Wellness Supplements I Actually Take — And the Ones I Stopped

At one point in 2023, I was taking eleven supplements a day. Eleven. I had a pill organizer the size of a tackle box and a morning routine that included swallowing capsules for eight straight minutes. My bathroom counter looked like a pharmacy had an explosion. I was spending roughly $280 a month on pills, powders, and tinctures, most of which I couldn't explain the purpose of if you'd asked me while I was taking them.

Then I got blood work done. My doctor, Dr. Nadia Patel in Newport Beach, looked at my results, looked at my supplement list, and said something that changed my entire approach: "Four of these are doing something. The rest are expensive urine." She was blunt. She was right. I've been taking four supplements since, and I feel better than I did on eleven.

What I Take Now (Doctor-Approved)

Vitamin D3 — 5,000 IU daily. NatureMade, $12 for a four-month supply. My blood panel showed my vitamin D levels at 22 ng/mL. The target range is 30-50. I live in California, where the sun shines three hundred days a year, and I was still deficient. How? Sunscreen. The same SPF 46 I apply religiously every morning to prevent aging also prevents my skin from making vitamin D. It's a trade-off, and supplementation is the answer.

After three months of supplementation, my levels hit 38. I noticed improved energy and my mood was genuinely more stable — particularly in the afternoon slump between 2-4pm that used to flatten me. Could be placebo. My doctor says it's not. I believe her because she has no financial incentive to sell me NatureMade vitamins.

Magnesium Glycinate — 400mg before bed. Doctor's Best, $16 for a three-month supply. This is the supplement that made the most noticeable difference in my life. I started taking it for sleep on Dr. Patel's recommendation. Within a week — and I mean exactly one week — I was falling asleep faster, sleeping deeper, and waking up feeling actually rested instead of feeling like I'd been lightly beaten with a pillow all night.

The glycinate form specifically matters. Magnesium citrate gives you digestive effects that are, shall we say, inconvenient. Magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed. Glycinate is the form that crosses the blood-brain barrier and actually helps with sleep and anxiety. My doctor was very specific about this and I'm being very specific about it now because I see people buying whatever magnesium is cheapest and wondering why it's not working.

Collagen Peptides — one scoop in morning coffee. Vital Proteins, $27 for a one-month supply. I'm going to be honest: the evidence for oral collagen supplements is mixed. Some studies show benefits for skin elasticity and joint health. Others show nothing. My personal experience: my nails are stronger (they used to break constantly, now they don't), my skin seems plumper (though this could be the increased water intake I started at the same time), and my knee that used to click going up stairs clicks less. Is that the collagen? Is that the magnesium? Is that the fact that I'm sleeping better and drinking more water? I genuinely don't know. But the collagen isn't expensive enough to stop taking it while I figure it out.

It's unflavored and dissolves completely in hot coffee. I can't taste it. If I could taste it, I would not be taking it, because I am extremely protective of my morning coffee experience and nothing is allowed to interfere with it.

Omega-3 Fish Oil — 1,000mg daily. Nordic Naturals, $28 for a two-month supply. For heart health, brain function, and inflammation. The evidence for omega-3 supplementation is stronger than almost any other supplement. My doctor recommends it for basically everyone over 40. The Nordic Naturals version doesn't give me fish burps, which is the main thing I look for in a fish oil supplement. Glamorous? No. Important? Extremely.

What I Stopped Taking (And Why)

Biotin. Took it for six months hoping for thicker hair. What I got: acne along my jawline that looked like I was reliving puberty. Apparently biotin causes breakouts in some people and nobody tells you this before you start taking it. Stopped biotin, breakouts cleared within three weeks. My hair is fine without it.

Collagen drinks. Tried Vital Proteins collagen water ($4.50 per bottle) and a competing brand's "beauty elixir" ($6 per bottle). These are flavored collagen beverages that taste like slightly weird fruit juice. Three months, zero noticeable difference versus the unflavored powder I was already taking. What they are: expensive hydration. What they are not: more effective than the $27 powder. Math doesn't lie. I stopped.

Ashwagandha. Took it for stress relief. Felt mildly calmer for the first two weeks, then felt nothing. My doctor said the evidence is "promising but preliminary" and that magnesium glycinate addresses the same symptoms with much stronger research behind it. Dropped ashwagandha, kept magnesium. No difference in stress levels. Saved $25/month.

Apple cider vinegar gummies. I am embarrassed to admit I bought these but honesty is the entire point of this section. They taste like sour candy and do precisely nothing that a balanced diet doesn't already do. The "detox" claims are marketing. Your liver detoxes you. That's literally its job. You don't need a gummy to help. I took them for one month, felt no different, and threw the rest away with a level of aggression that surprised even me.

"Beauty" multivitamins. The ones with the pretty packaging and the promise of glowing skin, shiny hair, and strong nails. $40/month. I took them for four months. My skin, hair, and nails were exactly the same. What changed my skin was topical skincare and tretinoin. What changed my nails was collagen. What changed my hair was nothing — it's genetically determined and no vitamin is going to override your DNA.

The Monthly Cost Now vs Then

Then: $280/month on eleven supplements. Now: $55/month on four supplements. Savings: $225/month, which is $2,700/year, which is approximately one very nice vacation or sixty-seven bottles of SkinCeuticals vitamin C serum. I chose to save it for both.

If you're going to take one supplement starting today: magnesium glycinate. If two: add vitamin D. If three: add omega-3. If four: add collagen. In that order. Everything else is optional until your doctor tells you otherwise based on actual blood work, not an Instagram ad.

For how these supplements fit into my overall approach to aging and wellness, check the anti-aging guide. For the topical products that work alongside supplementation, my skincare routine breaks it all down. And for the fitness routine that completes the picture, that's in lifestyle.