Do You Really Need 10 Supplements? How to Build a Smarter Stack

You open the cabinet and it's practically a pharmacy in there.

Omega-3s. Magnesium. Vitamin D. Collagen. Probiotics. CoQ10. Turmeric. Calcium. Ashwagandha. A multivitamin you've been taking since 2019 "just in case."

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone — and you're definitely not wrong to care about your health this much. But there's a real question worth asking: Is all of this actually working? Or are you spending $200 a month on supplements you don't fully need?

Here's how to figure that out.

Key Takeaways

• More supplements don't always mean better health — quality, timing, and interactions matter more than quantity

• Several popular supplements can cancel each other out if taken together at the wrong time

• A few targeted, high-quality supplements often outperform a full shelf of generic ones

• Your supplement needs at 50 are different from what they were at 35 — and different from your friend's at 52

• A pharmacist — not a wellness influencer — is your best resource for cutting through supplement confusion safely
  

Why Smart Women End Up With 10 Supplements

It doesn't happen overnight. You added magnesium because you read it helps with sleep. Then collagen because three people at book club swore by it. Then CoQ10 after a deep dive into heart health. Then ashwagandha because the brain fog was unbearable and something had to help.

Every single addition made sense at the time. You researched it. You read the studies (or at least the summaries). You checked a few Facebook groups. You asked your doctor, who shrugged and said "sure, won't hurt."

The problem isn't that you're uninformed. The problem is that supplement decisions are almost always made one at a time — without ever stepping back and looking at the whole picture.

That's where things get complicated.

The Hidden Problem With a Crowded Supplement Stack

Some supplements compete with each other.

This is one of the most overlooked issues in DIY supplement routines. Certain nutrients actively interfere with how well others are absorbed — meaning you could be spending money on supplements that are blocking each other.

A few common examples:

• Calcium and magnesium compete for absorption when taken together. If you're taking both at the same time, you may be significantly reducing the benefit of each.

• Iron and calcium have the same issue — which matters if you're dealing with any anemia or fatigue concerns alongside bone health support.

• Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) all need dietary fat to absorb properly. Taking them on an empty stomach? Much of that benefit goes straight through you.

• Zinc and copper need to stay in balance. Long-term zinc supplementation without copper can actually create a copper deficiency over time.
  

None of this is obvious from reading a supplement label. And unless someone asked you all of your supplements at once, it's likely no one has ever reviewed your full stack for interactions.

More isn't always absorbed better

Your body can only use so much of any given nutrient at one time. High-dose supplements — especially water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and B vitamins — often just get flushed out when they exceed what your body can actually use in a single dose. Splitting doses throughout the day, or simply taking a lower dose, is often more effective than maxing out a single pill.

The form of the supplement matters as much as the supplement itself

Magnesium is a perfect example. There are several forms on the market — oxide, citrate, glycinate, threonate, malate — and they don't all do the same thing or absorb the same way.

• Magnesium oxide (the most common, cheapest form) has low bioavailability — meaning your body doesn't absorb it well

• Magnesium glycinate is gentler on the stomach and better absorbed — often the better choice for sleep and relaxation

• Magnesium threonate shows promise for cognitive function specifically
  

If you grabbed whatever was on sale at Costco, you may be taking the least effective form for what you actually need.

The Supplements Most Women Over 48 Actually Benefit From

This isn't a universal prescription — your needs depend on your health history, your medications, your diet, and your lab work. But these are the nutrients that tend to genuinely matter for women in perimenopause and beyond.

Vitamin D3 + K2 Most women in Colorado are still deficient — even with sun exposure. Vitamin D supports bone health, immune function, mood, and more. The K2 matters here: it helps direct calcium to your bones rather than your arteries. These two work best together.

Magnesium Glycinate Sleep quality, muscle relaxation, mood regulation, and blood pressure support. Most women don't get enough through diet. This one earns its place on the shelf — but form matters (see above).

Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) Anti-inflammatory, heart-protective, and supportive of brain health. The key is quality: look for a brand that's third-party tested for purity and provides at least 1,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA per serving. Not all fish oil is created equal.

Probiotics Gut health affects everything from immunity to mood to how you metabolize nutrients. A high-quality probiotic with multiple strains and confirmed CFU counts at expiration (not just at manufacture) is worth the investment — but cheap, low-CFU options often don't survive long enough to actually reach your gut.

Collagen (Type I and III) The research on collagen for skin, joints, and hair is more solid than it used to be. Hydrolyzed collagen peptides — taken with Vitamin C — appear to support collagen synthesis. It's not magic, but for women already experiencing joint discomfort or changes in skin quality, it's a reasonable addition.

What You Might Be Able to Let Go Of

This is the harder conversation — but also the most freeing one.

The generic multivitamin you've been taking for years: A women's 50+ formula may serve you better than a general multivitamin. Or your diet and targeted supplementation may already be covering the bases. Worth reviewing.

The supplement you added because of a podcast: Wellness influencers and longevity podcasters are smart, compelling, and sometimes genuinely helpful. They're also not your pharmacist. They don't know your medications, your bloodwork, or your health history. Take their recommendations as starting points for research, not prescriptions.

Anything you added more than a year ago that you've never reassessed: Your body changes. What supported you at 46 may not be what you need at 52. A yearly supplement review is worth building into your health routine.

How to Actually Build a Smarter Stack

Step 1: Write down everything you're taking

All of it — prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and every single supplement. Include the dose and when you take it. Most people have never seen their full list in one place.

Step 2: Get relevant lab work

You can't optimize what you don't measure. At minimum, ask your doctor about checking Vitamin D levels, magnesium status, thyroid function, and a complete metabolic panel. If something is already in a healthy range, you may not need to supplement it at all.

Step 3: Consult a pharmacist — not just Google

Here's something that surprises a lot of people: pharmacists are specifically trained in drug-nutrient interactions, supplement quality, and how different compounds affect each other. They can look at your full medication and supplement list together and tell you what's working against you, what to take and when, and what you can safely cut.

This is genuinely a different conversation than what you'll get from a 45-minute research spiral at 11pm. And at a good independent pharmacy, this conversation doesn't have to feel rushed.

Step 4: Prioritize quality over quantity

One well-chosen, third-party tested supplement from a reputable brand is worth more than three bargain-bin options. Look for certifications from USP, NSF International, or ConsumerLab — these verify that what's on the label is actually in the bottle, at the stated dose.

Step 5: Reassess every 6–12 months

Your supplement needs aren't static. They shift with age, health changes, new medications, dietary changes, and lab results. Build in a regular review rather than letting your stack grow by default.

The Bottom Line

Taking your health seriously enough to research and invest in it? That's the right instinct entirely.

But the goal isn't a longer supplement list. The goal is a smarter one — where everything you're taking is earning its place, working with your body (and your medications), and actually doing what you think it's doing.

You don't need to figure this out alone, and you definitely don't need 10 supplements to be healthy.

If you'd like help reviewing your current supplement routine, our pharmacists are here for exactly that kind of conversation — no rushed counter visit required.  Give us a call or stop by and ask to speak with one of our pharmacists. It's one of the most useful 15 minutes you can spend on your health.