The starter guide to supplements: How to boost your health, wellness and skin from the inside out.
Lots of us are beginning the year by reflecting on our wellbeing in the hope for a healthier 2025. Whilst a nutritionally balanced diet is always superior, supplements can help to bridge any nutritional gaps caused by diet preferences and lifestyle. The problem is that the market is overwhelmingly huge, with so many different types and formats that claim to be essential to our health.
This week, we spoke to Dr Doireann O’Leary, a Cork-based GP, about what you need to know before starting a supplement. Doireann, who recently developed Supplements Made Simple, is passionate about simplifying the supplement market and only recommends science backed products.
What are the main benefits of taking supplements?
The primary aim of taking supplements alongside a healthy, balanced diet is to improve health, wellbeing, vitality, quality-of-life, treat or prevent disease, and in some cases, for beauty benefits like enhancing hair, skin and nail health.
Are multi-vitamins truly beneficial and who would benefit from these?
The data clearly says that taking multivitamins doesn’t improve overall health. That’s why Supplements Made Simple will never have a multivitamin. All supplements just contain one active ingredient. This allows customers to curate a supplement routine that will truly benefit their health. I can’t create one multivitamin that will be suitable for all women; we’re not all the same, we have different health needs and lifestyles.
Which supplements do you most recommend for boosting health and wellness?
For overall health, vitamin D is probably the most important for people in Ireland for all the reasons listed above. Folic acid is majorly important too for women of childbearing potential; it’s recommended that all women who may become pregnant take folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in developing babies. Ireland has one of the highest rates of neural tube defects in Europe. Up to 50% of pregnancies are unplanned so it’s advised that all women of childbearing potential take it whether trying to conceive or not. Vitamin B12 is really important for immune function and energy levels. I love collagen, CoQ10 and zinc for hair, skin and nails. Omegas are a real multitasker too; they have all of those health benefits listed above but also have those beauty, hair, skin and nail benefits too.
Typically, how long would it be before you would see benefits?
This varies from supplement to supplement, from person to person and what type of change you’re hoping to achieve. I sometimes have patients who tell me they’ve noticed a huge improvement in energy levels within 2 weeks of starting B12, Vitamin D or CoQ10 but some may not notice any differences at all despite correcting levels from low to normal. If you’re taking a supplement like collagen, omegas, CoQ10, zinc or folate for hair or skin you will probably need to wait 1-6 months to see skin changes and 6-12 months for hair changes.
In some cases, taking a supplement is giving you major health benefits but you don’t feel any different e.g. taking vitamin D is important for all adults in Ireland during winter to protect our immune function and bone health. You may feel the exact same when taking Vitamin D as when you’re not taking it, but this doesn’t mean that it’s not improving your health and working hard on the inside, behind the scenes! Similarly, folic acid before pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects in developing babies; this is another benefit that you won’t physically feel. The same can be said for Omegas which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol and support the brain development of breast-fed babies; again, these are all silent benefits.
What shouldn’t people do when it comes to supplements?
The main “don’t” when it comes to supplements is to not let them sit on the shelf gathering dust! The most effective supplements are the ones we actually take. If you find it hard to remember taking your supplements, try habit stacking e.g. linking taking supplements to another daily habit e.g. washing your teeth.
What are the signs of a vitamin deficiency?
Signs and symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies are vast and varied. Some deficiencies have no symptoms at all e.g. Vitamin D deficiency is very common in Ireland due to our lack of sunshine, but most people don’t experience symptoms. However, vitamin D deficiency may manifest as tiredness, low mood, premature greying of the hair, hair loss, fatigue or a weak immune response with increased susceptibility to coughs, colds and flus. Vitamin B12 deficiency is another common one. Our source of Vitamin B12 is from animal products in our diet e.g. red meat, poultry. But a lot of people don’t eat enough animal products to meet requirements, whether it’s due to being a vegetarian, vegan or having meat free days. Sign sand symptoms of low B12 include tiredness, fatigue, pins and needles, hair loss, premature greying of the hair and brain fog. Low folate is also common. This again can be silent, but someone may notice hair loss, premature greying of the hair, dry skin or a weaker immune response.
What are the most common vitamin deficiencies?
The most common in Ireland is Vitamin D. Iron deficiency is common in women who menstruate due to monthly blood loss. I see vitamin B12 deficiency a lot too due to the increasing popularity of vegan and vegetarian diets and people doing meat free days due to health concerns around red meat i.e. increased risk of colorectal cancer, as well as environmental and animal welfare concerns. Folate deficiency is also something I see quite a bit.
What is your opinion on supplements such as Biotin to boost the skin, hair and nails?
Biotin can unfortunately interfere with blood test assays at the lab and therefore result in inaccurate test results. The main blood tests impacted by biotin are troponin (the blood test to check for heart attack), and thyroid function tests. The FDA in The US issued a warning about biotin and one death has been associated with biotin due to a missed diagnosis of heart attack. Missing thyroid disease is also a potential problem; this is particularly concerning in pregnancy where tight control of thyroid function is important. An underactive thyroid in pregnancy can result in preterm labour and low birth weight; it’s really important we know the results of thyroid blood tests and that they’re accurate. Biotin can interfere with these results. Biotin also causes acne. For those reasons, I don’t recommend it.
When would you recommend these popular supplements:
Magnesium: Helps with sleep, energy, bones, muscle aches and pains. This can be particularly helpful in peri and post menopause
Iron: I don’t routinely recommend iron supplements. Low iron and iron supplements should be discussed with your doctor. Low iron may be due to menstruation each month in women, but it can sometimes be a sign of something more serious like a bowel cancer. For this reason, I don’t recommend self-diagnosing and self-treating low iron.
Vitamin D: Helps to support immune function, energy levels, protect against osteopenia (weak bones), osteoporosis (brittle bones), can help with hair loss and premature greying of the hair.
Vitamin B: Supports immune function, red blood cells, and energy levels.
Zinc: Helps with hair loss, premature greying of the hair and acne.
Omegas: Supports hair, skin and nail growth, reduces blood pressure, cholesterol, supports heart and brain health. Supports brain development of breast-fed babies.
Can you boost your overall immune system?
There’s no way of “boosting” immune function but we can certainly support it. Getting adequate sleep is key; those who get less than 6 hours sleep a night are more likely to get coughs, colds and flus than those who get more than 6 hours. Exercise can support immune function too. Stress management is also key as stress can weaken our immune system. Eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables will help too. And of course, the basics like hand hygiene, washing with soap and water for 30 seconds, particularly before eating, and cough and sneeze etiquette too.
There is some controversy about some brands ‘monetizing’ menopause – are there supplements that can truly benefit those in the stages of menopause?
Some supplements are key for peri and post menopause. Vitamin D is the most important. As we get older our oestrogen levels drop which increases our risk of osteopenia (weak bones) and osteoporosis (brittle bones). This is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this age group, so vitamin D is very important to consider. Omegas are also worth considering as they can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which contribute to heart disease, the leading cause of death in women in Ireland and at which peri and post-menopausal women are at increased risk of.
Finally, what should you look for in a health supplement brand?
Look for a brand that speaks to you, at your stage of life, with products that meet your health and beauty goals and needs.
Nerdie note: If you are on medication or pregnant, always consult with your GP before starting a supplement.