![\"\u2018People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/107606871-15695509-image-a-1_1775124706971.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDo you want improved immunity, higher energy levels, a sharper brain or better sleep? There\u2019s a pill to be popped that promises that.<\/p>\n
According to market researchers Mintel, 70 per cent of UK adults report having taken a vitamin, mineral or other supplement, fuelling an industry worth over \u00a3600million annually.<\/p>\n
From multivitamins to magnesium, supplements have become a daily ritual for millions of us \u2013 a neat shortcut to better health. But despite the money we spend and the faith we place in them, they may not be doing what we think.<\/p>\n
\u2018People expect that if they take a supplement, within a couple of weeks they\u2019ll feel health benefits, but that\u2019s not going to happen,\u2019 says dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton of the Health And Food Supplements Information Service. \u2018Our expectations have become far too high.\u2019<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you need to know about why they might not be as effective as they claim \u2013 and which supplements, if any, you should really be taking.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2018People expect that if they take a supplement, within a couple of weeks they\u2019ll feel health benefits… but that\u2019s not going to happen\u2019<\/p>\n
Multivitamins won\u2019t make up for a bad diet<\/p>\n
A balanced diet, with protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and pulses, wholegrain carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, fruits and vegetables, should deliver all the vitamins and minerals your body requires. But since only two in ten adults eat their five-a-day, it\u2019s tempting to imagine a daily multivitamin will bridge the gap.<\/p>\n
Dr Ruxton says, \u2018If you have a poor diet, multivitamins won\u2019t make up for it. But it might lessen the negative impact of any deficiency \u2013 for instance in vitamin C, which can make your immune system less effective.\u2019 This, she says, is the key message many of us have lost sight of. \u2018Supplements aren\u2019t drugs \u2013 they\u2019re supposed to top up our diet. They were designed to help people with deficiencies hit the recommended daily amount, not to compensate for an unhealthy lifestyle or prevent disease.\u2019<\/p>\n
Are you taking enough vitamin D?<\/p>\n
Essential for maintaining the health of bones, teeth, muscles and immune function, as well as enabling the body to absorb the bone-building nutrient calcium, vitamin D is the one supplement we should all be taking.<\/p>\n
\u2018We can synthesise vitamin D from sunlight exposure on the skin, but most of us are low on it in this country,\u2019 says Simon Gaisford, a professor of pharmaceutics at University College London.<\/p>\n
The NHS recommends a daily ten-microgram supplement during the gloomy months of October to March, but Dr Ruxton says: \u2018I take 25 micrograms a day all year round because I feel ten isn\u2019t enough \u2013 it\u2019s well within the safe upper limit of 100 micrograms.\u2019<\/p>\n
Is your supplement being absorbed?<\/p>\n
How much of a vitamin or mineral your body absorbs can vary dramatically depending on the form it\u2019s in, what you take it with and even your own gut health.<\/p>\n
\u2018Different compounds, or forms of the same nutrient, are absorbed to different degrees,\u2019 says Dr Ruxton. \u2018For example, with iron, the best absorbed are iron citrate and iron sulphate \u2013 so it\u2019s worth asking a pharmacist which to go for.\u2019<\/p>\n
Some minerals also compete with one another for absorption in the gut. \u2018Calcium interferes with absorption of iron, for instance, so take an iron supplement on an empty stomach,\u2019 says Professor Gaisford. \u2018As a rule of thumb, take supplements containing minerals spaced throughout the day.\u2019<\/p>\n
By contrast, vitamins including A, D, E and K \u2018must be taken with fats, so these are best taken with food, to aid absorption,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n
Absorption can also be hindered by digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and certain medications \u2013 so you may only be accessing a fraction of what you think.<\/p>\n
You may be taking too much<\/p>\n
More isn\u2019t always better when it comes to supplements \u2013 and some can be harmful in high doses. Vitamin A is the one experts are most cautious about, as it\u2019s stored in the body rather than excreted, meaning excess can build up over time. High intakes have been linked to liver problems, bone thinning and an increased risk of birth defects.<\/p>\n
Vitamin D and iron can also accumulate if taken in large amounts. \u2018This is why it\u2019s important to stick close to recommended daily amounts and avoid \u201chigh-strength\u201d formulas unless prescribed,\u2019 says Dr Ruxton.<\/p>\n
Pricey brands won\u2019t make you feel better ![\"Dietician](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/107606873-15695509-image-m-12_1775125650362.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton of the Health And Food Supplements Information Service<\/p>\n
