{"id":98326,"date":"2025-08-21T02:58:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T02:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/98326\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T02:58:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T02:58:28","slug":"12-supplements-you-should-never-take-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/98326\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Supplements You Should Never Take Together"},"content":{"rendered":"

With more people turning to supplements<\/a> to boost their health, it\u2019s easy to assume that combining a few vitamins or herbal remedies is harmless. But, doctors and health experts warn that certain supplement pairings can do more harm than good\u2014leading to reduced effectiveness, dangerous interactions, or even serious health<\/a> risks.<\/p>\n

Some supplements work well together, but others can amplify side effects or interfere with absorption, potentially leading to larger health issues, explains Azza Halim, MD, a board-certified anesthesiologist<\/a> specialized in anti-aging and regenerative medicine. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to have your doctor or pharmacist review your supplement regimen before you start taking any new ones. What\u2019s more, the timing of certain doses can matter, too.<\/p>\n

From popular pairings that cancel each other out to specific combinations that could put your health at risk, knowing what not to mix is just as important as knowing what to take. Read on to discover the 12 supplement combos that doctors say should never be taken together.<\/p>\n

RELATED: 21 Surprising Signs You Have a Vitamin Deficiency<\/a><\/p>\n

” src=”https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/2671319023_4350_content.jpg?quality=82&strip=all” alt=”woman looking at supplement bottle” width=”1200″ height=”800″ class=”lazyload alignnnone size-full wp-image-565545″ \/>iStock<\/p>\n

One of the most common reasons that supplements might make a poor pairing is if they cancel one another out. Trista Best, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements<\/a>, says that calcium and iron are a perfect example of how you can undermine the benefits of supplements by combining the wrong things.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll want to avoid taking your iron supplement with a calcium supplement or food source,\u201d says Best. \u201cThese two vitamins compete for absorption, and calcium will reduce the amount of iron your body is able to absorb\u2014if any.\u201d<\/p>\n

To maximize your body\u2019s absorption of an iron supplement, Best recommends pairing it with vitamin C<\/a>. And, it doesn\u2019t need to come in a pill form.<\/p>\n

\u201cNon-heme iron comes from plant sources and it isn\u2019t absorbed as easily as heme forms, but adding vitamin C can increase iron\u2019s absorption. This can be done simply by adding lemon to your water or eating some strawberries along with your supplement regimen,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

” src=”https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/2671319023_9757_content.jpg?quality=82&strip=all” alt=”man ready to take a pill while standing at home, copy space” width=”1200″ height=”800″ class=”lazyload alignnnone size-full wp-image-565546″ \/>iStock<\/p>\n

Many people favor zinc and copper supplements to boost their immune systems. However, certified nutritionist Jenny Dobrynina says that taking them at the same time will produce ineffective results.<\/p>\n

\u201cCombining copper and zinc is not advisable because they compete for absorption in the body. So, taking them together reduces their effectiveness,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: 10 Best Supplements for Weight Loss<\/a><\/p>\n

” src=”https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/2671319023_3453_content.jpg?quality=82&strip=all” alt=”vitamin C supplements next to oranges” width=”1200″ height=”800″ class=”lazyload alignnnone size-full wp-image-565547″ \/>Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Dobrynina also warns against taking vitamin C and vitamin B-12<\/a> at the same time: \u201cI recommend taking these two supplements at least two hours apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>, taking these two supplements simultaneously can lead to reduced levels of vitamin B-12 in the body. A B-12 deficiency<\/a> can cause anemia, or a reduction in healthy red blood cells, which can lead to fatigue, breathlessness, balance problems, memory impairment, or other health issues.<\/p>\n

” src=”https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/2671319023_1583_content.jpg?quality=82&strip=all” alt=”Close-up portrait of a man wearing a denim shirt taking a vitamin with a glass of water” width=”1200″ height=”712″ class=”lazyload alignnnone size-full wp-image-565548″ \/>PeopleImages \/ iStock<\/p>\n

Taking Vitamins E<\/a> and K shouldn\u2019t be taken at the same time since they can have opposing effects on coagulation, Dobrynina warns.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudies show that vitamin E supplementation leads to increased bleeding in some people, \u201d she explains. \u201cDoctors usually prescribe vitamin K supplements to help with blood clotting. So, taking vitamin E simultaneously with vitamin K can counteract the effects of vitamin K.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 2023 case study<\/a> published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports found that high doses of vitamin E can \u201cinhibit vitamin K-derived coagulation factor synthesis, which can cause serious bleeding events such as gastrointestinal bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: 10 Surprising Vitamin Deficiency Causes Revealed by Doctors<\/a><\/p>\n

” src=”https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/2671319023_5540_content.jpg?quality=82&strip=all” alt=”Fish oil capsules with omega 3 and vitamin D in a glass bottle on wooden texture, healthy diet concept,close up shot.” width=”1200″ height=”800″ class=”lazyload alignnnone size-full wp-image-565549″ \/>iStock<\/p>\n

Jacek Szymanowski, a Precision Nutrition-certified nutritionist and health coach<\/a>, says that the combo of fish oil and ginkgo biloba can also affect your blood\u2019s ability to clot safely.<\/p>\n

\u201cCombining these can increase the risk of bleeding due to their blood-thinning effects,\u201d she says. \u201cBoth supplements have anticoagulant properties, which can synergistically increase bleeding risk, especially in high doses or with other blood thinners.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: 5 Surprising Benefits of Taking an Omega-3 Supplement<\/a><\/p>\n

” src=”https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/2671319023_8301_content.jpg?quality=82&strip=all” alt=”Person taking Vitamin B Complex pills out of a bottle. Close up.” width=”1200″ height=”800″ class=”lazyload alignnnone size-full wp-image-565550″ \/>iStock<\/p>\n

Finally, folic acid and vitamin B-12<\/a> is another pairing that you should re-evaluate with your doctor\u2019s help since \u201cexcess consumption of vitamin B9 and B-12 (folic acid and folate) can hide the symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency,\u201d says Dobrynina.<\/p>\n

One study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that \u201cthere is a risk that if folic acid is given to people who have undiagnosed deficiency of vitamin B12 it may lead to neurological damage<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n

A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause the same type of anemia as a folate deficiency, but it may also lead to permanent nerve damage. The researchers explain that while folic acid can fix the anemia caused by low B12, it won\u2019t stop the nerve damage from getting worse\u2014potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n

For the best and most personalized recommendations about which supplements you should and shouldn\u2019t take together, ask your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n

This story has been updated to include additional entries, fact-checking, and copy-editing.<\/p>\n

We offer the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research, and health agencies, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medication you’re taking or any other health questions you have, always consult your healthcare provider directly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With more people turning to supplements to boost their health, it\u2019s easy to assume that combining a few…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":98327,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269,582],"class_list":{"0":"post-98326","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-supplements"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}