical about taking things your body lacks or needs more of - Vitamin D, omega 3, Vitamin B - they're not exactly snake oil.

I take several vits/minerals and have done for years. What I take depends on my stage of life, you could say. Everything I take has a noticeable effect, if I stop then after awhile I'll get various symptoms back, so I know I need what I take.

"I don't take anything except"
"It's all nonsense except this one thing I personally take"

😅

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements and one that all women should take.
Another benefit is cognitive function.
It’s the only supplement that a nutritionists I used to work with ever recommended to his clients.

mid 60’s once tried magnesium to help with sleep but it gave me diarrhoea. Apart from that no medication, no supplements, no illnesses. I honestly think supplements are one huge scam

I'm just back from a weekend away with six friends.The amount of powders and shit they all had was quite unbelievable. We had a whole conversation about all of the things that people spend money on that their husbands don't. And the cost was phenomenal!
Spending around £25 -80 a month plus each. None of them actually needs any of it for any particular reason.Other than they've seen it on instagram/FB. It was an eye opening conversation for me.
They all also get their nails done every 6 weeks for about £30 and their hair dyed and cut for between £60 to £120 every 8 weeks.
Then also they have expensive shampoo, face creams (loads of them!) And decent makeup. They worked out that they were spending between £200 and £400 a month on this stuff.
I have to say in the main they do look better than me with my head and shoulders and trim from my DD. But none of them, but particularly fitter or healthier than I am.

We are all on relatively similar incomes and outgoings otherwise (with some outliers) .So it was quite interesting that this was their focus.
But it did make them understand how I managed to go away 5 times a year on weekend breaks and they couldn't!
They think supplements have come from really heavy advertising on social media and a fear that if they don't they will become old before their time.

Except for my thyroxine I take nothing else, tried magnesium did not agree and a lot of other things affect the absorption of my thyroxine. I can’t stand powders you add to anything.

Sounds exactly like my weekend!! It honestly opened my eyes to a whole new world I had largely ignored…

Evenimg primrose oil
Vitamin D & K
Multivitamin (when I remember)

I take vitamin D drops as I don’t get outside much to make any the natural way. I’m quite often housebound with mobility problems. I take multi-vitamin drops, too, as I’ve been on Mounjaro and I know my diet is quite restricted, but that’s it. I don’t think either supplement is unnecessary.

All these things labelled as being for the menopause are just expensively packaged stuff you could get much cheaper elsewhere/separately.

Nope, I don't take anything either, and I am almost 60.

AM: Collagen, acidophilus, biotin, zinc, Vitamin D
PM: Magnesium, iron, fish oil, vitamin C

I was like you but just started because my blood report shows I need them.

I take loads. I never used to but since hitting 40 I've noticed my body has started to go downhill a bit and these all help in various ways

Iron because I had/ have very low iron & symptoms resulting from that.
Vit C to help the iron absorb
Collagen for my creaky knees
Whey protein to try and maintain my muscle mass (currently dieting)
Vit D (will stop this in May)
Magnesium for sleep
B vit complex as my last blood test was borderline

Post menopausal women who aren’t on HRT would definitely benefit from calcium and vitamin D. That’s all I take.

in covid i took vitamin d - dont need that in the summer anyway
but now i take nothing - although sometimes i take Flaxx seeds but generally avoid
i eat healthily i think

The wellness industry is skilled at parting people from their money.
I take nothing unless my doctor has told me to do so.
Most of the stuff on sale is absolutely unneccesary and much is simply snake oil.

I was the same with magnesium.

I've tried various things that supposedly "You must use to help your body as you get older". Not one whit of difference except a dent in my pension.

I have regular blood tests and everything is perfectly fine so I won't be wasting any more money on supplements.