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Can You Take Too Many Supplements? Signs It’s Time For A Spring Overhaul
People often ask us, ‘Can you take too many supplements?’. The answer is yes—more doesn’t always mean better. This guide will help you prioritise which supplements to take and show you how to give your supplement cupboard a much-needed seasonal overhaul.
How many supplements is too many?
- If you are taking multiple supplements, you will have no idea which ones are actually helping you.
- When you are taking a lot of different supplements, you run the risk of them either interacting with each other or, in some cases, cancelling each other out, which is a huge waste of money.
- It is very expensive to buy supplements. The industry is not subsidised, so the cost can add up very quickly. It is important to spend money on the products you actually need and will get a therapeutic benefit from.
So, in summary, yes, you can take too many supplements, but there are some ways to help you narrow down which ones you should prioritise.
Realistically, how many can I take each day/week?
One way of cutting through all the noise when you are thinking about purchasing or taking a product is to ask yourself - will this help my main health concern?
It is extremely easy to go into a health store, pharmacy or supermarket and think you need all the supplements because you have so many things you need help with. This results in you taking too many supplements and then, more often than not, wastefulness, when you eventually get overwhelmed and stop taking them. But getting clear on your main health concern will help you make better choices.
Here’s an example: You are tired all the time.
You may think you need all these supplements:
- Iron
- B vitamin complex
- B12
- Stress and adrenal support
- Sleep support
- Energy complex
Technically, you are right. All of those things will help your energy, but that is not a targeted way of working out what you need.
🌿Related: 5 Causes Of Low Energy In Women And What To Do About It
Some questions you could ask yourself are:
Are you tired because you are a vegan or vegetarian?
If it's a yes, you might need to check your iron and B12 levels. If they're low, consider supplementing to bring them back to a healthy range.
Are you tired because your sleep is disrupted?
Is it that you can’t get to sleep? Or do you wake up through the night?
If yes to any of those - maybe you need to look at supporting your body to get to sleep with a product that can help with sleep.
🌿Related: 8 Incredible Herbs To Help With Sleep
Are you tired because you are under a lot of constant stress?
If yes - do you need to add in some adrenal support or a vitamin B complex to help you cope with the stress?
Are you tired because you have a chronic health condition, or are you in pain constantly?
If yes - do you need some support to manage inflammation?
Are you tired because you don’t eat regularly?
Do you rely on quick and easy meals that are deficient in protein and vegetables? If yes - do you need to look at a multivitamin or a ‘greens’ powder to help add in some extra nutrition?
Are you tired because you forgot to drink water?
Dehydration is one of the biggest contributors to fatigue. Do you need help to remember to drink water? Or do you need to add something to your water to make it more appealing?
Narrowing down the issue can help determine what you need. By introducing one change at a time, you can better assess whether it's working for you.
What about combining supplements?
If you're taking a lot of supplements, inevitability you're going to be taking some at the same time. Some supplements, like vitamin C and iron, provide additional benefits when taken together. Vitamin C helps with increased iron absorption, which is particularly helpful for those who are low in iron. Vitamin C also helps with zinc absorption, so if you have them in your cupboard, you can safely take them together.
- Vitamin C and B12 - Vitamin C degrades the B12, so you absorb less.
- Calcium and Iron - Calcium reduces the amount of iron that you absorb.
- Zinc and copper - They both compete for absorption which can cancel each other out.
- Magnesium and calcium - If they are not in the right ratio they can compete for absorption.
- Iron with green tea, tea, or coffee - They reduce the amount of iron you absorb.
Can you take our products together?
We often get asked if you can mix our tonics together, and yes you can, but it is much better to space things out so the body can absorb them better.
In saying that, our products can be taken relatively close together; you could have our Liver Bitters before your morning shower, then a tonic with or after your breakfast.
Things like our Throat Spray, Vira Elixir, and Rest and Calm can be taken as needed, and they are fine alongside other tonics and supplements.
What are the best times to take supplements?
- Take herbs and multivitamins with food
- Take fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A, K and D) with food that has some fat i.e. a glass of milk, smoothie or butter on toast as this will greatly enhance absorption.
- Take probiotics on an empty stomach so they have don't have to compete with food and can work at colonising your microbiome. You could take them first thing in the morning if you don’t eat for a few hours or right before bed.
Why aren't you taking your supplements?
You keep forgetting - One downside to taking too many supplements is forgetting to take them. Find the supplement that corresponds with your main health concern and leave it out by the kettle or coffee machine (something you use daily) as a reminder to take it. Or add a recurring reminder in your phone.
You don't like the taste - Bought some products and can't stand the taste? Try disguising them with a strong fruit juice or concentrate, like Barkers blackcurrant. This is particularly helpful for hiding herbal tinctures and powders.
We prioritise taste with our liquid supplements so it's easy for you to take them. We understand that if it tastes awful it will be a struggle to keep taking it. But we also acknowledge that for some people even our products might not be to their liking - we all have different taste preferences.
They've expired - In some cases, depending on the supplement, it might be ok to not adhere to a use by date.
My supplements are expired, can I still use them?
Sometimes, you can simply forget what you have, and when you finally go to use them - they have expired. Before you throw everything out, read this.
Quick note: Remember common sense is important here. If the products have been stored well (not exposed to direct sunlight, heat, or humidity), properly resealed/closed, and have not been exposed to potential cross-contaminants or harmful particles, they may still be fine to take. Importantly, they must also smell and look okay—just like food—use your senses.
Gummies - Gummies and chewable vitamins degrade much faster because they absorb more moisture than vitamins in tablet forms.
Multivitamins - These don’t technically expire, but they do become less potent. So, if you take them, you will get some benefit, just not the therapeutic amount you would have when you first purchased them.
Tinctures/vinegars - These have been used traditionally for years. Alcohol and vinegar work really well as preservatives, so you can comfortably use them (once again, only if they have been stored appropriately and look/smell fine).
Oil-based supplements - Do not take fish oil, algae oil, fat-soluble vitamins or plant-based oils that are past their expiry date. Oil stability can dramatically change, which can lead to rancidity - which can be harmful.
Sometimes, you may need some extra guidance. Some naturopaths or local health professionals may offer a service where they go through your supplements with you and make it easier to work out what you need and what you don’t. You can also ask us if you have any questions.
Short,to the point..really digestable 😁👍