Let’s be real—nutrition can be complicated. Between conflicting headlines, TikTok shop creators peddling everything under the sun, and that friend who swears apple cider vinegar cures everything, it’s hard to know what supplements are actually worth your hard-earned cash.
As a dietitian, I’m here to cut through the noise and give you the real tea on which supplements you actually need. Because let’s face it—no one wants to pop pills unnecessarily, but some of us are walking around with nutrient gaps big enough to drive a truck through.
The General Population
Even if you eat a really healthy, balanced diet, some nutrients are just tough to get every day. These include:
- Vitamin D
- Food doesn’t naturally have much Vitamin D within it, meaning it is very difficult to get enough from diet and we must produce our own instead via sunlight exposure. The UK is notoriously cloudy and miserable, and we actually need a specific wavelength of UV light to produce our own Vitamin D naturally. During the months of October and March, this wavelength isn’t produced at all, so everyone needs to supplement. During the summer, if you stay indoors a lot, have darker skin, cover up a lot or avoid the sun, you should take it year round!
- 10ug (400IU) generally will suffice, but you might choose to take up to 25ug (1000IU) with no consequences. Above this, ensure your Vitamin D also has Vitamin K2 to prevent calcification of arteries.
There are no other nutrients which are required to supplement for the general population, but you might want to consider a multivitamin and mineral to cover any accidental deficits.
Vegans and Vegetarians
There are a lot more nutrients of concern for vegans and vegetarians. In addition to the general population guidelines, you will need to supplement:
- Vitamin B12
- This is found in fortified plant foods, but is very difficult to get enough of from simply eating those, and therefore supplementation is always advised for vegans. Recent research suggests that vegetarians should also consider supplementing for B12 to be safe.
- 25-100ug per day of cyanocobalamin is recommended, but of course if you have a deficiency you may need a stronger, prescription strength supplement.
- Equally, if you are on any medications such as PPI’s (proton pump inhibitors), or you have absorption issues, you may need an injection of B12 every 3 months as you might not be able to absorb enough from your diet.
- Iodine
- The primary source of iodine is fish and dairy products in the general population, so it’s easy to see why vegans and vegetarians might struggle to get enough. Some plant milks are fortified which can reduce the need for supplementation, so check this before supplementing.
- Supplements should not exceed 150ug per day of iodine, as too much is harmful. Do not use kelp supplements or stack supplements which contain iodine, as this can cause too much to be consumed.
- EPA/DHA
- Also known as omega-3’s, these types of omega-3’s are only found naturally in fish, seafood and algae. These are also the best absorbed and utilised versions, so whilst you can get some omega-3’s (ALA) from walnuts, flax and chia, you might choose to take a supplement made from algae instead to ensure adequacy.
- 450mg per day will ensure you’re getting enough for heart health, as well as cognitive function.
To consider:
- Calcium
- Whilst not necessary as plenty of fortified foods like soy milks and yoghurts, as well as tofu and dark green leafy veggies contain plenty of calcium, if you are in an at risk group for osteoporosis (peri/post-menopausal women, those with absorption issues or you simply don’t eat enough calcium sources) you could consider it.
- 500-600mg is advised to be the upper limit, partially because larger supplement servings would require larger tablets which are difficult to swallow, and little benefit is seen for having larger supplement levels.
- Iron
- Iron is difficult to get enough of as a vegan, particularly as a vegan woman, as iron requirements are higher and all iron is non-haem iron, which is difficult to absorb.
- Iron supplements themselves I tend to not recommend as they cause constipation and gastro problems, but a Lucky Iron Fish can be really useful (this is not sponsored- I just love this product). It can fortify any food with easily-absorbable iron without the gastro issues, and can help maintain sufficient iron levels in those who don’t already have deficiency. If you do have deficiency- take the supplement your doctor has prescribed.
Pre-pregnancy and Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, you essentially become a living nutrient factory for your baby, and as such, many women are at risk for deficiency of various vitamins and minerals. Things to supplement include:
- Pre-natal supplement: These are great as they will not contain vitamins or minerals which could be harmful for your baby (like vitamin A), unlike regular multivitamins, and they also contain larger amounts of essential nutrients such as folate, which reduces spina bifida. Ensure your pre-natal has folate (400ug) and vitamin D (10ug) at an absolute minimum.
Note; you technically don’t have to have a pre-natal supplement if you eat a healthy and balanced diet- all you would have to do is ensure supplementation of folate (400ug) and vitamin D (10ug) 3 months before and during the pregnancy. It’s up to you!
Do you have any specific conditions you’d find helpful to have specific supplement guides for? Let me know down below!
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