Supplements… The Fact, Fiction and Mystery Debunked
From magnesium sprays and tablets promising a dreamlike sleep to turmeric shots claiming an invincible immune system, the supplement aisle is brimming with claims. It’s hard to tell fact from fiction. These days, supplement aisles resemble modern apothecaries, not just in standard stores and pharmacies but also in supermarkets. Patients often wonder if these capsules and trinkets truly work or if they’re simply expensive and colourful urine. While some supplements have solid evidence, others are more myth than medicine. This guide simplifies the world of popular pills by explaining their intended effects, what research says and when they might be worth considering.
Vitamin D – The One Supplement I Take All Year Round
By Dr Timothy Eden, MBBS
Registered Dietitian from Eden Health and Nutrition
Read time approx. 4-5mins
In the world of nutrition and preventative health, few nutrients have attracted as much attention as vitamin D in recent years and for good reason. Once primarily associated with bone health, we now know that vitamin D plays a much broader role, influencing everything from immune function to muscle strength, mood regulation and potentially even chronic disease risk. Emerging research continues to link low vitamin D levels with a range of health issues, including autoimmune conditions, infections, cardiovascular disease, and even certain cancers.¹ ²
Yet despite its importance, suboptimal levels of vitamin D or even outright deficiency remain surprisingly common and often go unnoticed. Many individuals may not realise they’re lacking it until symptoms such as fatigue, low mood, frequent infections or bone pain begin to emerge. The good news? Vitamin D is safe, inexpensive and easy to supplement. While the scientific literature continues to explore whether low vitamin D levels directly cause these issues or are simply associated with them as markers of poor health, teasing out causation from correlation can be complex. Nonetheless, given its favourable safety profile, low cost and potential benefits this is one supplement that many consider worth taking as a precautionary measure. It’s also the one I personally choose to take all year round.