On social media it\u2019s hard to miss adverts for premium supplement brands promising to transform the way you feel for as much as \u00a3100 a month. But a higher price doesn\u2019t guarantee higher quality.<\/p>\n
Dr Ruxton says that with multivitamins there will be no difference between an expensive and a supermarket own brand. \u2018Sometimes, a premium brand can be slightly better for people with specific issues,\u2019 she says. \u2018For example, if you want a nutrient profile to support pregnancy or breastfeeding, they can give you more than a basic multivitamin.\u2019<\/p>\n
Many brands offer products marketed as \u2018all-in-one\u2019 menopause solutions to everything from hot flushes and brain fog to sleep, mood and energy. Studying the ingredients is vital, as some barely differ from standard multivitamins, despite costing far more.<\/p>\n
\u2018I have not seen sufficient evidence that supplements are effective for these symptoms,\u2019 says Dr Ruxton. \u2018In most cases, they won\u2019t do you any harm and some women report finding them helpful, but for others, HRT will be the most effective option.\u2019<\/p>\n
Find the right form of magnesium for sleep<\/p>\n
According to the NHS we should be able to get all the magnesium we need from foods including nuts and seeds, leafy greens, pulses, yogurt and fish. But many people swear by taking it in supplement form to help them get a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n
Professor Gaisford is one of them. \u2018I take magnesium glycinate as it\u2019s the best option for absorption,\u2019 he says. Magnesium oxide, commonly found in cheaper supplements, is absorbed far less efficiently than magnesium citrate or glycinate.<\/p>\n
Does the formula make much difference?<\/p>\n
From liquids and pills to powders and gummies, supplements are available in an ever-growing range of formulations. Water-soluble vitamins and minerals are usually solids, so are most often found in tablets, sachets or capsules, while omega-3 oils will tend to come in a liquid-filled, soft-gel capsule. \u2018All will dissolve in the gut, so it\u2019s a personal preference,\u2019 says Professor Gaisford. Equally, if you prefer your vitamin D in a spray to a pill, there\u2019s no evidence it will be absorbed any more or less effectively.<\/p>\n
The four supplements experts swear by<\/p>\n
As we get older, our ability to absorb vitamin B12 from our diet (in meat, fish, eggs and dairy) diminishes. Low levels can cause fatigue, so a supplement is a good idea for over 50s. Vegans should also monitor their levels.<\/p>\n
As well as vitamin D and magnesium, Professor Gaisford takes omega fish oil capsules \u2013 because, he says, \u2018Two omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are essential and can be difficult to obtain in sufficient quantity in the diet, unless you eat a lot of fish.\u2019<\/p>\n
Dr Ruxton agrees, adding, \u2018Fish oil is especially important for people aged 50-plus to support everything from brain to heart health.\u2019 She also takes a daily probiotic. These purport to help restore the balance of \u2018good\u2019 bacteria in the gut and are being studied for their potential impact on immunity. \u2018Before, I\u2019d get around three colds per year. Since taking it, I\u2019ve had one in the past two years.\u2019<\/p>\n
For people who aren\u2019t sure their diet is up to scratch, both recommend taking a basic multivitamin \u2013 although, surprisingly, Professor Gaisford says, \u2018You probably only need to take it once a week.\u2019<\/p>\n
New research, published in Nature Medicine last month, added a tentative note of support. A study of nearly 1,000 people, aged about 70, found that taking a daily multivitamin for two years slowed two of five biological ageing markers in older adults by an average of four months. The effect was modest but it suggests that for people with nutritional gaps, a basic multivitamin may offer some benefit.<\/p>\n
Although as Dr Ruxton notes, \u2018It\u2019s the simplest way of topping up, but diet is what\u2019s really important.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Do you want improved immunity, higher energy levels, a sharper brain or better sleep? There\u2019s a pill to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":509423,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[97,59,102,655,93462,56,54,55,95223],"class_list":["post-509422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-dailymail","tag-gb","tag-health","tag-lifestyle","tag-lifestylefitnesswellbeing","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-you-mag"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/509422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=509422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/509422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/509423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=509422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=509422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=509422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}