I'm 42 - what vitamins/supplements/treatments do I need?

[BirdIsland]

I've decided to make some improvements in my life, particularly around my health/appearance. I've suddenly realized that all the things I did in my 20s/30s do not work for me in my 40s 😩 But I'm just so overwhelmed by all the stuff targeted at women that I don't know where to start so would love the collective mind of S&B.

The issues I'm trying to address are:

1. General health - feel like a need some good vitamins? Do I need collagen?
2. Bad sleep - I often wake at 3/4am and struggle to get back to sleep
3. Dry, thinning hair - I get it coloured to hide the greys, but it's definitely much dryer than it used to be
4. Lines around my eyes, both crows feet and crepey skin under my eyes
5. Fetching new moustache
6. Weak nails

God when I start writing it all out I just keep thinking of more and more things, but that's probably enough for now.

Any recommendations to help with any of my extensive list would be most welcome 🙏

I take vitamin D and B complex.
I also take Biotin, which seems to have helped my never growing hair, unless it's less stress following retirement.

Do you eat fish? My skin always looks better and glowier when I'm getting plenty of unsaturated fats in my diet, e.g. avocado, nuts, seeds, oily fish, olive oil.

A collagen scientist once told me that taking collagen supplements was like a blind man eating eyeballs to regain his sight - kind of logical but also useless.

I'm a bit young than you but I started generic multi-vitamins last year and the improvement in my skin, hair and nails has been immense. A good skincare routine with SPF every day has slowed the fine lines for me.

Try to get it from natural sources. E.g add fresh turmeric to food.

magnesium if you have issues sleeping.

check iron levels

D

I don't buy the theory that vitamin supplements are a waste of time/ expensive urine. I remember reading on here years ago threads on the conception boards by people whose DH's sperm tests had improved very significantly after just a few months of supplements. Since taking supplements my nails grow so fast and are super-strong whereas they used to be weak and I couldn't grow them!

The most important ones IMO are vitamin D, Magnesium and Omega 3. These are difficult to get naturally in the UK through diet/sun.

I take collagen, calcium (dairy intolerant), vitamin d, evening primrose, a women’s health multivitamin, iron a couple of times a week and not that it’s a supplement, HRT.

My skin and hair have improved immeasurably (although my nails are still shite but I think that’s down to being a HCP
and constantly washing my hands in hibiscrub ). I’ve also recently started taking ashwagandha which was recommended on here.

A blind man eating eyeballs 😂

I already take loads of vitamin D (was TTC until recently), wear SPF50 every day and eat fish a couple of times a week, plus avocado etc. I feel like I'm doing quite a lot right and deserve more than my crap hair and weak nails!

Will get on with waxing the 'tache asap, that feels like an easy win.

I think I'm still leaning towards collagen despite the chance it being a load of old snake oil. And definitely magnesium.

I did used to take a complex B vitamin but it smelt awful and make my wee luminous 😬

Not if you live in the UK, as you can’t get enough vitamin D from the sun here.

I take Iron and Vitamin C (Spatone), collagen, evening primrose if my hormones seem out of whack (boobs hurting etc) and if I’m not sleeping well occasionally take magnesium.

I take perfectil hair and nails and have a good skincare routine.

Don't forget about external stuff too, like using hand cream, nourishing hand and body soaps like olive oil, a good, intensive moisturing hair treatment every week, covering your hair in the sun and pool, using leave in conditioners, heat protectants, sun protecting sprays and conditioners for yur hair, covering it at night so you don't get breakage on your pillow. Can you tell I've also had damage prone hair?! It finally seems to be on the mend.

I’m 42 and I take a multi vitamin, vitamin D, collagen and evening primrose oil. I’m also currently trialling taking an amino acid supplement as I’ve got an under active thyroid and read that can help.

I’m not 100% convinced everything I take does something amazing for me, but it’s certainly not hurting me!

You don't need any . Most of the supposed benefits are just marketing. In fact some are toxic if taken in excess.

If you have a healthy diet you shouldn't need anything. If you suspect a deficiency go to your GP and get a blood test.

Sadly BIAB ruined my nails @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie.
I thought it was a strength building formula for nails.
Yes, your nails are strong when it's on but so weak when you have it removed.
It's been 6 months now and they are just recovering.
You have to keep having BIAB done because once you it's removed your nails are sh1t.
Well that was my experience.

Iron, Vit D and magnesium but not in tablet form. Magnesium is better as a spray etc on the soles of the feet where it can be absorbed much easier.

I didn’t know that about magnesium spray. What sort? Magnesium glycinate?

Sounds like peri menopause OP. GP might fob you off as too young but you're not really, in order for there to be an average some women have to be younger and older. I was taking loads of supplements for different things until I started hrt. Made a huge difference to dry sagging skin and hair. I had lots of other symptoms too though, one of which was rubbish sleep. I realised what it was about age 43 but it was going on for a few years before that. I chickened put of going to the GP until I was 45 as that's the magic age they are supposed to diagnose peri by symptoms according to NICE guidelines.

I do curly girl for my hair so I don't use shampoo any more, my hair isn't really curly but not using shampoo means it's in better condition. I take evening primrose or starflower sometimes. Vitamin D is important but it's better to take it with K. My friend swears by liposomal vitamin c, and to be fair she looks great.

I've got a thread on chat about waking at 4am with some great advice. Been taking magnesium on the back of that but its not long enough to day its def working for me.

I've been taking a multivitamin with iron and seperay biolin with b6 for 6 months and I've def got some hair regrowth, lots of baby hairs.

For sleep, magnesium glycinate + limiting screens at night helped the most for me. I used to wake up at 3am almost daily and that combo made a huge difference. For skin and nails, I take collagen (I use powder, unflavored) and smooth as silk plus, it has omega 7, omega 3, and vitamin D3, which really helped with dryness, hair breakage and just feeling more balanced overall. It’s from femininity ad it's vegan! I also added iron recently after getting my levels checked and that helped with energy and the random mood dips. I don’t take a million things at once anymore, just the basics that seem to cover more than one issue.

I'm the same at 66. I only take vitamins if I think I need them to recover from a cold. (I'm not in the UK before anyone starts advising me to take vitamin D).

I am 51 and vegan. I take Menopause, which is a multivitamin for this time of life. I eat an incredibly healthy diet but need to supplement for B vitamins so just take Menopace as an all round catch all. My iron level was too low to donate blood at the beginning of the year but six months after taking the supplement and really focussing on my diet, it was ok again and I gave blood in July. I have noticed my nails are a bit stronger now too but that could be because owe just had summer and higher exposure to sunlight/vitamin D.